Virginia Law

Article 4. Industrial Sick Benefit Insurance.

Industrial sick benefit insurance means life insurance combined with accident and sickness insurance under which:

1. Premiums, dues or assessments are payable weekly;

2. A ten dollar maximum weekly indemnity is paid to members or policyowners in the event of sickness or accident;

3. A $250 maximum death benefit is provided, and the named beneficiary is confined to the spouse of the insured, a relative of the insured by blood, marriage or adoption, a person bound in a pledge of marriage to the insured, or any person dependent on the insured; and

4. The issuing insurer is not required by its charter, bylaws, or by statute to maintain the legal reserve for death benefits.

Code 1950, §§ 38-350, 38-351, 38-352; 1952, c. 317, § 38.1-483; 1986, c. 562.

Within the permitted classes of beneficiaries prescribed in § 38.2-3544, the issuing insurer may designate the classes of beneficiaries. No change of beneficiary shall be made by assignment, will, or otherwise to any person outside the designated classes without the consent of the insurer. If no person within the classes of beneficiaries prescribed in § 38.2-3544 survives the insured, the insurer may discharge its liability by payment of the proceeds of the policy to any person appearing to the insurer to be equitably entitled to the proceeds because of having incurred expense for the maintenance, medical attention or burial of the insured.

Code 1950, § 38-352; 1952, c. 317, § 38.1-484; 1986, c. 562.

Every policy of industrial sick benefit insurance issued in this Commonwealth after June 18, 1922, shall contain a provision that:

1. The sick benefit portion of the policy may be cancelled by either the insurer or the insured and the life portion continued by a payment of twenty percent of the original premium;

2. If the cancellation is by the insurer, it shall be without prejudice to any claim arising on account of disability commencing prior to the date on which the cancellation takes effect; and

3. Written notice of the cancellation and payment for the unearned portion of the premium shall be delivered to the insured or mailed to him at his last known address.

Code 1950, § 38-359; 1952, c. 317, § 38.1-485; 1986, c. 562.

A. Any person holding industrial sick benefit insurance policies of several insurers, that, in the aggregate, provide sick benefits in excess of 150 percent of his weekly salary, wages or earnings, shall not be permitted to recover the excess, nor shall the insurer be compelled to pay the excess, unless the existence of all previous policies was admitted by the insured in all applications for insurance in excess of such sum. If by misstatements, or by the failure to admit the existence of previous policies, the insured has obtained such excess additional policies, and has received benefits under such policies in excess of the amount specified above the excess paid may be deducted from the death benefit provided for in the policies.

B. This section shall not apply in any case where the application for the excess policy did not contain any question in regard to the amount of insurance already carried by the applicant, nor where the application blank was printed in less than ten-point type.

Code 1950, § 38-360; 1952, c. 317, § 38.1-486; 1986, c. 562.

Each person representing any insurer in the sale of industrial sick benefit insurance shall be subject to the laws governing agents of insurers.

Code 1950, § 38-361; 1952, c. 317, § 38.1-487; 1986, c. 562.

The payments in weekly or monthly installments to the holder of any policy of industrial sick benefit insurance shall not be subject to the lien of any attachment, garnishment proceeding, writ of fieri facias, or to levy or distress in any manner, for any debt due by the holder of the policy.

Code 1950, § 38-227; 1952, c. 317, § 38.1-488; 1986, c. 562.

No industrial sick benefit insurance policy as defined in § 38.2-3544 shall be delivered or issued for delivery in this Commonwealth after June 30, 1987.

1986, c. 562.