Description

If you are an Eligible Individual, a total of $20,000 of group life insurance will be paid to the beneficiary(ies) listed on your most recently signed life insurance beneficiary card on file at the Administrative Office.

Effective June 1, 2010, Anthem Life Insurance Company will provide life insurance and accidental death and dismemberment insurance (AD&D) to all active eligible carpenters through the Southwest Carpenters Health and Welfare Trust, replacing Standard Insurance Company.

The basic benefits have not changed; they are $20,000 life and $20,000 AD&D and $3,000 life insurance for the death of a legal spouse or dependent child.  Listed below is a summary of additional benefits provided under the new policy.  

• Spouse Education Benefit – provides an additional benefit to your surviving spouse for educational or training expenses.
  
  
• Child Care Benefit – provides an additional benefit to your surviving spouse for child care (children under age 13) to allow your spouse to work.
  
  
• Child Education Benefit – provides an additional benefit for the tuition expenses incurred by each eligible dependent child within 4 years after the date of your death.
  
  
• Seat Belt Benefit – If a carpenter loses his/her life in an automobile accident in which he/she was wearing his/her seat belt, an additional $10,000 is payable.
  
  
• Air Bag Benefit – If a carpenter loses his/her life in an automobile accident where a seat belt benefit is payable, the car is equipped with an air bag, and the air bag deploys, an additional $5,000 is payable. 
  
  
• Common Carrier Benefit – If the member dies in a public transportation accident (airplane, train, bus), an additional $20,000 is payable.
  
  
• Repatriation Benefit – provides an additional benefit of up to $2,000 to cover preparation and transportation expenses if a carpenter loses his/her life in an accident more than 75 miles from his/her primary residence.
  
  
• Portability – If you leave employment for reasons other than retirement or disability and your coverage ends, you may be able to continue your life and AD&D insurance at low group insurance rates without evidence of insurability. 
  
  
• Conversion – If you leave your job for any reason and your coverage ends and you are not eligible for portability, you may be able to convert your group life and/or dependent life coverage to an individual whole life insurance policy without evidence of insurability (excludes AD&D). 
  
  
• Travel Assistance – Provides 24 hour service to assist members when traveling at least 100 miles from home (including international travel) in locating medical care and other emergency services, travel services and pre-departure information.  For more information, click here. 
  
  
• Resource Advisor Program – This program gives you and your family free and confidential access to work/life resources including counseling sessions, legal/financial consultations, referrals and online resources.  For more information, click here.
  
  
• Special Offers – Provides discounts on products and services that help promote better health and well-being including savings on American Baby Magazine, Barnes and Noble.com, Weight Watchers and more.  For more information, click here. 

To update or to change your life insurance beneficiary, contact the Administrative Office for a beneficiary card.

The "Designation of Beneficiary" card is an important document that must be completed and returned to the Trust Office. The Trust's Life Insurance and Accidental Death and Dismemberment coverage for active eligible carpenters and their families is the same no matter which of the medical and dental plans you choose.

HEALTH AND WELFARE COVERAGE EXTENSION FOR FAMILIES OF DECEASED ACTIVE CARPENTERS (this extension does not apply to Special Class Employees)

A new coverage extension, as detailed below, has been added to the Plan effective January 1, 2007 that provides additional financial security for your family if you die because of a work-related event while working for a Contributing Employer.

Extension Details

If an active carpenter dies on or after January 1, 2007 while an Active Eligible as defined under the Plan and his death is the result of a work-related event that occurred while he was on the job working for a Contributing Employer (as determined by the Plan), active Plan coverage for his surviving eligible dependents will continue for up to 24 months following the date their coverage would otherwise end because work and reserve hours are exhausted. There is no cost to the surviving eligible dependents for this coverage extension and it does not matter which of the Plan’s medical options cover them (Fee-For-Service or HMO).

This coverage extension is only available to surviving dependents that are not covered by another medical plan. Additionally, the 24 months of free coverage will be cut short under the following circumstances:

• Remarriage of the surviving spouse in which case coverage will cease for the former spouse and any dependent children at the end of the calendar month in which the marriage occurs
• As of the date the surviving spouse or dependent becomes covered by another medical plan
• As of the date a surviving dependent child no longer meets the Plan’s definition of a Dependent.

After the 24 months of free coverage (or sooner if that coverage terminates because one of the three events listed above), the surviving dependents can elect self-pay COBRA continuation coverage. The duration of self-pay COBRA continuation coverage will be limited to 36 months less the number of months coverage is extended under the free extension.