Financial grants are a part of Foresters commitment to assisting eligible members and their family in times of need. With the one-time $4,000 lump sum payment, Foresters helps you focus on what’s important – your recovery

Benefit Description

A $4,000 lump sum payment is provided upon the initial diagnosis of one of these critical illnesses for any one immediate family member: cancer, heart attack, stroke, or multiple sclerosis. The benefit will be paid in the currency of the country where the certificate was purchased.

Eligibility requirements and limitations

To be eligible:

• Available to those members with certificates of face value greater than or equal to $10,000 or if an annuity certificate it has a value of not less than $10,000 or a minimum contribution of $1,000 paid in the previous 12 months.
• The initial diagnosis must occur at least 24 months after the date of application for membership or the date the Election Form was signed for the November 1, 2000 benefits package
• The application for Foresters Critical Illness member benefit must be submitted within six months of the initial diagnosis date
• The diagnosis must be made by a legally qualified physician and medical proof satisfactory to Foresters must be provided
• When eligibility is based on a Social Fraternal Membership, it must have been inforce for a continuous period of two years immediately prior to the date of the Parent’s death.

A member is ineligible if:

• He/she is 70 years of age or older at the time of the initial diagnosis of the critical illness
• An eligible family member has already received the Critical Illness member benefit payout
• The critical illness was a pre-existing condition, i.e. the individual’s critical illness was initially diagnosed prior to the date of application for membership or occurred within 24 months after the date of application for membership or the date the Election Form was signed for the November 1, 2000 member benefits package
• An eligible family member has already received benefits from the Cancer member benefit or Multiple Sclerosis member benefit from the pre-November 1, 2000, Foresters member benefit package

Critical Illness is defined, for the purpose of the Critical Illness member benefit, as any of the medical conditions listed below.

Cancer is defined as a malignant neoplasm (including hematologic malignancy), which is characterized by the uncontrolled growth and spread of malignant cells and the invasion of tissue, and which is not specifically hereafter excluded.

• Early prostate cancer diagnosed as T1N0M0 or equivalent staging
• First carcinoma in situ (meaning the first diagnosis of cancer wherein the tumor cells still lie within the tissue of the site of origin without having invaded neighboring tissue)
• Pre-malignant lesions (such as intraepithelial neoplasia), benign tumors or polyps
• Any skin cancer, other than invasive malignant melanoma in the dermis or deeper, or skin malignancies that have become life-threatening cancers

Cancer must be diagnosed pursuant to a pathological diagnosis or a clinical diagnosis.

Heart attack means the death of a portion of the heart muscle resulting from blockage of one or more coronary arteries.
The diagnosis must be based upon both:

• New electrocardiographic changes consistent with and supporting a diagnosis of a heart attack; and
• A concurrent diagnostic elevation of cardiac enzyme

Stroke is a cerebrovascular accident or infarction (death) of brain tissue caused by hemorrhage, embolism, or thrombosis producing measurable, neurological deficit persisting for at least 30 days following the occurrence of the stroke. Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA) or other cerebral vascular events are not considered a stroke under this definition.

Multiple sclerosis is defined as the occurrence of at least two episodes of well-defined neurological abnormalities with objective evidence of lesions at more than one site within the central nervous system. A legally qualified physician who is a board certified neurologist must make a definitive diagnosis of multiple sclerosis, supported by modern imaging and/or investigative techniques.

Eligibility for Foresters Member Benefits

Definition of Terms

Foresters member benefits are non-contractual, subject to eligibility requirements and limitations and may be changed or canceled at any time without notice.
Definitions may vary for individual benefits.

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