Delaware § 6602 - Payment for beneficiaries; tuition payments; burial expenses.

§ 6602. Payment for beneficiaries; tuition payments; burial expenses.

(a) Upon certification by the Insurance Commissioner that a claim under this chapter has been approved, the State Treasurer shall:

(1) For claims submitted prior to July 1, 1997, pay to the beneficiary or beneficiaries as designated or determined pursuant to § 6603(a) of this title of every covered person who dies in the line of duty an amount totaling $100,000, payable in annual installments with the maximum amount payable in any 1 calendar year being $20,000. For claims submitted on July 1, 1997, through June 30, 2017, pay to the beneficiary or beneficiaries as designated or determined pursuant to § 6603(a) of this title of every covered person who dies in the line of duty an amount totaling $150,000, payable in annual installments with the maximum amount payable in any 1 calendar year being $30,000. For claims submitted on July 1, 2017, and thereafter, pay to the beneficiary or beneficiaries as designated or determined pursuant to § 6603(a) of this title of every covered person who dies in the line of duty an amount totaling $200,000, payable in annual installments with the maximum amount payable in any 1 calendar year being $40,000. For claims submitted on July 1, 2023, and thereafter, pay to the beneficiary or beneficiaries as designated or determined pursuant to § 6603(a) of this title of every covered person who dies in the line of duty an amount totaling $375,000, payable in annual installments with the maximum amount payable in any 1 calendar year being $50,000. Installments shall terminate with the expiration of the beneficiary’s eligibility;

(2) Pay, for no more than 4 years, directly to the institution involved, the amount of the tuition of each dependent child of such covered person who dies in the line of duty so long as such child is enrolled in a degree or certificate program at a college or university. The term “tuition” means any amount required for enrollment or attendance of a student. Such term does not include any amount paid directly or indirectly for meals, lodging, transportation, extracurricular activities, supplies, equipment, clothing or personal or family expenses;

(3) Unless any payment has been made pursuant to paragraph (a)(1) of this section, pay to the beneficiary or beneficiaries as designated or determined pursuant to § 6603(b) hereof of a covered person as defined in § 6601(2)a., b. or f. of this title who dies in the line of duty an amount totalling $25,000 payable in annual installments with the maximum amount payable in any 1 calendar year being $5,000. Installments shall terminate with the death of the last surviving beneficiary as determined pursuant to § 6603(b) of this title;

(4) Pay, if neither paragraph (a)(1) nor (3) of this section apply, to the estate of a covered person, as defined in § 6601(2)a., b. or f. of this title, who dies in the line of duty an amount not to exceed $5,000 to be used solely for expenses related to burial of such covered person;

(5) Pay for health insurance for dependent children for covered persons who died in the line-of-duty after January 1, 2004, until said dependent children attain the age of 26 years. Should health insurance be provided by the federal government, Tricare or similar program, for any of these dependent children, the dependent children shall only be eligible for state group health coverage in the event of loss of coverage under the federal health insurance plan.

(b) Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, there shall be no limit on the period of time during which a person may submit a claim for benefits under this chapter.

18 Del. C. 1953, §  6602;  58 Del. Laws, c. 504, §  1;  63 Del. Laws, c. 71, §  3;  65 Del. Laws, c. 2, §§  1, 2;  71 Del. Laws, c. 213, §  1;  79 Del. Laws, c. 216, §  1;  79 Del. Laws, c. 434, §  2;  81 Del. Laws, c. 121, § 1;  84 Del. Laws, c. 406, § 1;