At NEA Member Benefits, we know many NEA member households are struggling to navigate through today’s difficult economic times. Coping with layoffs, salary cuts, and other financial issues, NEA members are looking for solutions. As your advocate, we have been working with our program suppliers to ensure that participating members get the support and consideration they need and deserve.

Below is a list of services that are currently available to NEA members facing economic challenges. NEA MB will continue to collaborate with our suppliers to identify additional opportunities to provide special consideration and, where possible, temporary relief from financial pressures. We’ll continue to update this list as new services become available.

Download a copy of the NEA Member Assistance Program brochure (.pdf, 106K) which includes all the information listed below.

NEA MB Member Service Center (MSC)
NEA MB’s Member Service Center is your one-stop shop for information. Member Service Representatives are available by phone or e-mail to assist you in identifying programs and services that may be available to you. Please call us at 1-800-637-4636 or e-mail us at ask-us@neamb.com.

National Foundation for Credit Counseling
NEA Member Benefits and the National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC) have teamed up to provide debt management and housing counseling services to NEA members and their families. You can contact NFCC at 1-866-479-NEA2 (-6322) or visit www.debtadvice.org/nea.

National Online Job Search Resource
NEA MB recently partnered with Teachers-Teachers.com, a free online education placement service, to help educators find new teaching positions, administrative jobs and other related service positions. Visit Teachers-Teachers.com to view job postings from school systems nationwide.
 

FINANCIAL SERVICES

NEA Credit Card and Personal Loan Programs: Bank of America

• Members in need of assistance should call 1-888-800-5160.
• Customer assistance representatives are trained to develop appropriate, customized solutions for members whose accounts are past due. This may include: reducing monthly payments, reducing interest rates or fees, providing financial education materials, and/or making referrals to non-profit credit counseling services.

NEA Home Financing Program: Wells Fargo Home Mortgage

• Members in need of assistance should call 1-800-NEA-4YOU (-4968).
• Customer service representatives are trained to work with members to modify loan terms/payment plans and develop customized solutions to prevent foreclosure.

INSURANCE PROGRAM
Members who need help with any NEA insurance program should call 1-800-637-4636.

NEA Life Insurance Plan: NEA Members Insurance Trust

• Members have the option to reduce their coverage to lower their premiums. You can increase your coverage back to the original amount as long as it is done within 2 years of the reduction of coverage. Also, you'll be able to increase your coverage back to the original amount without going through the underwriting process again.
• Members who are laid off can maintain their insurance coverage.

NEA Income Protection Plan: American Fidelity Assurance Company

• A member who had disability income insurance prior to being laid off can reapply for the level of coverage they had before they were laid off (assuming they qualify by salary).
• Members who are rehired (by their former or new employer) can reapply for the coverage within 3 months of the layoff without undergoing the underwriting process again.

NEA Long Term Care Program: John Hancock Life Insurance

• John Hancock will work with members who have been laid off to reduce their coverage and/or premium payment.
• Members have a 72-day grace period for late payment. 

NEA Auto & Home Insurance Program: California Casualty

• Members in need of assistance should call 1-800-877-7345.
• Members may skip payments during the summer months.
• If a member is laid off, the skip payment option can be extended to other months.
• Members who have been laid off should indicate this to the customer service representative to be transferred to a team manager who may be able to assist with other options.

NEA Homeowners Insurance Program: Horace Mann

• Members who have a Horace Mann policy should contact their agent for assistance and to explore ways in which they can modify their policy to
• Members who file claims are eligible to have their deductible waived up to $1,000 (for Horace Mann policies only).  

CONSUMER DISCOUNTS

NEA Magazine Service: Free Financial Magazines
Members can get practical financial advice from several free financial magazines available through the NEA Magazine Service including Kiplinger’s Personal Finance, INC Magazine, and The Economist. To order, call 1-800-YOUR-MAG (968-7624) or go to www.neamag.com/thanks.

NEA Click & Save
Members currently save money on a variety of offers from popular merchants. Check back often to see the latest offers available to you.

• Target – Save 10%
• Movie tickets – Save up to 45%
• Restaurants – Save up to 80%

NEA Vision and Prescription Savings Plan: Outlook Benefit Solutions
The program offers savings of 5% to 50% off vision care and prescription drugs.

• Members affected by layoffs will receive a 1-year waiver of their annual fee. 

INVESTMENT PROGRAM

NEA Tax-Deferred Retirement Savings Program: Security Benefit

• In view of the current economic turmoil, Security Benefit will waive the Contingent Deferred Sales Charge (CDSC) for NEA members who have NEA Valuebuilder accounts and who have been laid off and need to access their assets. This offer applies to all NEA Valuebuilder variable annuities issued by Security Benefit Life Insurance Company (SBL) and tax-sheltered accounts for which Security Financial Resources, Inc. (SFR) is the recordkeeper. It does not currently apply to those contracts issued by Nationwide Life Insurance Company.
• Members who qualify and want to take advantage of this waiver should contact their assigned representative or call 1-800-NEA-VALU (632-8258). This offer is subject to certain conditions, and applicable IRS early withdrawal penalties will still apply. Please contact Security Benefit for more information.

Securities are distributed by Security Distributors, Inc., a subsidiary of SBL. SBL and SFR are affiliates and wholly owned subsidiaries of Security Benefit Corporation (“Security Benefit”).