Business Travel Accident Plan

The following information was provided by the Risk Management Office at Columbia.

The Business Travel Accident (BTA) Plan provides protection in case of your death, dismemberment or disability as the direct result of an accident occurring while you travel on University business or on a University-sponsored trip.

The BTA Plan provides coverage based on an amount equal to six times your base annual salary, subject to a maximum of $500,000. This is called your principal sum. If an accident involves a group of employees traveling together, the maximum combined benefit payment for the accident will be $5,000,000. This benefit will be distributed proportionately among the persons entitled to receive benefits.

Generally, your benefit is paid in a single lump sum to you or your surviving beneficiary. (You may designate whomever you choose as your beneficiary.) You can, however, choose to receive all or part of your benefit in installments or in another manner that is approved by the insurance company.

If you are on sabbatical or leave Faculty members may be covered while on sabbatical if specific arrangements have been made with the Provost's Office. Coverage during summer vacations is excluded unless you are receiving additional compensation from the University during that time, the travel is paid for by the University, or the travel is to a meeting of a learned society. Coverage is also excluded if you are employed by another institution while on sabbatical.

You will be covered if you are on paid leave while doing research under a project financed by another institution.

The Plan offers two types of benefits:

If your death results directly from and within 180 days of a covered accident, your beneficiary is entitled to receive the principal sum. If you are not found within one year of the disappearance, forced landing, stranding, sinking or wrecking of a conveyance in which you were traveling, you will be considered to be dead.

If you are severely injured as the result of and within 180 days of a covered accident, the Plan pays the following benefits:

Loss of hands or feet means the complete severance through or above the wrist or ankle joint. Loss of eyes refers to the permanent loss of entire sight in one or both eyes. Only one benefit, the largest to which you are entitled, is payable for all losses relating to a single accident. If you are disabled If, within 180 days of a covered injury, you become totally and permanently disabled, the Plan will pay a benefit equal to the principal sum less any other amount paid or payable under the Plan as the result of the same accident. You are considered totally and permanently disabled if you cannot engage in any occupation for which you are reasonably qualified as a result of your education, training or experience. Benefits will be payable after your disability has lasted 12 consecutive months.