Employee matters

This column by Employee Compensation and Benefits addresses campuswide employment issues. Send your questions to: wisweek@news.wisc.edu.

What is voluntary group accident insurance, more commonly known as accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D)?
It is an insurance plan that provides benefits for Accidental Death, Accidental Dismemberment or Loss of Use of Limbs that result from an injury sustained anywhere in the world, 24 hours a day, whether in the course of business or pleasure.

Benefits are meant to supplement, not replace, your other life insurance benefits, as AD&D will not pay benefits for death due to illness. Employee Only or Family Plan coverage is available. An employee may be eligible for up to $250,000 in coverage. Spouse and dependent children coverage amounts are a percentage of the employee’s. Premiums are deducted from your payroll.

How are benefits paid?
Loss must occur within a year of injury.

• Death brings payment of the principal sum, which is maximum amount of coverage purchased.
• Loss of a limb, sight, speech or hearing: From one-fourth to all of the principal sum depending on loss incurred.
• Loss of use of a limb: Half to all of the principal sum depending on the loss incurred

Are there additional benefits?
Yes. One employee-only benefit is payable in the event of total and permanent disability that occurs with 180 days of injury and continues for at least 12 months.

Employee or dependent benefits include:

• Common Disaster, payable if employee and spouse die within 90 days of accident.
• Higher education, payable to surviving children, if at the time an employee dies and child is enrolled as full-time student or is in the 12th grade and enrolls in an accredited college, university or trade school. If there is no dependent child at the time of death, a one-time benefit will be paid to the designated beneficiary.
• Spouse retraining, payable to a spouse for cost incurred within 30 months of the employee’s death for professional or trade training for the purpose of obtaining an independent source of support and maintenance.
• Surviving spouse, a monthly benefit paid to the covered spouse for a period of 12 months following the death of the employee.
• Reserve National Guard Coverage, payable for loss incurred by a person in active duty while attending or en route to or from active duty; while participating in authorized active duty training; or in an officially ordered and authorized parade or exhibition.

What additional coverage can be obtained?

• An air ambulance coverage extension is available to employees such as UW medical staff, pilots, operators, crew or cabinet attendants. The extension covers loss incurred while riding on or operating a university-owned or operated air ambulance.
• Private Pilot Coverage extends coverage to loss incurred while a person is piloting an aircraft.

When and how do I enroll?
You may enroll at any time. There are no deadlines. Your coverage will be effective on the date the enrollment application is received by your benefits coordinator, unless a later date is elected. You can access the AD&D plan brochure and obtain an application at: http://www.uwsa.edu/hr/benefits/ins/addbroch.pdf.

More questions?
Contact a benefits specialist at employee@bussvc.wisc.edu or call 263-7556/262-5650. On the Web, visit: http://www.bussvc.wisc.edu/ecbs/forms.html#life-insurance