Eligibility

If you die under circumstances that permit payment of the accidental death benefit, a special accidental death benefit will be paid to your surviving spouse. If the surviving spouse receiving the special accidental death benefit dies, this benefit will be paid to your children who are under the age of 18, or if they are students, until the age of 23.

The Benefit

The special accidental death benefit is a pension equal to your salary reduced by:

• The accidental death benefit without reductions; and
• The Social Security benefit payable.

For payments made before January 1, 2001, the salary used to compute the special accidental death benefit was the regular compensation earned during the last 12 months of service prior to the date of death. If 12 months of service were not completed, the salary was the amount that would have been earned during the 12 months prior to death.

For payments made on or after January 1, 2001, the salary used to compute the special accidental death benefit will not be less than:

• The full salary you would have earned in the highest grade-step; or
• If you were in the highest grade-step of a supervisory position, the salary that would have been payable to a police superior officer or a fire officer.