51.1-505.01 - Additional accidental death and dismemberment benefits.
§ 51.1-505.01. Additional accidental death and dismemberment benefits.
The group life, accidental death, and dismemberment insurance coveragepurchased by the Board shall include, but not be limited to, the followingbenefits:
A. If, as a result of an accident, an insured employee dies at leastseventy-five miles from his principal residence, an additional accidentaldeath benefit shall be paid for the preparation and transportation of theemployee to a mortuary. The additional benefit shall be the lesser of theactual cost for such preparation and transportation or $5,000;
B. If an insured employee dies or suffers a dismemberment as a result of anaccident that occurs while the employee is driving or riding in a privatepassenger vehicle, an additional accidental death or dismemberment benefitshall be paid, provided that (i) the private passenger vehicle is equippedwith a safety restraint system; (ii) such safety restraint system was beingused properly by the insured employee at the time of the accident, ascertified in the official accident report or by the official investigatingofficer; and (iii) at the time of the accident, the driver of the privatepassenger vehicle held a current license to operate a private passengervehicle and was not intoxicated, driving while impaired or under theinfluence of alcohol or drugs, as is defined or determined under applicablelaw.
The additional benefit shall be the lesser of ten percent of the amountotherwise payable due to such accidental death or dismemberment or $50,000.
C. Death or dismemberment from a felonious assault.
1. If an insured employee dies or suffers a dismemberment as a result of anaccident caused by a felonious assault committed by other than an immediatefamily member, there shall be paid an additional accidental death ordismemberment benefit equal to the lesser of twenty-five percent of theamount otherwise payable due to such accidental death or dismemberment or$50,000.
2. In addition, if (i) an insured employee dies as a result of an accidentcaused by a felonious assault committed by other than an immediate familymember, and (ii) such insured employee has a qualifying child at the time ofsuch accident, a savings trust account shall be opened for each qualifyingchild pursuant to the Virginia College Savings Plan (§ 23-38.75 et seq.). TheRetirement System shall contribute into the account of each such qualifyingchild an amount approximately equal to the current cost of purchasing in fulla prepaid tuition contract for tuition and mandatory fees at a four-yearpublic institution of higher education in the Commonwealth, as determinedunder § 23-38.75 et seq. The qualified beneficiary, as defined in § 23-38.75,shall be the qualifying child on whose behalf such account was opened.Specific benefits of the savings trust account shall be as defined by theVirginia College Savings Plan.
Funds in a savings trust account opened on behalf of a qualifying child shallbe used for qualified higher education expenses at eligible institutions,both as defined in § 529 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, orother applicable federal law, as determined by the Board of the VirginiaCollege Savings Plan. Savings trust account funds shall not be disbursedprior to a qualifying child being admitted and enrolled at an eligibleinstitution. Any funds in a savings trust account that are not used by aqualifying child before the expiration of the time period for the use of suchfunds, as determined by the Virginia College Savings Plan, shall be paid tothe Retirement System promptly after the expiration of such period.
(2001, cc. 685, 690; 2002, c. 313.)