Group Disability Income Insurance Plan Details 

Learn more about Highlights, Eligibility, Coverage Limits and Rates and Frequently Asked Questions.

Up to $7,700 in Monthly Benefits

Depending on your "average monthly income," you may apply for monthly benefits from $110 to $7,700 (in $110 units).

"Average monthly income" is defined as:  1/24th of your wages, salaries, commissions, fees and other amounts received for personal services including the cost of fringe benefits and share of total surplus—before deduction of income or social insurance taxes and after deduction of the normal business expenses which are deductible for income tax purposes—for the immediately preceding 24 month period. It does not include income from interest, dividends, rent, royalties, annuities, other insurance or other unearned income.

The amount of coverage you choose, combined with any other disability income insurance you may have, cannot exceed 60% of your "average monthly income," with the following limitations:

• Members age 60 through 64, the maximum monthly benefit available is $1,650.
• Self-employed members who have been in business for less than one year, the maximum monthly benefit available is $1,100.
• On the premium due date on or immediately after reaching age 65, coverage over $2,200 reduces to $2,200. (Premiums do not reduce.)

Two Plan Options

Choose between two plan options that determine the length of time you receive monthly disability income benefits:

• Career Plan: Monthly benefits are payable to age 65, provided you are "totally disabled" before age 63. For disabilities starting at ages 63 through 69, there is a two-year maximum benefit period.
• Five-Year Plan: Monthly benefits are payable for up to five years for "total disabilities" commencing prior to age 60. For disabilities starting at ages 60 through 62, benefits may continue up to age 65. For disabilities starting at ages 63 through 69, benefits may continue up to two years.

"Totally disabled" is defined as:  an incapacity that completely and continuously prevents you from performing the material and substantial duties of your usual occupation as a result of a covered illness or injury, provided you are not otherwise working for pay or profit.

Five Waiting Periods to Choose From

The waiting period is the number of consecutive days you must be totally disabled before monthly benefit payments begin.   The longer the waiting period, the lower your rate.

You have four waiting periods to choose from:  30, 60, 90, 180 or 365 days.

Should you have short term disability coverage through your employer, you may want to consider selecting a waiting period that will provide benefits when your employer-provided benefits run out.

Residual Disability Benefit

While recovering from a disability, if you return to work but are earning less than you were before you were disabled, you may be eligible to receive a percentage of your monthly benefit, sometimes called a 'partial disability' benefit.

To qualify you must:

• become disabled prior to age 65,
• be performing at least one of the material and substantial duties of your occupation on a full-or part-time basis,
• experience a 20% or more loss of earnings due to your disability, and 
• be under the regular care of a physician other than a family/household member.

Residual Disability Benefits are calculated as a percentage of your total disability monthly benefit, relative to your loss of earnings.  During the first six months, if your loss of earnings is greater than 20% but less than 50%, you will receive 50% of your monthly benefits.  If your loss of earnings is greater than 80%, you will receive full monthly benefits.

• The waiting period for Residual Disability Benefits is the same as for a total disability. 
• Residual Disability Benefits are not payable while total disability benefits are payable.
• The Residual Disability waiting period may be met by continuous disability that qualifies as either total or partial disability.

Rehabilitation Benefit

To help certain disabled members return to the work force, a professional rehabilitation staff at New York Life reviews case histories and identifies individuals who appear to have the greatest likelihood of rehabilitation.  These individuals are offered the option of participating in a rehabilitation program at no cost to them.  Participation is voluntary and benefits are not reduced due to participation in the program.

Waiver of Premium

For total disabilities beginning before age 60 and lasting for six consecutive months, and for which you have begun to receive benefits, all future premium contributions under the Plan will be waived for as long as you receive benefits for that disability.

Spouse/Eldercare Benefit

If a member is receiving disability benefits, is participating in an approved rehabilitation program and has an eligible, chronically ill or disabled spouse or other specified family member, an additional benefit of up to $500 per month, may be payable for up to 12 months.

Survivor Benefit

If you die on a day that a covered Total Disability benefit is payable, and the benefit has been paid for a period of 12 consecutive months immediately before the insured's death from any cause, the monthly benefits will be payable for six months (or until the maximum benefit period is reached, if sooner).  The Survivor Benefit will be paid to your surviving relatives in the following order: your spouse, equally among your children, equally among your brothers and sisters, or if there are no surviving relatives, to the executor or administrator of your estate.

Organ Transplant Benefit

Benefits will be payable from the first day of total disability—no waiting period will apply—if your disability results from a surgical procedure to donate an organ for transplant.  Benefits will be payable for no more than six months.  This benefit is payable only once in your lifetime.

Recurring Disability Benefits

Successive periods of disability that are due to the same or related causes will be considered a single period of disability unless separated by a return to "full-time work" for three consecutive months or more (six consecutive months under the Catastrophic Disability option).

Optional Catastrophic Disability Benefit

This option is designed to provide an additional layer of protection for severe disabilities. By electing this option, you may be able to replace up to 100% of your pre-disability income if your Total Disability causes: a loss of the ability to perform two or more "activities of daily living," "cognitive impairment," or a life expectancy of less than 12 months, as described in the certificate of insurance.

You may not elect a Catastrophic Monthly Benefit Option that exceeds the lesser of:

1. your selected monthly benefit option;
2. 40% of your "average monthly income;" or
3. together with any other disability income insurance you may have (including your principal coverage under this plan), 100% of your "average monthly income."

The Catastrophic Disability Option is available with 90 and 180 day waiting periods.

"Activities of daily living" are defined as: bathing, dressing, toileting, transferring, continence and eating.

"Cognitive impairment" is defined as: a deficiency (measurable according to generally accepted medical standards) in: short or long-term memory; orientation as to a person, place and time; deductive or abstract reasoning; or judgment as it relates to safety awareness.

30-Day "Free Look"

If approved, you will be sent a certificate of insurance summarizing your benefits under the Group Disability Income plan. If you are not completely satisfied, you may return your certificate of insurance, without claim, within 30 days. Your coverage will be invalidated and you will receive a full refund.

Effective Date

You will become insured on the date specified by New York Life Insurance Company provided:

• the first premium contribution has been paid,
• satisfactory evidence of insurability has been submitted, and
• you are actively performing the normal activities of a person in good health of like age on that date.

If you are not performing your normal activities as required, coverage will not become effective until the day you are performing such normal activities provided such date is within three months of the date insurance would have been effective and you are still eligible for insurance. Payment of a premium contribution for insurance does not mean there is any coverage in force before the effective date as specified by New York Life Insurance Company.

There are instances where New York Life Insurance Company may be able to offer insurance, at the same cost, by eliminating coverage for a specific impairment or disease.

Note: Residents of MD and NC: Any reference to "performing normal activities" is replaced by the requirement that the health status of any proposed insured person remain the same as stated in your application.

When Coverage Ends

Your insurance may remain in force until the premium due date on or immediately after you reach age 70, provided you:

1. do not cease full-time work other than for reasons of disability,
2. remain an AIChE member,
3. continue to pay premium contributions when due,
4. do not enter full-time active duty in the armed forces (coverage may be restored upon termination of active duty status, subject to policy guidelines); or
5. the group plan is not terminated or modified by the Policyholder or New York Life Insurance Company to end insurance for the group of insureds to which you belong.

Renewal Payments and Claims

Once you are accepted into the Group Disability Income plan, you will have a 31-day grace period for your payment of renewal premium contributions.

When you want to submit a claim, call or write the administrator for claim forms.

Certificate of Insurance

This information is only a brief description of the principal provisions and features of the plan. The complete terms and conditions are set forth in the group policy issued by New York Life to the Trustee of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers Insurance trust.   When you become insured, you will be sent a Certificate of Insurance summarizing your benefits under the plan.

IMPORTANT NOTICE: How New York Life Insurance Company Underwrites Your Request For Group Disability Income Insurance

Information regarding insurability will be treated as confidential. In considering your request for insurance, we will rely on the medical information you provide, and on the information you authorize us to obtain from your physician, other medical practitioners and facilities, other insurance companies to which you have applied for insurance and MIB, Inc. (formerly known as Medical Information Bureau). MIB and other insurance companies may also furnish New York Life, its subsidiaries or the plan administrator with non-medical information (such as driving records, past convictions, hazardous sport or aviation activity, use of alcohol or drugs, and other application for insurance). The information provided may include information that may predate the time frame stated on the medical questions section, if any, on this application. This information may be used during the underwriting and claims processes, where permitted by law.

Your AUTHORIZATION may be used for a period of 24 months from the date you signed the application, unless sooner revoked. The AUTHORIZATION may be revoked at any time by notifying the Administrator in writing at the address provided. Your revocation will not be effective to the extent New York Life or any other person already has disclosed or collected information or taken other action in reliance on it, or to the extent that New York Life has a legal right to contest a claim under an insurance certificate or the certificate itself. The information New York Life obtains through your Authorization may become subject to further disclosure. For example, New York Life may be required to provide it to insurance, regulatory or other government agencies. In this case, the information may no longer be protected by the rules governing your AUTHORIZATION.

New York Life may release this information to the plan administrator, MIB, other insurance companies to whom you may apply for insurance, or to whom a claim for benefits may be submitted and to others whom you authorize in writing. However, this will not be done in connection with information concerning Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) or Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).

New York Life will not disclose such information to anyone except those you authorize or where required or permitted by law. We may make a brief report to MIB; however, we will not disclose our underwriting decision. Information in our files may be seen by New York Life and Plan Administrator employees, but only on a "need to know" basis in considering your request. Upon receipt of all requested information, we will make a determination as to whether your request for insurance can be approved.

MIB is a not-for-profit organization of insurance companies, which operates an information exchange on behalf of its members. When you apply for insurance or submit a claim for benefits to a MIB member company, medical or non-medical information may be given to the Bureau, which may then be furnished to member companies.

If we cannot provide the coverage you requested, we will tell you why. If you feel our information is inaccurate, you will be given a chance to correct or complete the information in our files. Upon written request to New York Life or MIB, you will be provided with non-medical information. Generally, medical information will be given either directly to the proposed insured or to a medical professional designated by the proposed insured. Your request is handled in accordance with the Federal Fair Credit Reporting Act procedures. If you question the accuracy of the information provided by MIB, you may contact MIB and seek a correction. MIB's information office is: MIB, Inc., 50 Braintree Hill Park, Suite 400, Braintree, MA 02184-8734, telephone (866) 692-6901 (TTY 866-346-3642). For Canadian residents, the address is: MIB Information Office, 330 University Avenue, Suite 501, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5G 1R7, telephone (416) 597-0590. Information for consumers about MIB may be obtained on its website at www.mib.com.

If we can provide the coverage you requested, we will inform you as to when such coverage will be effective. Under no circumstances will coverage be effective prior to this date. Payment of a premium contribution with your application does not mean that there is any coverage in force before the effective date as determined by New York Life Insurance Company.

For NM Residents: PROTECTED PERSONS¹ have a right of access to certain CONFIDENTIAL ABUSE INFORMATION² we maintain in our files and they may choose to receive such information directly. You have the right to register as a PROTECTED PERSON by sending a signed request to the Administrator at the address listed on the application. Please include your full name, date of birth and address.

¹ PROTECTED PERSON means a victim of domestic abuse: who has notified us that he/she is or has been a victim of domestic abuse; and who is an insured person or prospective insured person.

² CONFIDENTIAL ABUSE INFORMATION means information about: acts of domestic abuse or abuse status; the work or home address or telephone number of a victim of domestic abuse; or the status of an applicant or insured as family member, employer or associate or a victim of domestic abuse or a person with whom an applicant or insured is known to have a direct, close, personal, family or abuse-related relationship.

The American Institute of Chemical Engineers incurs costs in connection with this sponsored Plan. To provide and maintain this valuable membership benefit, it is reimbursed for these costs.

Underwritten by New York Life Insurance Company, under Group Policy No. G-29342-0, 51 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10010, on Policy Form G-29342-0/ GMR-FACE.