This is a reminder to ALL APWU Retirees Department Members:
You must make a request for the group AD&D Certificate of Insurance. It’s a good idea to request this certificate and keep it with your important papers so that your survivors are aware of your no-cost coverage in the event of an accidental death. The age 80 restriction was removed in 2010 but the APWU National web site has not updated that information. Many of our approximately 40,000 dues-paying Retiree Members (and the number is growing) are not aware of this benefit so please share the following information.
Below is the letter I received when I inquired about this member benefit back in 2011:
February 22, 2011
AD&D Certificate of Insurance for RetireesHi Randy,
I recently received a request from the APWU Retiree Director Judy Beard to fulfill your request for a Certificate of Insurance for the no-cost $5,000 Accidental Death and Dismemberment policy that the Voluntary Benefits Plan (VBP) provides to all members of the APWU retiree department.
My response to the director is as follows:
This is a Group Certificate that the VBP pays for and as such a traditional certificate is not generally issued to each individual participant as we would do in the Voluntary plan where the member pays the premium. Instead, when issued to the group many years ago, we sent out a single page description of the coverage (with contact numbers in case of a claim) to each participant and the retiree department continues to send out information in their booklets to new entrants explaining the benefit. We also send out notices to all retiree department members if and when a significant change is made to the policy as we did in 2010 when we were able to get the insurance company (CIGNA) to remove the age 80 restriction. Now, ALL members of the Retiree Department are covered for the $5,000 regardless of age.
That being said, if any member wishes to have the traditional certificate that you are thinking of, we are happy to send them out to all who request it through my office. A certificate has just been mailed to your home following the receipt of your request from the Retiree Director.
This coverage is pretty straight forward and the claims process is simple as well, should you ever need it. You are covered for $5,000 payable to your beneficiary if you should die as a result of an accident and up to $5,000 for dismemberment caused by an accident. To file a claim, you or your beneficiary should contact the Voluntary Benefits Plan by calling our toll-free number 1-800-422-4492, by calling me directly at 203-568-8229 or by writing to us at the Voluntary Benefits Plan, P.O. Box 1471, Waterbury, CT 06721. Any member of my staff will be able to assist with this. Of course you can also contact us by this e-mail address.
I hope that this information is helpful and that you will notify any retired member that they can contact the Voluntary benefits for more information.
Sincerely,
Dave Hudon, Director
apwuvbp@aol.com