Contents
Cal Poly Pomona

Life Insurance

CalPERS Death Benefits

(Note: Eligibility with the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) for retirement membership is based on full-time employment for more than six months or half-time employment for more than one year. Lecturers qualify for CalPERS retirement membership at the beginning of their third consecutive quarter at half-time or greater. Membership is mandatory once an employee qualifies.)

Death benefits and/or life insurance is provided to all CSU employees contributing to the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS). The death benefits for employees not yet eligible to retire (under age 50 or age 50 with less than five years of CalPERS service credit) are as follows:

  • Six months pay (50% of employee’s earnable pay for the 12 months just before their death);
  • refund of employee contributions and interest through date of death; and
  • lump sum $5,000 group life insurance.

Once an active employee is eligible for CalPERS retirement, the death benefits change and provide, in addition to the $5000 group life insurance, an option for the employee’s spouse (if married for more than one year) to elect a monthly allowance rather than the refund of contributions and six months pay. The monthly allowance is payable to the spouse until death, and upon the death of the spouse, the benefit continues to any natural or adopted unmarried children under age 18. Medical and dental insurance will continue if the spouse was enrolled at the time of the employees death and is eligible for a monthly allowance from CalPERS.

Employer-Paid Life Insurance (Standard Insurance Company)

The following chart summarizes life and accidental death and dismemberment coverage for eligible individuals in the following employee groups:

Employee Group: Executives

Life Insurance: $250,000
Accidental Death & Dismemberment: $250,000

Employee Group: Management Personnel Plan (MPP) Employees

Life Insurance: $100,000
Accidental Death & Dismemberment:  $100,000

Employee Group :  Confidential Employees

Life Insurance: $50,000
Accidental Death & Dismemberment: $50,000

Employee Group:  Units 2, 5, 7 and 9 (CSEA)

Life Insurance : $10,000
Accidental Death & Dismemberment :  $10,000

Employee Group:  Unit 3 (Faculty)

Life Insurance: $50,000
Accidental Death & Dismemberment:  $50,000

Employee Group:  Teaching Associates

Life Insurance : $50,000
Accidental Death & Dismemberment :  None

Employee Group:  Unit 4 (Academic Support)

Life Insurance : $25,000
Accidental Death & Dismemberment :  $25,000

Employee Group:  Unit 8 (Public Safety Officers)

Life Insurance : $10,000
Accidental Death & Dismemberment :  $10,000

Note:
1) Executives and MPP employees who have employer-paid life insurance in excess of $50,000 are subject to imputed income tax liability. For details regarding the amount of imputed income subject to tax, or if you wish to irrevocably waive the employer-paid life insurance above $50,000, please contact the Benefits Section of Human Resource Services at extension 3734 or 3735.

2) A terminal illness accelerated death benefit rider exists which allows employees who are diagnosed with a terminal illness to receive up to fifty percent of their term life insurance death benefit.