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Home | Products | Earnings GuardTM Insurance UnionSecure Earnings GuardTM Plan FAQs
 Q. Why is UnionSecure's Earnings GuardTM Plan important to have? A. Whether it's a fall, a car accident, or a mishap at work, accidents happen. Can you afford to pay the mortgage, car payment, groceries, and other bills without a paycheck for weeks, months, or even longer? The UnionSecure Earnings GuardTM Plan begins paying you just 90 days after being in a covered disabling accident - any kind, anywhere in the world. Union members and spouses choose from three levels of protection - $1,000, $2,000 or $3,000 in monthly benefits. You choose and pay only for the level of protection that best fits your monthly income. And you choose what to spend the money on. The money you receive is in addition to any other benefits you may receive through social security, your employer's disability insurance plan or other private disability insurance plan. However, any amount you collect from workers' compensation programs will be deducted from the Earnings GuardTM monthly benefits. Q. How does the Earnings GuardTM benefit work and pay? A. You choose from three levels of protection - $1,000, $2,000 or $3,000 in monthly benefits. If you are involved in a disabling accident, the plan will pay up to 70% of your basic monthly pay** for up to one year. This is money, of course, you will receive in addition to any other benefits you may receive through social security, your employer's disability insurance plan or other private disability insurance plan. However, any amount you collect from workers' compensation programs will be deducted from the Earnings GuardTM monthly benefits. There are no restrictions on how to use it. **Basic monthly pay means the 12-month average of your regular monthly rate of pay, not counting commissions, bonuses, overtime pay or any other fringe benefit or extra compensation. This 12-month period ends on the last day of active employment prior to becoming disabled. Q. I'm concerned that a Workers Compensation offset will reduce my benefit to $0. Is this possible? Yes, however, if your Monthly Benefit Amount would reduce to less than $50 per month due to Other Income Benefits, including Workers Compensation, then the minimum Monthly Benefit Amount under this benefit will be $50 per month. Q. What kind of accidents are covered? This plan covers you for any disabling accident that happens anywhere, on the job or off, 24-hours a day, 365 days a year. A disabling accident is an accident that totally disables the insured where he or she is unable to perform activities of usual occupation. The disabling accident must occur after the effective date of the policy. Q. How much insurance do I need? The amount of coverage needed will differ according to the financial needs of each individual, and how much coverage you may already have. The plan pays up to 70% of your basic monthly pay for up to one year, you'll want to get the most out of your coverage by choosing a plan - $1,000, $2,000 or $3,000 - that is closest to 70% of your monthly income. Q. What is a "premium"? A. The premium is the payment you make for an insurance policy - collected for Earnings GuardTM coverage every three months. Q. What does "injury" mean? A. Injury means bodily injury resulting directly from an accident and independently of all other causes which occurs while Your coverage under this Policy is effective and which results in Your Total Disability within 180 days of that accident. Q. What makes the UnionSecure program different? A. UnionSecure:
** Note: This coverage is for an accident which occurred only while covered under the Policy. Q. What kind of coverage can I get for my spouse or domestic partner? A. Your spouse or domestic partner can apply for coverage as long as you, the union member, also applies. Also, unlike some plans, your spouse or domestic partner can choose a benefit level different from the one you select. Monthly benefits are calculated by using basic monthly pay - that is, the 12-month average of your spouse's regular monthly base rate of pay, excluding commissions, bonuses, overtime pay or any other fringe benefit or extra compensation. This 12-month period ends on the last day of active employment prior to becoming disabled. If you were to die, your spouse or domestic partner may continue coverage if he or she is insured with his or her own policy prior to your death. Q. When does coverage become effective and will my benefits ever change? A. Coverage becomes effective on the first day of the month after your application is received and premium is paid. Your benefits remain the same until the policy terminates at age 70. You or your spouse (or domestic partner) will be covered for up to 12 months if a claim begins prior to age 70. Deferred Effective Date: If an Eligible Member or Spouse is to become: covered under the Policy; or covered for increased or extended benefits under the Policy; and has not been Actively-at-Work for at least 3 consecutive months prior to that date, he or she will not be so covered until the first day of the month on or next following the date he or she is Actively-at-Work for 3 consecutive months. Q. When do benefits begin and when do they terminate? A. Disability benefits begin after a 90-day waiting period and pays benefits for up to 12 months. During this time, you must be Totally Disabled. Totally Disabled means you are wholly and continuously prevented from performing the substantial and material duties of your usual occupation. Coverage of an Insured Person terminates on the earliest to occur of: a) the date the Policy is cancelled; or b) the Premium Due Date on or next following the date you: 1) attain the Policy Age Limit shown in the Schedule; or 2) cease to be Actively-at-Work, except due to disability covered by the Policy; or c) the Premium Due Date any required premium contribution is not made, subject to the Grace Period; d) with respect to the members of the Policyholder, the Premium Due Date on or next following the date he or she ceases to be an active member of the Policyholder; or e) with respect to a Spouse, the Premium Due Date on or next following the date he or she is legally separated or divorced from the member. However, if a Spouse's coverage would terminate because of the member's death, coverage will continue until the Premium Due Date on or next following the member's death unless continued in accordance with the Surviving Spouse Continuation provision. Q. Will I be paid a benefit for the time I spent satisfying the Waiting Period? No. Benefits begin after you have satisfied the Waiting Period. Q. What does the Strike/Labor Dispute Waiver of Premium mean? A. If an insured is in 1) a lawful, authorized strike by a union or 2) is locked out as a result of a dispute between the union and an employer, the insured doesn't have to pay premiums for up to one year on this coverage. Q. What is the Rehabilitative Employment benefit? A. The Rehabilitative Employment benefit is for disabled union members who want to get back to work again, but who still need their monthly disability benefits. Whether you are being trained for a new job or are learning ways to return to your old one again, the Rehabilitative Employment benefit will help you through the transition. It pays a monthly benefit amount - that is equal to your disability monthly benefit amount - minus 50% of any income you may have received either for training or while in rehabilitative employment. It's one way to begin start living your life after an accident, without losing coverage. And it's completely optional. Also, if you remain totally disabled even after a period of rehabilitative employment, you may continue to receive benefits under the Accident Total Disability benefit - assuming that the maximum payment has not been reached for that period. Q. What are the requirements for coverage? You must be aged 18-64, a union member, a U.S. resident, and work an average of 25 hours per week or an average of 325 hours per calendar quarter to qualify. Your spouse, age 18-64, is also eligible to enroll as long as he/she lives in the U.S. and fulfills the same work requirements. There is no medical exam to take. There are no health questions to answer. This coverage is guaranteed to be issued.
Q. Are there any exclusions associated with the Earnings GuardTM plan? A. The policy will not pay benefits for any loss resulting from: We will refund the pro rata portion of any premium paid for you while you are in the Armed Forces on full-time active duty for a period of two months or more. Written notice must be given to us within 12 months of the date you enter the Armed Forces. Successive Periods of Disability Limitation: Periods of Disability: Periods of Disability separated by at least 6 months during which you are Actively-at-Work will be considered separate Periods of Disability. Concurrent Disabilities: Benefits during any Period of Disability as the result of more than one accident will be considered the same as if the disability resulted from only one cause. PRE-EXISTING CONDITION LIMITATION Pre-Existing Condition Defined: Pre-Existing Condition, as used in this limitation, means any injury diagnosed or undiagnosed, for which Medical Care is received by an Insured Person: Q. What are the requirements and exclusions for the Rehabilitative Employment Benefit? A. Rehabilitative Employment means employment or service which prepares a totally disabled or partially disabled person to resume gainful work and is approved, in writing, by The Hartford. The sum of the monthly benefit amount and total income received from a program of rehabilitative employment may not exceed 100% of your basic monthly pay. UnionSecure reserves the right to review, at the end of every 6 month period, any Rehabilitative Employment a member participates in while benefits are being paid under the policy. Q. Does a union member who leaves the union lose his coverage? A. Yes, your coverage may be terminated if the union notifies us that you are no longer a union member. Q. Can my rates increase or my benefits decrease? A. No, there is one pre-determined rate for each benefit level, and benefit amounts will remain the same as long as your policy is in force. However, the policy terminates at age 70. Rates and/or benefits may only be changed on a class basis. Q. Can the coverage be paid by credit card or through an automatic checking account deduction? A. Yes, members who apply will have various payment options when they receive their policy.This Web site explains the general purpose of the insurance described, but in no way changes or affects the Master Policy (5435) as actually issued. In the event of a discrepancy between this web site and the policy, the terms of the policy apply. All benefits are subject to the terms and conditions of the policy. Policies underwritten by Hartford Life and Accident Insurance Company detail exclusions, limitations, reduction of benefits and terms under which the policies may be continued in full or discontinued. Complete details are in the Certificate of Insurance issued to each insured individual and the Master Policy issued to the policyholder. Benefits may vary and this program may not be available to residents of all states or in all unions.
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