No one likes to think about the likelihood of having to make a claim on a life insurance policy. It is a difficult time. USBA makes every effort to make the process simple to understand.

Once we receive telephone notification of a death, we notify the underwriter, New York Life Insurance Company. At the same time, qualifying beneficiaries will receive an emergency payment of up to $15,000. This check is a partial payment of the total claim intended to relieve families of financial stress during this difficult time when emergencies arise needing immediate attention. The balance of the coverage is paid when the remaining claim requirements have been submitted. You can rely on us to walk beneficiaries through the process and explain everything in detail.

Upon approval of the claim by New York Life, beneficiaries have a choice of how they wish to receive payment. The decision is entirely up to the beneficiaries who are in complete control of the assets at all times. They can either request a lump sum payment or a New York Life Continued Interest Account. New York Life credits interest on these funds from the date of death until the funds are released for payment or a CIA is established.

A Continued Interest Account (CIA) is a payment option provided by New York Life Insurance Company. It is an alternative to a lump sum payment which allows immediate availability to funds through an established checking account at no cost to the beneficiary. While the account is administered by Northern Trust, the funds are held by New York Life. There is no charge for maintaining the account or the checks, and the interest is accrued on a daily basis. Although the account is not FDIC-insured, the proceeds are guaranteed by New York Life and interest is paid on the balance. Beneficiaries have full access to the funds and can write a check for any purchases or transfer the remaining funds to another financial institution if they wish. The check must be for an amount of $250.00 or greater.

We want you to know USBA is here for your beneficiaries during this trying time. We are committed to helping your loved ones through this process and explaining everything in detail. What is especially important to know is that your beneficiaries will always have control of the claim payout and a clear choice on how they wish for it to be paid.

No strings attached! Just for joining USBA (it’s free), you can enroll for $5,000 of Group Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D) coverage. As USBA’s way of saying “Thanks” for all you’ve done for your country. Click here for more information.

To accept this no-cost offer, you only need to be under the age of 60, an Active Duty serviceperson scheduled for honorable discharge within the next 18 months, and not a resident of Oregon or Texas. USBA will pay for the first year of premiums for eligible new USBA members. Click here to review all the details: Benefits, Limits & Exclusions, Effective Date of Coverage, Renewal Provisions and the Individual Certificate.

Thank you again for your service!

USBA introduced its new Long Term 20^SM Year Group Level Term Life Insurance Plan this fall – a 20-year level term product offering affordable rates for active duty military, veterans and retired military, federal employees, and Reserve & National Guard.

Although rates are not guaranteed, they are expected to remain level for 20 years. The benefit amount – which can be up to $500,000 – also remains the same, so this could be a very smart purchase as rates are linked to age. If you are 54 or younger after the first 20 years, the policy can be renewed for a second 20 years.

Long Term 20 offers an excellent alternative for children who may have outgrown their children’s coverage or are just entering the young adult stage of 18 to 23 years.

This coverage – like all USBA group life insurance plans – is entirely portable, enduring through every job and career change along the way as long as premiums are paid on time.

Long Term 20 is underwritten by New York Life Insurance Company. Get a free quote, request Plan details (including eligibility, benefits, limitations, renewal provisions, etc.), or apply online directly.

Once again, our partner New York Life Insurance Company who underwrites all of USBA’s group life insurance plans, has received the highest financial strength ratings possible from all four of the nation’s major independent credit rating agencies: Standard & Poor’s (AAA), Moody’s Investors Service (Aaa), Fitch Ratings (AAA) and A.M. Best (A++)*.

It’s especially notable that New York Life received this affirmation of their stability and performance during a period of economic challenges for so many other companies in the industry. USBA members** can remain confident that New York Life and USBA are stable and our policies are secure.

USBA members enjoy unique group pricing due to a special “power of one” advantage. In simple terms, this means USBA exists for the sole purpose of our membership. For instance, the latest product we developed – Long Term 20-Year Group Level Term Life Insurance Plan – was created because our research indicated it could meet the needs of a large number of our current and future policyholders. The same thinking drove us to develop all of our products, including Smart Value 10-Year Group Level Term, Lean~15 Year Group Level Term, and our Generation 3 Blended Plans.

Importantly, holding on to your life insurance policy during a challenging economy is especially smart when times are volatile. Because no matter how unsure things may be around you, you can be certain you’ve prepared yourself for the unexpected.

If you are debating forgoing your insurance premiums when looking for ways to tighten your budget, contact us first. There may be options you haven’t thought about that will help you hold on to your life insurance.

*Source: Individual Third Party Rating Report (as of 6/16/09).
**Who qualifies to be a USBA member?