You are required to nominate who will receive the proceeds of your Life and/or Accidental Death benefits in the event of your death.

Important information about designating a Beneficiary:

  • You may nominate anyone you wish as a Beneficiary.
  • You may nominate more than one person as a Beneficiary and allocate a percentage of the total benefit by Beneficiary.
  • You should appoint a Trustee on the BCPSEA Benefits Enrolment form if the Beneficiary(ies) are not of legal age.
  • If you wish to change your beneficiary(ies), you must sign and date the BCPSEA Benefits Change form.
  • The initial designation of a Beneficiary is made on the BCPSEA Benefits Enrolment form.
  • The Benefits Administrator will file the BCPSEA Benefits Enrolment form and BCPSEA Benefits Change form (if applicable) in the Employee’s personnel file for use in the event of your death.

Note:

  • There are two types of beneficiaries – revocable and irrevocable.
  • All beneficiaries are revocable unless the Employee designates in written notice to the Benefits Administrator that the beneficiary is irrevocable.
  • To effect a change from an irrevocable beneficiary to any other beneficiary, one of the following documents is required:
      • Renunciation by the irrevocable beneficiary, or
      • Evidence of death of the irrevocable beneficiary, or
      • Final Decree of Divorce, if the irrevocable beneficiary is the Spouse of the Employee

Estate as a beneficiary

If you do not wish to designate any specific person as Beneficiary, you must indicate “Estate” on the BCPSEA Benefits Enrolment form.

The proceeds of Life insurance and/or Accidental Death insurance in the event of your death will be paid in accordance with your Will, or if you do not have a Will, in accordance with the laws of intestacy of the province of in which you reside.

As a general rule, payments to designated persons, such as the Spouse or children of legal age, or children with a trustee appointed, are available more promptly as there is no need for Probated Wills or other title documentation.