Union coverage is part of the job. It is not always the whole plan.

At a glance

Union / group life

Often a set amount or a wage multiple; rules sit in the booklet or the local

Tied to

Membership, hours, or the job — read the certificate, do not assume

Personally owned

A separate contract you apply for; may stay between calls if kept in force

Who explains your package

The local, the fund office, or the certificate — not this page

Read the certificate before you assume you are covered

Union construction packages vary by trade, local, and fund. Some include group life. Some do not. Amounts, who is the beneficiary, whether coverage continues on disability, and what happens when you are on the bench are booklet questions. AskLily cannot see your local’s plan and will not guess it.

Bring the certificate, or a photo of the schedule of benefits, to a licensed professional if you want a second set of eyes on the gap. Lily can help you write down the household need first.

Hours, the bench, and portability

If eligibility needs a hours bank or active dispatch, a slow season can change more than your paycheck. Group life that requires active status is not the same as a policy you own. A personally owned policy can stay in force between calls if you pay the premium, subject to its terms. That is still not a guarantee of issue or of any particular product.

Why coverage through work is usually not enough

Employer group life is typically one or two times salary, is not portable when you leave, and can end at retirement. It is a helpful base, not a plan. An individual policy you own goes with you between jobs and can be sized to the actual need rather than to a benefit formula.

Coverage that is tied to the job can leave with the job

Group life through a contractor, a union hall, or a benefits package is often a set multiple of wages, and it commonly ends or shrinks when you are laid off, switch books, or go out on your own. A personally owned policy is issued to you. Subject to its own terms, it can stay in force between gigs if premiums are paid. That is not a promise that every product works this way, or that you will be approved.

Do not drop a union benefit because a website said so

Replacement and stacking decisions are personal. Dropping group coverage to “replace” it with a new policy can leave you uninsured if the new one is declined or delayed. A licensed professional should compare, not a page. Replacement is regulated because it is often sold when it should not be.