LODA Coverage

The 2010 Virginia General Assembly moved responsibility for funding LODA obligations to local governments. In response, the Virginia Risk Sharing Association (VRSA) developed a LODA program available to members with property and liability coverage.

LODA coverage through VRSA provides mandated benefits to eligible public safety employees/volunteers if they are killed or disabled in the line of duty. Benefits include:

  • Death benefit: $100,000 lump sum payment ($25,000 if a presumption claim or if death is within five years of retirement.
  • Health insurance benefit: Employee/volunteer (in case of disability) – for life; Spouse (in case of death or disability) – for life; Children (in the case of death or disability) – generally to age 21 (to 25 if a full-time college student or if disabled for three months after duration of disability). Effective July 1, 2017 medical benefits will end when the employee/volunteer is enrolled in Medicare due to age. Spousal benefits will end when enrolled in Medicare due to age, or if the spouse remarries. Eligible children may be covered until the end of the year in which they reach the age of 26.

Eligibility

§9.1-400 of the Code of Virginia provides a list of local and state personnel eligible for LODA benefits.

 

Paid Personnel
  • Law enforcement officers
  • Jail officers
  • Regional jail farm superintendents
  • Conservation police officers who receive compensation from a county, city or town appointed pursuant to the provisions of § 29.1-200
  • Regional hazardous materials emergency response team members
  • Fire/rescue
Paid Personnel (special circumstances)
  • “Any employee of any county, city, or town performing official emergency management or emergency services duties in cooperation with the Department of Emergency Management, when those duties are related to a major disaster or emergency, as defined in § 44-146.16, that has been or is later declared to exist under the authority of the Governor in accordance with § 44-146.28 or a local emergency, as defined in § 44-146.16, declared by a local governing body…”
  • Any person employed by a county city or town who is authorized to respond in the event of an emergency would be eligible during the course of the declared emergency.
Volunteer Fire/Rescue Personnel
  • Members of any fire company or department or rescue squad that has been recognized by an ordinance or a resolution of the governing body of any county, city or town of the Commonwealth as an integral part of the official safety program of such county, city or town.

For more information on LODA Coverage, contact VRSA’s Director of Member Services at (800) 963-6800.