Insurance Members

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The MEMBER/SPOUSE FRATERNAL BENEFIT, which is described below, is provided for all members in good standing and their wives. For purposes of eligibility for this benefit, a member in good standing is a member who has paid his current dues to his subordinate council, whose membership is not suspended, forfeited or otherwise terminated for any reason, who is not an inactive insurance member, and who belongs to a council of and resides in the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, the Northern Mariana Islands or Guam. This benefit is provided to those members of councils that have paid their current per capita tax and Catholic Advertising Fund assessments to the Supreme Council and are not otherwise suspended. For this purpose, a council is deemed current if its per capita tax and Catholic Advertising Fund assessments are not in arrears for more than two years. A council that is paying its arrearage on an agreed-to settlement plan providing for a two-year amortization and paying current charges shall also be deemed current.

An accidental death benefit will be paid to the next of kin in accordance with Section 71.2 of the Order’s laws, if a member or his wife dies as a result of injuries sustained in an accident, provided that death occurs within 90 days of such accident. The claim for this accidental death benefit must be received at the Supreme Office of the Knights of Columbus within three years of the date of death. This accidental death benefit will not be paid if death results from: suicide, self-inflicted injury while sane or insane; sickness or disease (except bacterial infection resulting from accidental cut or wound); war or act of war (declared or undeclared); flying, except as a fare-paying passenger on a regularly scheduled airline; and injury from driving or riding in a speed or organized contest.

If death results prior to age 65, this benefit payable is based on the member’s years of continuous membership in good standing.

Years of Continuous Membership Benefit
Less than two years                      $1,000
Two years, but less than three     $1,500
Three years, but less than four    $2,000
Four years or more                      $2,500

The benefit amount will be reduced by $500 on the member’s 65^th birthday and each subsequent birthday, until the benefit amount is stabilized at $1,000. The $1,000 coverage will continue thereafter, provided the member and the member’s council are in good standing and both so reflected on the records of the Supreme Council.

The spouse benefit at all times corresponds to the member’s benefit. At no time will the spouse benefit exceed the member’s benefit. Should the member predecease his wife, she shall continue to be covered thereafter at a fixed benefit of $1,000, provided this benefit remains in effect. Should the spouse and the member die within 90 days from the same accident, however, the scheduled benefit will be paid.

The Member/Spouse Fraternal Benefit is made available by the Order for accidental deaths occurring on or after September 1, 1994. The Member/Spouse Fraternal Benefit may be amended or discontinued at any time by the action of the Order’s Board of Directors.