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Life Insurance and Accidental Death and Dismemberment Benefit

Life Insurance

The Fund provides life insurance benefits to eligible participants under a policy of insurance with Symetra Life Insurance Company (“Symetra”). The amount of the benefit depends on a participant’s length of service or position. Service is calculated based on a participant’s years of service from date of hire. Dependents are not covered under this benefit.

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If a participant dies, the beneficiary or beneficiaries on record with the Fund will receive the benefit. A participant can name one or more beneficiaries, and can change beneficiaries at any time. Changes to a beneficiary designation will be effective upon receipt of the change form by the Fund Office. A participant should consider changing a beneficiary designation in case of divorce or other change in circumstances to ensure that the life insurance benefit is paid in accordance with the participant’s wishes. If a named beneficiary dies before the participant, his or her share will be divided equally among the remaining beneficiaries, unless the participant has indicated otherwise on the Fund’s beneficiary designation form.

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 If no beneficiary is named, or if no named beneficiary survives the participant, Symetra may, at its option, pay:
 

  1. the executors or administrators of the estate;

  2. all to a surviving spouse;

  3. if the spouse does not survive the participant, in equal shares to any surviving children; or

  4. if no child survives the participant, in equal shares to the surviving parents.
     

In addition, Symetra may, at its option, pay a portion of the life insurance benefit up to $500 to any person equitably entitled to payment because of expenses from the participant’s burial.

Accidental Death and Dismemberment Benefit

The Fund also provides eligible participants with Accidental Death & Dismemberment (“AD&D”) benefits under a policy of insurance with Symetra Life Insurance Company (“Symetra”). The amount of coverage depends on the participant’s length of service or position, and the extent of injury in the case of accidental dismemberment. Service is calculated based on years of service from date of hire. Dependents are not covered under this benefit.

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If the participant formerly was a part-time participant, every two years of part-time service counts as one year of full-time service in determining the amount of AD&D benefits. If this “two for one” calculation provides a lesser benefit as a full-time participant than the participant would have received as a part-time participant, Symetra will instead pay the benefit based on the part-time AD&D benefit schedule, as set forth in the applicable plan for part-time benefits under the Fund.

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An eligible participant will receive AD&D benefits upon suffering a loss (see list below) due to an “injury,” as defined below. For purposes of AD&D benefits, “injury” means a bodily injury that results directly from an accident, is independent of all other causes, and occurs while the participant is eligible for this benefit. An injury does not include any loss resulting from sickness or disease or from medical or surgical treatment of a sickness or disease. 

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If the participant sustains an injury which results in any of the following losses within 365 days of the date of accident, Symetra will pay the participant (or beneficiary, if the participant dies) a percentage of the Basic Benefit Amount, as indicated below. Symetra will not pay more than the Basic Benefit Amount, to any one person, for all losses due to the same accident.

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For loss of:

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  • Life: 100%

  • Both Hands or Both Feet or Sight of Both Eyes: 100%

  • One Hand and One Foot: 100%

  • Speech and Hearing in Both Ears: 100%

  • Either Hand or Foot and Sight of One Eye: 100%

  • Movement of Both Upper and Lower Limbs (Quadriplegia): 100%

  • Movement of Both Lower Limbs (Paraplegia): 75%

  • Movement of Three Limbs (Triplegia): 75%

  • Movement of the Upper and Lower Limbs of One Side of the Body (Hemiplegia): 50%

  • Either Hand or Foot: 50%

  • Sight of One Eye: 50%

  • Speech or Hearing in Both Ears: 50%

  • Movement of One Limb (Uniplegia): 25%

  • Thumb and Index Finger of Either Hand: 25%

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With regard to hands and feet, loss means actual severance through or above wrist or ankle joints. With regard to sight, speech and hearing, loss means entire and irrecoverable loss thereof. With regard to thumb and index finger, loss means actual severance through or above the metacarpophalangeal joints. With regard to movement, loss means complete and irreversible paralysis of such limbs.

Questions?

Contact the Fund Office for more information.

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