Insurance Information/Coverage for Montana State Firemen's Asssociation Members

Any MSFA member who changes marital status may wish to check his/her listed beneficiaries for the following coverage (where applicable). I would also recommend that you have on file (in the Personnel Office of your employer) a current Decedent’s Warrant (which authorizes the employer to make payment of your paycheck, your vacation & sick hour payout, etc., to your designated beneficiary).

The following descriptions are only a summary of your coverage and are not intended to fully describe said policies or law - if you have other questions or need further information, please contact the officers of your local association(s) and/or of your State Association. I would close a recommendation / request from your Station Association - since we all benefit from larger insurance policy rebates when we don’t lose a state sister / brother, I would hereby officially recommend that you make every effort to stay alive.

Thanks!
Rick Ryan, MSFA Secretary Treasurer

Public Safety Officer's Benefit Act

$311,810 Life Insurance (Federal Legislation) - Death or permanent & total disability in line of duty

Current benefit as of October 1st, 2009. Benefits under the Act are awarded to a public safety officer, or the officer's spouse and eligible children. If a public safety officer has no spouse or eligible children, the benefit is awarded to the officer's parents without regard to their dependency. When an officer has no eligible survivors, no benefit is paid. On November 29, 1990, Congress amended the PSOB to include permanent & total disability ("permanently unable to perform any gainful employment.")

Montana State Firemen's Association

Full-time Firefighters $75,000 Life Insurance / $75,000 Basic AD&D Coverage provided / $75,000 Line of Duty Death Benefit

Part-time Firefighters $25,000 Life Insurance / $25,000 Basic AD&D Coverage provided / $25,000 Line of Duty Death Benefit

Spouse coverage $10,000 / Child/ren $10,000

Paid for by all FURS members’ 1% contribution to MSFA.

Current insurance coverage benefit effective 01-Nov-09.

Download: Life Insurance Enrollment Form

Download: 2009 Life Insurance Booklet

Firefighters Unified Retirement System

One-half (1/2) of highest average salary over 36 consecutive months or service retirement benefit if greater paid to surviving spouse, surviving dependent children. (If a member dies without leaving a surviving spouse or dependent child and if the member had designated a beneficiary in writing, the beneficiary shall receive an amount equal to the member’s contributions less any retirement benefits paid to the member before the member’s death. If the deceased member did not designate a beneficiary or the beneficiary predeceased the member, this amount must be paid to the member’s estate.)

Workers Compensation Death Benefits

"If an on-the-job injury or an occupational disease is the cause of death, your spouse and unmarried children receive weekly compensation benefits at the temporary total disability rate (66-2/3% of your gross wages up to $362/wk). Your spouse receives benefits for 500 weeks or until remarried. Unmarried children receive benefits until age 18, or age 22 if attending an accredited school or apprenticeship program. If you have no spouse or unmarried children, dependent parents, brothers or sisters may be eligible for weekly benefits. Burial expenses, not to exceed $1,400, are also payable."

IF YOU HAVE HAD A CHANGE OF STATUS RECENTLY YOU MAY WISH TO CHECK YOUR LISTED BENEFICIARIES (where applicable). I would also recommend that you have on file (in the Personnel Office of your employer) a current Decedent’s Warrant (which authorizes the employer to make payment of your paycheck, your vacation & sick hour payout, etc., to your designated beneficiary).

If you have other questions, please let me know. Would close with a request from your Association - since we all benefit from larger insurance policy rebates when we lose a member, I would hereby officially recommend that you make every effort to stay alive.

Thanks! Rick