The AIA Trust - Benefits

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According to the Social Security Administration, one in three workers will suffer a long-term disability before they reach retirement.¹

With this risk, many workers are looking for disability insurance as part of their employee benefits package. Therefore, if you offer Long Term Disability Insurance coverage as part of your firm’s employee benefits package, you can help recruit and retain your good employees, while staying competitive in today’s marketplace.

Long Term Disability Insurance helps make sure you and your employees can pay their monthly bills and out-of-pocket medical expenses if a disabling injury or illness keeps you from working for a long period of time.

With the AIA Group Firm Long Term Disability Plan, you can secure coverage for you and your employees that can help pay up to 60% of your gross monthly income up to $6,000 per month. And each employee is guaranteed acceptance—no medical exams are required.

Plus, you pay an affordable group rate to cover all your employees. In fact, many AIA members’ firms who already switched to this plan found the cost to be extremely competitive.

To request a quote for your firm’s disability options, please download, complete and return the Quote form.

For questions or more plan details, please call toll-free 1-866-768-1075.

¹Social Security Administration, Disability Benefits, November 2008. www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/10029.pdf. Viewed 4/12/09.

Provides You and Your Firm Employees Up to $6,000 in Income Benefits

The AIA Firm Group Long Term Disability Insurance Plan provides financial protection for your employees by paying up to $6,000 per month while they are disabled. The amount they receive is based on the amount they were earning before their disability began, but cannot be more than 60% of their gross monthly income. Disability payments may be reduced by deductible sources and disability earnings. All eligible employees must be working at least 25 hours per week to qualify for this employee benefit.

Affordable Group Rates

Thanks to the group purchasing power of the AIA membership, you pay an affordable rate for all your employees. To receive a proposal for disability options available for your firm, simply Request A Quote now.

Tax-Deductible for Your Firm

In most cases, the coverage is considered a tax deduction if your Firm pays 100% of the premiums for your employees. Please consult your tax advisor for details.

Guaranteed Acceptance

Your employees will not have to submit to medical exams or answer extensive health questions to be covered.

Choice of Elimination Periods

You can choose between two elimination period options for all of your employees. This is how long your employees will have to wait to collect benefits if they become disabled:

Option 1: 90 days
Option 2: 180 days

Note: Generally, the longer employees wait for disability benefits to begin, the lower your Firm’s premium will be.

Maximum Period of Payment

Benefits are payable for the period during which the employee continues to meet the definition of disability up to age 65, but not less than 5 years.

Waives Premium if Disabled

You will not be required to make premium payments for an employee while he or she is receiving long term disability payments under this plan.

Additional benefits include:

Child Care Benefit
Work-Life Balance Program (EAP Program)
Worldwide Emergency Travel Assistance Services
HR Compliance Reference Tool

Backed by Top-Rated Insurance Company

Unum Life Insurance Company of America underwrites and administers this plan. Unum has been ranked first in group disability benefits for 32 consecutive years and presently insures more than 3,000 architect firms of 2 to 500 employees so you can trust them to be there for you and your employees.

For questions or more plan details, please call toll-free 1-866-768-1075.

When premium is effective and due: The initial premium for each plan is based on the initial rate(s) shown in the policy effective on the employer’s original plan effective date. Premium due dates are based on the premium due dates shown in the policy effective on the employer’s original plan effective date.

The policyholder must send all premiums to Unum on or before their respective due date. The premium must be paid in U.S. dollars.

When coverage begins for employees: When you the employer pay 100% of the cost of coverage under a plan, your employee(s) will be covered at 12:01 a.m. on the date they are eligible for coverage.

How Unum defines disability: An employee is disabled when Unum determines that: Your employee is limited from performing the material and substantial duties of his or her regular occupation due to sickness or injury; and your employee has a 20% or more loss in indexed monthly earnings due to the same sickness or injury.

After 24 months of payments your employee is disabled when Unum determines that due to the same sickness or injury, he or she is unable to perform the duties of any gainful occupation for which he or she is reasonably fitted by education, training or experience.

The loss of a professional or occupational license or certification does not, in itself, constitute disability.

Limitations: Disabilities, due to sickness or injury, which are primarily based on self-reported symptoms, and disabilities due to mental illness have a limited pay period up to 24 months.

Exclusions: This plan will not cover any disabilities caused by, contributed to by, or resulting from an employees’ intentionally self-inflicted injuries; active participation in a riot; loss of a professional license, occupational license or certification; commission of a crime for which you have been convicted under state or federal law; war, declared or undeclared, or any act of war; or a pre-existing condition. A Pre-existing Condition is a condition for which an employee receives treatment for 3 months or less before coverage begins. This condition will not be covered for 12 months after the effective date.

This information is not intended to be a complete description of the insurance coverage available. The policy or its provisions may vary or be unavailable in some states. For complete details of coverage, please refer to the actual policy for specific provisions and details of availability.

For questions or more plan details, please call toll-free 1-866-768-1075.

The AIA Trust incurs certain administrative expenses in connection with this sponsored plan. To provide and maintain this valuable AIA membership benefit, the Trust is reimbursed for these expenses.

Endorsed by:

Underwritten by Unum Life Insurance Company of America, 2211 Congress Street, Portland, Maine 04122.
In New York, underwritten by First Unum Life Insurance Company, 99 Park Ave. 6th Floor, New York, NY 10016.