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Basic Life Insurance

Duke provides $10,000 of basic life and $10,000 of accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) insurance for active employees regularly scheduled to work at least 20 hours a week and faculty regularly scheduled to work 40 hours a week. Duke pays the entire cost. This coverage terminates at retirement or termination of employment from Duke, although it may be continued on a direct pay basis.

For more information, please see the Basic Life Insurance Certificate.

Eligibility

You are insured under this plan if you are an active employee regularly scheduled to work at least 20 hours per week or an active faculty member regularly scheduled to work 40 hours a week. An employee or faculty member receiving benefits under Duke's Worker's Compensation program maintains their eligibility under this plan. An employee or faculty member receiving benefits under Duke's Long Term Disability plan is automatically ensured under this plan until age 65.  House staff are not eligible for this plan.

Eligibility is lost if your employment status becomes inactive or if your scheduled hours are reduced below 20 hours per week (40 for faculty members.) You can, however, keep the insurance by paying the premium for the coverage while you are on an unpaid leave of absence, sabbatical, or for up to six months if you are in a lay off status. The cost is $1.06 per month. You may also be eligible to change the group policy to an individual policy (excluding the accidental death and dismemberment benefit option) if you make a written request to Lincoln Life Assurance Company of Boston within 31 days of your date of termination or retirement. Please contact Lincoln Life Assurance Company of Boston at 1-800-423-2765, Option #1, to initiate the conversion process for an individual policy.

An employee covered by a collective bargaining agreement isn't eligible for coverage for this plan, unless coverage was mutually agreed to in the bargaining agreement.

Effective Date

Your coverage is effective on the date you are both actively at work at Duke and employed in an eligible status. If you are not actively employed at Duke, benefits become effective when you return to active work.

Benefit Amount

The amount of the group term life insurance coverage is $10,000 and the plan provides an additional benefit of up to $10,000 in the event of an accidental death or dismemberment (AD&D). The beneficiary must comply with the terms of the underwriter in making the claim for a benefit.

The amount of the AD&D benefit is based on a table of covered losses and provides 100% for the loss of life, and 50% for the loss of a hand, foot, or eye sight from one eye due to an accident which is the sole cause of the injury, the injury is the sole cause of the loss, and the loss occurs not more than 90 days after the date of the accident.

AD&D Exclusions

AD&D (Accidental Death and Dismemberment) benefits aren't paid for losses that are the result of the following:

  1. Physical or mental illness, diagnosis of or treatment for the illness
  2. infection, unless it is cased by an external wound that can be seen and which was sustained in an accident
  3. suicide or attempted suicide
  4. injuring yourself on purpose
  5. the use of a drug or medicine
  6. a war, or a warlike action in time of peace
  7. committing or trying to commit a felony or other serious crime or an assault

Beneficiary

Your beneficiary designation is kept on file. You can add or change your beneficiary at any time by completing a beneficiary designation form online through a secure website that requires your NetID and password. The beneficiary designation with the most recent date, in good form and properly signed, constitutes the only effective designation. The change is effective the date that it is received by Duke Benefits.

A person's rights as a beneficiary ends if:

  1. that person dies before your death occurs; or
  2. that person dies at the same time your death occurs; or
  3. that person dies within 24 hours of your death.

The share for that person is divided among surviving persons you have named as beneficiary, unless you've chosen otherwise.

If there's no beneficiary at your death, any amounts payable are made to your estate, unless your survivors include a spouse, child, parent, brother, or sister. In the event that one or more of these persons survive you, payment may be made to them. Any payment made discharges the insurer's liability to the extent it has paid.

Enrolling

If you meet the eligibility criteria, you are automatically covered under this plan.

Funding

Duke pays the entire cost of the plan for active, eligible employees. However, should you go on an unpaid leave of absence and want to continue your coverage while not receiving pay, your cost is $1.06 per month. The cost is determined by the experience rating of the group which is based on the claims incurred during prior plan years.

Duke reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to modify, suspend or terminate this program at any time, for any reason.

Benefits