The Fund provides active plan Participants with the following death benefits:
- Your death: Upon your death, a benefit is payable to your beneficiary. The value is based on your years of service.
If you have no eligible beneficiary, the Fund will pay a benefit to the person who presents evidence of having paid your burial expense. The benefit paid will not exceed the plan’s maximum for burial expenses. The burial expense benefit is not payable if there is a death benefit payable to your beneficiary.
- The death of your spouse or eligible unmarried child/stepchild: A death benefit is payable to you upon the death of your lawful spouse or eligible unmarried child/stepchild. For a benefit to be payable upon a child’s death, he or she must have been:
- Under age 19, or
- Between 19 and 24 if a full-time student, or
- Over age 19 and unemployable because of a physical or mental disability.
Refer to your plan’s Benefits Chart to see the death benefit amounts and maximum payable burial expense for your plan.
For a benefit claim to be payable for your death, you must:
- Be enrolled in one of the Fund’s medical plans, and
- Be eligible for coverage based on hours worked, and
- Have made your timely contributions toward the cost of your coverage at the time of your death.
In addition, for a death benefit to be payable if your spouse or unmarried child/stepchild dies, he or she must be enrolled in and eligible for coverage based on your hours worked and your contributions toward the cost of coverage at the time of death.
Naming a Beneficiary
You may name anyone as beneficiary and may change your beneficiary at any time. Your initial beneficiary designation and any beneficiary changes you make afterwards take effect on the date the Fund Office receives your beneficiary form. You may download a beneficiary form here or get one from your Union Local or the Fund Office.
If no beneficiary is named or surviving upon your death, the death benefit will be paid in the order listed below.
- Your spouse
- Your child(ren)
- Your parent(s)
- Your sibling(s)
In the event there is no beneficiary that survives you, the burial expense benefit discussed above may be payable.