The leaves are falling, and the kids are back to school. Fall is time of renewal and reflection. It’s also a great time to review your auto insurance coverage and policy. Did you know? If you are injured or off work due to a Motor Vehicle Accident (MVA) your accident-related medical expenses including disability benefits are not covered under the IBEW Local 353 Benefit Plan.
If you are involved in an MVA and unable to work, contact the IBEW Local 353 Union Hall as soon as possible at 416-510-3530 to let them know. Your dispatch record will be updated, and you can request disability application forms. It will also provide you with the opportunity to ask about the valuable benefits available to you such as Special Disability Credits (SDC) in the pension plan, and how to maintain your health and welfare benefit eligibility.
To be eligible for SDC pension credits, and to maintain your health benefits after an MVA you must be receiving statutory accident benefits (SABS) from your motor vehicle insurance carrier.
Reviewing your auto insurance regularly ensures that you’re never caught off-guard without the right protection regarding your income. This means taking a thorough look at your auto insurance policy to make sure it is up to date and still covers you adequately. The normal amount payable for SABS is 70% of your gross weekly income to a maximum of $400 per week. This amount may be insufficient to meet your income needs in the event you can’t work due to an MVA. This amount can be increased to up to $1,000 per week by talking to your insurance broker or carrier.
Talk to your insurance broker or carriertoday to see if you have sufficient income replacement in case of an MVA.
Questions? We’re here to help! Log into myteibas.com or teibas.com to review the IBEW Local 353 Benefit Plan booklet. You can also email us at members@teibas.com or call us at 416-637-6789, (toll free 1-800-267-0602).