NR 02-03 BEN ENG Beneficiary Insurance.doc

(April 3, 2002 – Iqaluit, Nunavut) Nunavut Land Claims Agreement beneficiaries who do not have accidental death & dismemberment insurance have access to a new benefit through Nunavut Tunngavik Inc (NTI) starting April 1, 2002. A Bereavement Travel fund for beneficiaries comes into force on the same date.

The Accidental Death & Dismemberment package will be open to all beneficiaries between the ages of six months and sixty-five years who do not have access to this kind of insurance through work or other family members. It will pay up to $ 30,000 in case of accidental death of a beneficiary between the ages of 18 and 65, and $10,000 for a beneficiary between six months old and 18 years. Lesser amounts will be paid for loss of limbs and other facilities.

Bereavement travel will be accessible to all beneficiaries and will cover travel expenses for up to 3 people to attend the funeral of a close family member. Approval for both programs was granted at NTI’s Annual General Meeting in Pangnirtung in October, 2001.

This is an important new direct benefit for beneficiaries, said Cathy Towtongie, NTI President. There are many Inuit who have no insurance at all and when a family faces a sudden death due to accident, the cost can be very high, both emotionally and financially. We can’t do much about the emotional cost, except to reach out to the family as best we can. We can do something about the financial cost, and so we have.

The insurance program will be administered by Carleton Financial Group / Nunavut Benefits Corporation, a firm incorporated in Nunavut with offices in Iqaluit and Ottawa.

Estimated cost of each of the two programs will be about $500,000 per year for premiums and administrative costs.

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For further information:

Alan R. Vigoda
Director of Communications
Nunavut Tunngavik Inc.
Iqaluit, NU
Tel: (867) 975-4900
Fax: (867) 975-4943 Peter Rose
Director of Finance
Nunavut Tunngavik Inc.
Rankin Inlet, NU