The GAWDA Life Insurance Trust (GAWDA Trust) is pleased to announce that USI Affinity has been chosen to administer the existing Metropolitan Life (Met Life) Life Insurance program for GAWDA members effective December 1, 2011. USI Affinity currently administers life insurance coverage on behalf of numerous associations around the country. USI Affinity will administer a comprehensive and accessible product that will meet the high service expectations of GAWDA members.
“We are pleased to welcome USI Affinity’s leadership in providing quality, administrative services that add real value to the Gases and Welding Distributors Association membership,” says incoming GAWDA Insurance Trust Chairman, Avery “Whip” Seaman (Corp Brothers, Inc. of Providence, RI). “Our life insurance program has paid an annual dividend for over fifty years, is financially stable and not a single member has dropped out of the program in 2011. The program was designed exclusively for GAWDA members with features such as an enhanced accidental death and dismemberment benefit as well as dependent life coverage.”
In conjunction with the change in administrators there will also be a change in life insurance consultants. Dave Irving, who has overseen the GAWDA Life Insurance Program for over half a century, is entrusting his responsibilities to Guy Patterson of USI Affinity. The transition will take place over the next year so that Guy and GAWDA members can benefit fully from Dave’s wealth of knowledge. Guy Patterson is vice president of client management and is located in Pennsylvania. He has over twenty years of experience in managing and consulting to large association programs and originally started his insurance career with Met Life.
GAWDA Insureds will soon be receiving an announcement letter about the change of administrators to USI Affinity. It is important to note that Met Life will remain as the insurer of the program, and there will be no plan design or rate changes associated with this change. Fernley & Fernley will continue as the administrator until December 1st, 2011. After December 1st, 2011, USI Affinity will assume all administrative responsibilities ranging from:
- Supplies such as coverage certificates to our “Taking Care” books;
- Claims handling, including assisting with claim form completion to ensuring the eligible proceeds are paid on a timely basis;
- Establishing coverage amounts and assisting with determining employee and dependent eligibility;
- Employee changes from new hires, salary changes to terminations; and
- Premium calculations and remittances.
To learn more about the Life Insurance Program for GAWDA members, simply call our new life insurance consultant Guy Patterson at (800) 265-2876 x1380. You can also contact him at either guy.patterson@usiaffinity.com or USI Affinity, One International Plaza, 4th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19113.
