Death Benefit Program

TITLE

     On June 21, 1990, the North Carolina State Lodge, Fraternal Order of Police created what is now known as the North Carolina State Lodge Death Benefit Program.  The State Lodge provides a Death Benefit for every qualified member in good standing.  A listing of such members will be maintained in the State Lodge Office.

BENEFITS

     A basic benefit of $3,000 will be paid for a death by natural causes.  An additional benefit of $3,000 in the event of an accidental death and another $3,000 in the event of line of duty death.  i.e.: Natural -$3,000; Accidental - $6,000; Line of Duty - $9,000.

LOCAL LODGE SECRETARY

     The Lodge Secretary has three responsibilities in the Death Benefit Program that are described in this section: (1) Keeping the membership roster current, (2) Filing a claim for the death of a member with the State Lodge Office and (3) Providing information necessary for processing the claim.

ASSESSMENTS

     An assessment of $12.00 per member per year will be due on November 1st of each year.  If your lodge wishes to do so, you may pay one half of this assessment with each Per Capita Tax payment. ie. First half = November 1st and Second half = May 1st.

MILITARY PERSONNEL

     Military personnel assigned to law enforcement duties are covered under the natural and accidental portions of the coverage.  Should a line of duty death occur, the State Lodge would pay that portion of the coverage only if the death was related to the law enforcement function.  The line of duty benefit will not be paid if the death occurred either in a combat situation or any military situation not related to the law enforcement function.

SEPARATED MEMBERS

     Active members that leave law enforcement other than retirement will be dropped from the Death Benefit Program.   Active members that take a leave of absence from his/her agency to take a civilian job in a combat zone will not be covered in the Death Benefit Program.

RETIRED MEMBERS

     To become eligible for lifetime membership in the Death Benefit Program, law enforcement officers must maintain continuous membership in the North Carolina Fraternal Order of Police at least five years prior to retirement, unless the individual is retired on an unforeseen disability through his law enforcement retirement system. 

AFFILIATE MEMBERS

     These members shall be entitled to the natural, accident and in the line of duty benefits as long as they are employed with that agency.

DURATION

     This State Lodge Death Benefit program will continue in effect so long and until such time as the North Carolina State Lodge Board of directors decides not to continue this program, and/or modify or effect changes to the program.  It is unequivocally and expressly understood that the status of membership does not imply any guarantee or expectation of any continued rights under this program if the Lodge decides to discontinue this program at whatever time or for whatever reason.

DEATH BENEFIT CLAIMS

     If a member dies for any reason, the death benefit claims form must be filled out.  (The form is found in the Lodge manual as well as the State Lodge Website).  Fill out the form along with the death certificate (with a raised seal) and send to the State Office for processing.  A copy of the police report if, an accidental or line of duty death, must be attached.

Revised and Adopted this 8th day of April, 2006 during Spring 2006 Board of Directors meeting, Cary, NC.

Donald B. Penix
State President

Tim Brewer
State Secretary