Life Events

  > If You Die

Health Benefits Fund
In the event of your death from any cause while you’re covered under Plan I or Plan II, the Fund may provide an extension of health benefits at no cost to your surviving spouse and children for a period of up to three years. This extended coverage will be available if these family members have no other health coverage. Coverage for survivors is provided under the same Plan that you were covered under at the time of your death.
 
To receive a life insurance (and Accidental Death and Dismemberment Benefit, if applicable) benefit, your designated beneficiary must provide the Fund Office with a certified copy of the death certificate.
 
Pension and Annuity Fund
Pension and Annuity Plan benefits for your survivors depend on whether you die before or after benefit payments have begun and what form of benefit payment you selected.
 
  • If Your Payments Haven’t Started — Pension Plan
    If you are currently working in covered employment when you die and have not yet received a benefit from the Plan, your benefit will be paid to your named beneficiary. You must have a minimum of three pension credits to qualify. For a complete description of the death benefits available, please refer to the Plan Document.
  •  If Your Payments Haven’t Started — Annuity Plan
    If you are working in covered employment when you die and have not yet received a benefit payment from the Plan, your benefit will be paid to your named beneficiary. The value of the benefit paid will be the “present value” of your account balance.
  • When Benefit Payments Have Started—Pension Plan and Annuity Plan
If you have begun to receive benefits from the Plan when you die, the form of benefit payment you chose when you retired determines whether your survivors receive a benefit after your death. For example, if you’re married and you elected the automatic form of payment for married participants (the participant-spouse benefit), your spouse will continue to receive a portion of the amount you’d been receiving prior to your death. If you elected a payment option that did not include a benefit for a beneficiary, all payments will stop at your death, unless the option you elected provides for further benefits.