Any MSFA member who changes marital status may wish to check his/her listed beneficiaries for the following coverage (where applicable). It is also recommended to have on file a current Decedent's Warrant in the Personnel Office of your employer.
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 your State Association. Your State Association recommends being careful and staying low to stay safe!
Public Safety Officer's Benefit Act
$339,310.00 Life Insurance (Federal Legislation) - Death or permanent & total disability in the line of duty. Current benefit as of October 1st, 2014.
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 Life Insurance
- Full-time Firefighters $100,000 Life Insurance / $100,000 Basic AD&D Coverage provided / $50,000 Line of Duty Death Benefit
- Part-time Firefighters $35,000 Life Insurance / $35,000 Basic AD&D Coverage provided / $35,000 Line of Duty Death Benefit
- Spouse coverage $25,000 / Children $25,000
- Paid for by all FURS members' 1% contribution to MSFA.
- Current insurance coverage benefit effective November 1, 2013.
- *Note that effective Nov 1, 2013 the Life Insurance Benefit will be increased to $25,000 for Spouses and Children.
There is a new life insurance enrollment form as of February 16, 2016. The new form is an Adobe Acrobat PDF. Please fill out the form, save it and email a copy to the Secretary-Treasurer.
The life insurance policy and enrollment/update forms are listed at the bottom of this page. Please submit the enrollment/update form to:
MSFA LIFE INSURANCE COORDINATOR
P.O. Box 4761
Missoula, MT 59806
You may also submit digital forms to MSFAinsurance@gmail.com.
Firefighters Unified Retirement System
One-half (1/2) of the 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. It is also recommended to have on file a current Decedent's Warrant in the Personnel Office of your employer.
