§ 11A — Additional insurance; application; cancellation; conversion

Section 11A. Each employee insured for the minimum amounts of group life and group accidental death and dismemberment insurance provided in section 5, subject to such conditions as the appropriate public authority shall approve, may be insured for amounts of group life insurance and group accidental death and dismemberment insurance in addition to the minimum amounts provided for in said section 5 in an amount not greater than $150,000.Such additional insurance shall be issued by the carrier or carriers as determined by the appropriate public authority without regard to a minimum number of eligible employees or to the provisions of chapter one hundred and seventy-five.Each employee entitled to additional insurance under this section shall file an application therefor with the treasurer of the governmental unit on an appropriate form prescribed by said treasurer, except that an employee having such additional insurance who becomes entitled to further additional insurance hereunder by reason of an increase in annual salary shall automatically be insured for the amount of such further additional insurance, to become effective on the first day of the second month following the month in which the increase was authorized, unless the employee notifies the treasurer of the governmental unit in writing on a form prescribed by it that he is not to be so insured; and provided, that such increase in salary has been authorized for a period of time in excess of one year. No reduction in the amount of insurance shall be required on account of a reduction in compensation. For purposes of this additional insurance, yearly gross salary or compensation shall not include any overtime pay and in the case of hourly workers shall be computed on the basis of scheduled required work-hours.With respect to any additional insurance which is in effect for an employee, there shall be withheld from each payment of salary or wages of such employee the premium for such insurance and, notwithstanding the provisions of any collective bargaining agreement to the contrary, the governmental unit shall make no contribution to said premium. If an employee is not entitled to receive salary, wages or other compensation for a calendar month, he shall make payment directly to the treasurer of the governmental unit and, notwithstanding the provisions of any collective bargaining agreement to the contrary, there shall be no contribution by the governmental unit for such payment.An employee insured under this section may by written notice on a form prescribed by the treasurer cancel such insurance, and such insurance shall require no further premium payment the first day of the month following the expiration of fifteen days from the receipt of notice of cancellation. Insurance coverage will therefore terminate at the end of the month for which premium has been paid. If an employee withdraws as provided in section four, such withdrawal shall automatically effect a cessation of the additional insurance under this section as of the date of cessation of his minimum insurance.Upon retirement of an employee eligible for pension allowances under any general or special law, that portion of his additional insurance under this section which is not paid-up shall terminate upon attainment of the age of seventy-five, and he shall be afforded the privilege of converting such term insurance in accordance with the rules and regulations issued under section fourteen. A person who has retired and whose insurance under this section has been terminated may be reinstated for the amount of insurance in force at the time of retirement provided the retiree has not attained the age of seventy-five and provided further that he submits proof of his physical condition satisfactory to the appropriate public authority.The appropriate public authority is hereby authorized to negotiate for and purchase the additional insurance on the basis of group renewable term insurance. This section shall not apply to Worcester county nor to its employees.This section shall take effect in a county, except Worcester county, city, town or district upon its acceptance in the following manner:—In a county, except Worcester county by vote of the county commissioners; in a city having a Plan D or Plan E charter by majority vote of its city council; in any other city by vote of its city council, approved by the mayor; in a district by vote of the district at a district meeting; and in a town if a majority of the votes cast in answer to the following question, which shall be printed on the official ballot to be used at an election in said town, is in the affirmative:—''Shall the town purchase additional group life and group accidental death and dismemberment insurance for employees in accordance with the provisions of chapter thirty-two B of the General Laws with no premium contribution by the town?''