Retirees benefits book

[Pages:29]Term Life and Accidental Death & Dismemberment Insurance

ERS - Texas Employees Group Benefits Program Underwritten by Minnesota Life Insurance Company

Retirees benefits book

Section 1 About this book

3

Section 2 Basic and Optional

Term Life Insurance

with accelerated

life benefit

4

Section 3 Dependent Term

Life insurance with

accelerated Iife benefit

and life settlement

contract option

12

Section 4 General provisions 16

Section 5 Definitions of terms 20

Section 6 Index

24

Important notice

To get information or make a complaint:

Call Securian Financial toll-free at (877) 494-1716.

Complaints filed with the Texas Department of Insurance will be forwarded to ERS by Minnesota Life in accordance with Texas Insurance Code, section 1551.209. The Texas Department of Insurance does not have authority over ERS. Minnesota Life will advise the Texas Department of Insurance that the complaint will be handled by ERS.

This notice is for information only and does not become a part or condition of the attached document.

2

Section 1 About this book

Section 1 About this book

This book describes the coverages available to retired employees in the Texas Employees Group Benefits Program (GBP).

? Basic Term Life Insurance with accelerated life benefit

? Optional Term Life Insurance with accelerated life benefit

? Dependent Term Life Insurance with accelerated life benefit

Please remember that this book does not determine actual benefit payments, or change or replace the group policy.

If you are a return-to-work retiree who has elected coverage as an active employee, please refer to the group term life and optional coverages benefits book for active employees for your insurance coverage.

The above coverages are underwritten by Minnesota Life Insurance Company, an affiliate of Securian Financial and are a part of the Group Policy.

If you have any questions about any of these coverages, call the Employees Retirement System of Texas (ERS) toll-free at (877) 275-4377 (TTY: 711). If you are a retiree of a State Agency or a retiree of an institution of higher education, you may also call Securian Financial toll-free at (877) 494-1716.

Write Securian Financial Group, Inc. Austin Branch Office 115 Wild Basin Road, Suite 105 Austin, Texas 78746

The group policy is available at plandesign/ers or you may write to:

Employees Retirement System of Texas P. O. Box 13207 Austin, Texas 78711-3207

Terms or words with special meanings

These words and terms refer to titles of coverages, forms or are defined terms or words. The defined terms or words may have meanings which are different from what you might expect. The defined terms or words have the meanings as stated in Section 5. Please refer to these definitions to better understand the coverage descriptions, benefits, limitations and exclusions contained in this book.

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Section 2 Basic and Optional Term Life Insurance with accelerated life benefit

Basic Term Life Insurance General information

Summary of benefits

Step-by-step instructions for filing a Basic Term Life Insurance claim

Accelerated life benefit (for retirees with Basic Term Life Insurance only)

Step-by-step instructions for filing an accelerated life benefit claim for Basic Term Life Insurance

Optional Term Life Insurance

5 General information

6

5 Summary of benefits

7

Summary of benefits (cont.)

8

5 Summary of benefits (cont.)

9

Step-by-step instructions for filing an Optional Term Life

5 Insurance claim

10

Accelerated life benefit

10

6

Step-by-step instructions for filing an accelerated

life benefit claim for Optional Term Life Insurance 10

Life settlement contract option

11

Step-by-step instructions for filing a life

settlement contract claim

11

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Section 2 Basic and Optional Term Life Insurance with accelerated life benefit

General information

When you enroll in a Texas Employees Group Benefits Program (GBP) health insurance plan, you are automatically enrolled in Basic Term Life Insurance, which provides $2,500 of life insurance coverage. Your benefits coordinator will be able to tell you what your cost will be per month.

The Basic Term Life Insurance you have after retirement does not include Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) Insurance.

The amount of your Basic Term Life Insurance is what will be paid to your beneficiary upon your death. See Section 4 for more information on beneficiary designations. The Basic Term Life Insurance also includes:

? Conversion privilege ? This benefit is available to you if you are no longer eligible for Basic Term Life Insurance. See Section 4 for details.

? Accelerated life benefit ?This benefit is available to you as part of the Basic Term Life Insurance and Optional Term Life Insurance. If you are diagnosed with a terminal condition and have a life expectancy of 12 months or less, you may apply for this benefit. More details are given later in this section.

? Life settlement contract option ? This option is available to you if you are diagnosed with a terminal condition. You may make an irrevocable beneficiary designation in conjunction with a life settlement contract. See the life settlement contract option subsection later in this section.

Summary of Benefits

Class description

Amount of group term life insurance

Each retired employee $2,500

Step-by-step instructions for filing a Basic Term Life Insurance claim

If you die as a result of any cause,

Your beneficiary or other person designated by you or lawfully authorized to represent your estate:

? contacts ERS at (877) 275-4377 for instructions and forms required for filing a claim for benefits; the forms are sent to the beneficiary.

? completes and signs the claim forms;

? within 24 months of your death, submits the completed claim form, together with a certified copy of your death certificate to Securian; and

? provides additional information as needed for Securian to process the claim.

Securian Financial:

? receives the claim form and death certificate from your beneficiary or other person designated by you or authorized to represent your estate;

? reviews the claim and requests additional information if needed; and

? pays the death benefit to your beneficiary if the claim is approved; or

? notifies your beneficiary and ERS if the claim is denied for any reason.

Accelerated life benefit

This section is applicable to you if Basic Term Life Insurance is your only policy. If you have Optional Term Life Insurance, see the description later in this section for details of this benefit.

You or your court appointed legal representative may request payment to you of your basic group term life insurance amount in a single lump sum. You must be diagnosed with a terminal condition and have a life expectancy of twelve months or less.

Securian will review the request and evaluate whether the requirements for this benefit are met. If approved, Securian will make payment to you. The amount of the payment will reduce your basic term life amount to zero and there will be no benefit payable in the event of your natural death.

The accelerated life benefit is not available to you if you retired prior to January 1, 2000 unless you were determined, in a written statement executed before the day you retired by your attending physician, to have had a terminal condition.

You may contact Securian Financial toll-free at (877) 494-1716 for additional information.

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Section 2 Basic and Optional Term Life Insurance with accelerated life benefit

Disclosure: The accelerated life benefit offered under your basic group term life insurance coverage is intended to qualify for favorable tax treatment under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. If the accelerated life benefit qualifies for such favorable tax treatment, the benefits will be excludable from your income and not subject to federal taxation. Tax laws relating to the accelerated life benefit are complex. You are advised to consult a qualified tax advisor about the circumstances under which you could receive the accelerated life benefit excludable from income under federal law. Receipt of the accelerated life benefit payment may affect your or your dependents' eligibility for public assistance such as medical assistance (Medicaid), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), supplementary Social Security Income (SSI), and drug assistance programs. You are advised to consult with a qualified tax advisor and with social service agencies concerning how receipt of such payment will affect your or your dependents' eligibility for public assistance.

Step-by-step instructions for filing an accelerated life benefit claim for Basic Term Life Insurance

You or your court appointed representative:

? obtain the accelerated life insurance benefit claim forms through the Securian Financial website at plandesign/ers. If you do not have access to the website, you may call ERS toll-free at (877) 275-4377 for assistance.

? complete the Claimant Statement form and send the completed claim form to Securian.

? provide the Attending Physician Statement form to your physician to complete. The physician must be an approved practitioner and include as due proof of your terminal condition, copies of medical test results, lab reports, and any other information on which the diagnosis of life expectancy are based. The physician returns the form and any supporting documentation to Securian at the address shown on the claim form.

Securian Financial:

? receives the claim forms, reviews the claim and requests additional information if needed;

? makes payment in the amount of your basic group term life insurance to you or your legal representative, if approved; or

? notifies you or your legal representative if your claim is denied for any reason.

General information about Optional Term Life Insurance

You may be eligible for Optional Term Life Insurance coverage.

If election 1 is in effect on the date you retire, you may continue election 1 after retirement. If election 2, 3, or 4 is in effect on the date you retire, you may elect to continue election 1 or election 2. Election 1 or election 2 is subject to age-based benefit reduction factors shown in the summary of benefits once you turn age 70. When it is reduced to $10,000, it will be automatically switched to the retiree fixed optional life insurance plan at a fixed rate. Medicare-eligible retiree premiums are based on their age as of January 1. All other retiree premiums are based on their age as of September 1. The difference in coverage may be converted to an individual life policy.

If any Optional Term Life Insurance election is in effect on the date you retire, you may elect retiree fixed optional life insurance coverage, which is a fixed $10,000 amount. No life evidence of insurability (EOI) will be required. Retiree fixed optional life is not subject to future age-based benefit reductions. The premiums for this coverage are not based on age.

If you were not enrolled in Optional Term Life Insurance on the date you retire, or at any point in time after you retire, you may be eligible to enroll in Fixed Optional Term Life Insurance ($10,000 policy):

? at the time of your retirement; or

? during an open enrollment period; or

? within 31 days of a qualifying life event.

EOI is required. Retiree fixed optional life is not subject to future age-based reductions. The premiums for this coverage are not based on age.

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Section 2 Basic and Optional Term Life Insurance with accelerated life benefit

At retirement, any Optional Term Life Insurance amount you do not retain as group coverage may be converted to an individual life policy.

You may reduce your Optional Term Life Insurance coverage to a lesser amount at any time. However, once your Optional Term Life Insurance coverage is reduced or canceled, it cannot be increased or reinstated. Note, however, that you can enroll in Fixed Optional Term Life Insurance ($10,000 policy) after coverage has been reduced or canceled, with EOI.

You are responsible for paying the premiums for your Optional Term Life Insurance. You may pay the premiums either through deductions from your ERS or Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS) annuity or by submitting premiums directly to ERS.

The Optional Term Life Insurance you have after retirement does not include Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) Insurance coverage.

Your Optional Term Life Insurance provides you with an amount of coverage, payable to your beneficiaries, in the amount shown in the summary of benefits. See Section 4 for more information on beneficiary designations.

Your Optional Term Life Insurance also includes:

? Conversion privilege ? This benefit is available to you if you are no longer in a class of retirees eligible for optional group term life insurance. See Section 4 for details.

? Accelerated life benefit ? This benefit is available to you as part of the Basic Term Life Insurance and Optional Term Life Insurance. Certain restrictions apply to this benefit (the accelerated life benefit will be described later in this section).

? Life settlement contract ? This option is available to you if you are diagnosed with a terminal condition. See the life settlement contract option subsection later in this section for details.

Summary of benefits

Retiree status

Amount of Optional Term Life Insurance

All retirees who retired

The amount of Optional Term Life Insurance held as a retiree immediately prior to

before September 1, 1985. September 1, 1985, less $2,500 (provided as Basic Term Life Insurance)

All retirees who retired on or after September 1, 1985, but before September 1, 1989.

50% of the election 1 amount held on the date of retirement as an active employee under age 70, rounded to the next highest $1,000; or

All of the election 1 amount held on the date of retirement as an active employee age 70 and over, rounded to the next highest $1,000.

The maximum amount beneficiaries receive will not exceed $12,500 (the coverage provided in the Basic Term Life Insurance plus the amount of coverage provided by Optional Term Life Insurance).

All retirees who retired on or after September 1, 1989, but before December 31, 1995.

50% of the election 1 amount held on the date of retirement as an active employee under age 70, rounded to the next highest $1,000; or

The lesser amount of:

1. All of the election 1 insurance held on the date of retirement as an active employee age 70 and over, rounded to the next highest $1,000; or

2. 50% of the last September 1 Salary amount, rounded to the next highest $1,000.

The maximum amount beneficiaries receive will not exceed $12,500 (the coverage provided in the Basic Term Life Insurance plus the amount of coverage provided by Optional Term Life Insurance).

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Section 2 Basic and Optional Term Life Insurance with accelerated life benefit

Summary of benefits (continued)

Retiree status

Amount of Optional Term Life Insurance

All retirees who retired on or after December 31, 1995, but before September 30, 1999.

50% of the election 1 amount held on the date of retirement as an active employee, rounded to the next highest $1,000; or

The lesser amount of:

1. All of the election 1 insurance held on the date of retirement as an active employee age 70 and over, rounded to the next highest $1,000; or

2. 50% of the last September 1 salary amount, rounded to the next highest $1,000

The amount of coverage under this option is not subject to future agebased reductions; however, the maximum amount beneficiaries receive will not exceed $12,500 (the coverage provided in the Basic Term Life Insurance plus the amount of coverage provided by Optional Term Life Insurance).

OR

100% of the election 1 amount next highest $1,000

OR

100% of the election 2 amount next to the highest 1,000.

The amount of coverage provided for both election 1 and election two will be subject to cease when the coverage amount reaches $10,000 (coverage will then automatically switch to Fixed Optional Term Life Insurance ($10,000 policy).

*Medicare-eligible retirees premiums are based on their age as of January 1.

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