§ 43:15C-6 — Provision of insurance by retirement program.

6. a. The retirement program shall, under a group contract or contracts, provide life insurance and provide the option of obtaining disability insurance benefits for all participants in the retirement program on a basis to be determined by the State Treasurer. The State Treasurer is authorized to promulgate appropriate rules and regulations and perform other duties as necessary for the implementation and operation of the program. b. The State Treasurer is hereby authorized to purchase from one or more insurance companies, as the State Treasurer shall determine, group life insurance and disability benefit coverage to provide for the death benefits and disability benefits in the amounts specified in this act. Such group life insurance and disability benefit coverage may be provided under one or more policies issued to the State Treasurer specifically for this purpose or, in the discretion of the State Treasurer, under one or more policies issued to the State Treasurer which provide group life insurance coverage for members of one or more pension funds or retirement systems of the State of New Jersey. Any dividend or retrospective rate credit allowed by an insurance company attributable to the retirement program shall be credited to the funds available to meet the State's obligations under the retirement program. Premiums for such group insurance coverage shall be paid from a special fund, hereby created, called the "Defined Contribution Retirement Program Group Insurance Premium Fund." The State Treasurer shall estimate annually the amount that will be required for premiums for such benefits for the ensuing fiscal year and shall certify such amounts that shall be applied to the total State and other employer contributions due on behalf of the participants in the retirement program from the State and other employers, depositing such amounts in the premium fund. Additionally, employers shall pay their share of the administrative costs of the program. The intervals for all payments and the allocation of administrative costs shall be determined by the Division of Pensions and Benefits including due dates and penalties for noncompliance. During the period such group insurance policy or policies are in effect with respect to participants in the retirement program, the State Treasurer shall not commingle moneys in this fund with any funds established under the retirement program. c. A life insurance company shall meet the following requirements in order to provide coverage under this section: (1) be licensed under the laws of the State of New Jersey to transact life and accidental death insurance, and the amount of its group life insurance in the State of New Jersey shall, at the time the insurance is to be purchased, equal at least 1% of the total amount of such group life insurance in the State of New Jersey in all life insurance companies; or (2) come within the exceptions provided in P.L.1968, c.234 (C.17:32-16 et seq.). L.2007, c.92, s.6.