Accidental death benefits are a type of Qualified Pension Plan (QPP) death benefit that may be paid when a working TRS member dies due to an accident incurred on the job or due to COVID-19. The benefit is initially payable to the member's highest-ranking statutory beneficiary, who is a surviving relation of the member according to a schedule set by New York State law.
Accidental death benefits replace any ordinary (non-accidental) QPP death benefits that have not already been disbursed. There is no accidental death benefit under the Tax-Deferred Annuity (TDA) Program.