Home › Benefits › Funeral Benefits
Funeral Benefits & Spouse's Life Insurance
The Fund provides an insured funeral benefit and spouse's life insurance to active members — covering the death of an immediate family member or spouse while you are in office.
Please Note
These benefits are not provided by the Fund itself. They are provided by the Fund's insurer as group insurance to all active (in-service) members only. Deferred beneficiaries (former members who left their benefit in the Fund) do not qualify.
Funeral Benefit — Death of an Immediate Family Member
While you are in office the Fund provides an insured funeral benefit payable on the death of an immediate family member. The benefit covers:
- Your spouse or life partner
- Your children under the age of 21 (or still in full-time education)
Contact AlexForbes as soon as possible after the death of a family member to initiate a claim.
Tax Treatment
The premiums paid for this insurance form a fringe benefit and are therefore included in your taxable income. However, the benefit itself is paid tax-free.
Spouse's Lump Sum Life Insurance
In addition to the funeral benefit, the Fund provides an insured spouse's lump sum life insurance benefit payable on the death of your spouse while you are in office. This benefit is in addition to any other amounts that may be payable from the Fund.
Amount of the Benefit
The amount of the spouse's lump sum is determined under the Fund's group life insurance policy. Contact AlexForbes for the current benefit level applicable to your salary.
Tax Treatment
As with the funeral benefit, the premiums are a fringe benefit (taxable), but the lump sum payout to you is tax-free.
How to Claim
To submit a claim for either the funeral benefit or the spouse's lump sum, contact the Fund's Administrator (AlexForbes). Your legislature's HR Department will also need to be involved. See the Contact page for details.
Disclaimer
The information in this guide does not constitute advice by either the Board of Trustees or its professional advisors. Members are encouraged to seek expert advice from a personal financial advisor before taking decisions regarding their benefits. The Fund will try to ensure that the material in this guide is up to date and accurate, but this cannot be guaranteed at all times.