Critical Illness Insurance

Help preserve your lifestyle with Colonial's Critical Illness Insurance

Chances are, you know someone who has faced a critical illness, so you know the physical and emotional drain an illness can impose. But have you thought about the financial problems a critical illness can bring?

Fortunately, survival rates for critical illnesses are increasing every year. With survival comes changes, one of which could be the impact to your financial situation. Would you be able to meet your financial obligations if a critical illness should strike?

Did you know? The average age at which a critical illness strikes is 43.¹

Even those of us who carefully plan for the unexpected with life, disability and medical insurance may discover that some expenses can still remain unpaid. The benefits you receive from Colonial's critical illness insurance can help provide financial protection, whatever your situation. Here are some examples of how the benefits can help you:

Do you use an HMO or PPO for your major medical insurance? Critical illness insurance can help fill the gaps in case your major medical coverage doesn't provide the freedom of choice that you need.
Are you single? The benefit can help provide for caretakers, home maintenance and transportation, which you may need if a critical illness strikes.
Are you newly married? The insurance can provide a financial cushion, because you may not have had time to build up savings or other assets to help you get through tough financial times.
Do you have a family? If your family relies on you for income and/or for the work you do inside the home - this benefit could provide a supplement to help you handle your reduced ability to earn income, pay bills or provide household care and maintenance.

Covered Critical Illnesses

Benefits are payable if you are diagnosed with one of the following critical illnesses and the date of diagnosis is after the waiting period and while the policy is in force (see definitions of diagnosis later in this section.). We will not pay for more than 100% of the face amount for all covered critical illnesses, combined.

	We will pay this percentage of the face amount:
Heart Attack - the date that the death (infarction) of a portion of the heart muscle occurred, based on the criteria listed under the heart attack definition.	100%
Stroke - the date a stroke occurred, based on documented neurological deficits and neuroimaging studies.	100%
Major Organ Transplant - the date the surgery occurs for covered transplants.	100%
End Stage Renal Failure - the date your doctor or physician recommends that you begin renal dialysis.	100%
Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery* - the date the surgery occurs for covered coronary artery bypass surgery.	25%

Use Benefits Where They're Needed Most

Colonial's critical illness insurance pays a lump sum benefit upon diagnosis of a covered critical illness for you to use where it's needed most. Coverage is available for you and your spouse.

We will pay for the critical illnesses listed if the date of diagnosis is after the waiting period and during the time the policy is in force. The face amount reduces by 50% on the first policy anniversary after your 75th birthday. Please see definitions and exclusions later in this section.

Health Screening Benefit - $50 Per Calendar Year No Lifetime Limit

New technology can help improve your chances of surviving a serious illness through early detection and treatment. We will pay benefits for these screening tests if the test is performed or if critical illness is diagnosed after the 30-day waiting period and while your policy is in force.

Stress test on a bicycle or treadmill
Fasting blood glucose test
Bone marrow testing
Blood test for triglycerides
Serum cholesterol test to determine levels of HDL and LDL

No Claim Form Needed - To receive payment for your health screening benefit, you may simply call our toll-free Customer Service number, 1-800-325-4368, with the medical information.

Did You Know?

Stroke is the leading cause of serious, long-term disability in the United States²
Every 29 seconds in the U.S., someone suffers a coronary event.²
The chances of surviving cardiovascular disease are better today than ever. ²

Premiums

Premiums are based on your age at issue and your tobacco status. Your premium does not increase as you get older. Premiums will vary based on the amount of coverage you select. The policy is guaranteed renewable as long as the premiums are paid when they are due or within the grace period, up to the date of payment of 100% of the face amount for specified critical illness. Premiums can be changed only if we change them on all policies of this kind in force in the state where the policy is issued.

Your face amount: $______________________________

Your premium, per pay period: $______________________________

DEFINITIONS

Heart Attack means the death (infarction) of a portion of heart muscle as a result of inadequate blood supply. The diagnosis must be based on all of the following criteria:

Associated new electrocardiographic (EKG) changes consistent with injury; and; elevation of cardiac enzymes; and; confirmatory imaging studies such as thallium scans, MUGA scans, or stress echocardiograms. In the event of death, an autopsy confirmation and death certificate identifying heart attack as the cause of death will be accepted.

Stroke means a cerebrovascular event resulting in permanent neurological damage, including infarction, hemorrhage or embolization of brain tissue from an extracranial source. Transient ischemic attacks are specifically excluded. The diagnosis must be based on:

Documented neurological deficits; and; confirmatory neuroimaging studies.

Major Organ Transplant means undergoing surgery as a recipient of a transplant of a human heart, lung, liver, kidney, or pancreas.

End Stage Renal Failure means chronic irreversible failure of the function of both kidneys such that you must undergo regular hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis (at least weekly).

Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery means undergoing open heart surgery to correct narrowing or blockage of one or more coronary arteries with bypass grafts, but excluding procedures such as, but not limited to: balloon angioplasty, laser relief, stents or other non-surgical procedures.

Doctor or Physician means a person or practitioner, other than yourself or a family member, who:

is legally licensed by the state to practice a healing art; and
performs services for which benefits are provided by the policy.

Waiting Period means the first 30 days following the effective date of the policy. No benefits will be paid for a covered specified illness which occurs during the waiting period.

EXCLUSIONS

We will not pay benefits for a specified critical illness or surgery that occurs as a result of the following:

your being diagnosed with a specified critical illness during the waiting period; your participating or attempting to participate in a felony or working at an illegal job; your intentionally causing a self-inflicted injury; your committing or attempting to commit suicide, whether sane or insane; your involvement in any period of armed conflict, even if it is not declared

OTHER EXCLUSIONS

We will not pay the specified critical illness benefit for the following: transient ischemic attacks; balloon angioplasty; laser relief or other like procedures; pre-malignant conditions or conditions with malignant potential; basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma of the skin; or melanoma that is diagnosed as Clark's Level I or II or Breslow less than .75mm.

This information highlights the benefits of policy form CI(98)-W-NC. This is not an insurance contract and only the actual policy provisions will control. The policy sets forth in detail the rights and obligations of both you and us. It is, therefore, important that you READ YOUR POLICY CAREFULLY.

_{¹Global experience from insurance carriers, Data from the 1985 "Commissioners Individual Disability Table A," Transactions of the Society of Actuaries, Vol. 37, pp 449-602.}

_{^*If you receive the 25% benefit for coronary artery bypass surgery and are later diagnosed with a different covered critical illness, we will pay the face amount less the amount you received for coronary artery bypass surgery. We will not pay more than 100% of the face amount for all covered critical illnesses, combined.}

_{²Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics - 2003 Update, American Heart Association.}

Copyright © 2007 Pierce Group Benefits, LLC. All Right Reserved.
This website highlights the voluntary benefits offered through your employer for the current plan year. This is neither an insurance contract nor a Summary Plan Description and only the actual policy provisions will prevail. All information in this booklet including premiums quoted is subject to change. All policy descriptions are for information purposes only. Your actual policies may be different than those in this booklet. Please meet with your Colonial Representative during the Open Enrollment Period to verify the information contained within this booklet as well as your own policy information.