1. The board shall provide or contract, or both, for life insurance benefits for employees pursuant to sections 104.320 to 104.540, persons covered by sections 287.812 to 287.855, and for employees who are members of the judicial retirement system as provided in section 476.590, and at the election of the state highways and transportation commission shall include employees who are members of the state transportation department employees’ and highway patrol retirement system. Employees are entitled to fifteen thousand dollars of life insurance until December 31, 2000. Effective January 1, 2001, the system shall provide or contract or both for basic life insurance for employees covered under any retirement plan administered by the system pursuant to this chapter, persons covered by sections 287.812 to 287.856, for employees who are members of the judicial retirement system as provided in section 476.590, and, at the election of the state highways and transportation commission, employees who are members of the highways and transportation employees’ and highway patrol retirement system, in an amount equal to one times annual pay, subject to a minimum amount of fifteen thousand dollars. The board shall establish by rule or contract the method for determining the annual rate of pay and any other terms of such insurance as it deems necessary to implement the requirements pursuant to this section. Annual rate of pay shall not include overtime or any other irregular payments as determined by the board. Such life insurance shall provide for triple indemnity in the event the cause of death is a proximate result of a personal injury or disease arising out of and in the course of actual performance of duty as an employee.

2. A conversion of such life insurance benefits shall be available. However, a member eligible to receive a lump sum death benefit as provided in subsection 4 of section 104.515 shall be entitled to convert any amount of terminated life insurance benefit in excess of the benefit provided in said section.

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3. (1) In addition to the life insurance authorized by the provisions of subsection 1 of this section, any person for whom life insurance is provided or contracted for pursuant to such subsection may purchase, at the person’s own expense and only if monthly voluntary payroll deductions are authorized, additional life insurance at a cost to be stipulated in a contract with a private insurance company or as may be required by the system if the board of trustees determines that the system should provide such insurance itself. The maximum amount of additional life insurance which may be so purchased on or after January 1, 1998, but prior to January 1, 2004, is that amount which equals six times the amount of the person’s annual rate of pay, except that if such maximum amount is not evenly divisible by one thousand dollars, then the maximum amount of additional insurance which may be purchased is the next higher amount evenly divisible by one thousand dollars. The maximum amount of additional life insurance which may be so purchased on or after January 1, 2004, is an amount to be stipulated in a contract with a private insurance company or as may be required by the system if the board of trustees determines that the system should provide the insurance itself. The selection of a private insurance company to provide this life insurance shall be on the basis of competitive bidding.

(2) Any person defined in subdivision (1) of this subsection retiring on or after September 1, 1988, may retain an amount not to exceed ten thousand dollars of life insurance following the date of his or her retirement if such person makes written application for such life insurance at the same time such person’s application is made to the board for retirement benefits. Any person, defined in subdivision (1) of this subsection, retiring on or after May 1, 1996, may retain an amount not to exceed sixty thousand dollars of life insurance following the date of the person’s retirement if such person makes written application for such life insurance at the same time such person applies to the board for retirement benefits. Such life insurance shall only be provided if such person pays the entire cost of the insurance, as determined by the board, by allowing voluntary deductions from the member’s monthly retirement benefits.

(3) Effective January 1, 1998, in addition to the life insurance authorized in subsection 1 of this section, any person for whom life insurance is provided or contracted for pursuant to such subsection may purchase, at the person’s own expense and only if monthly voluntary payroll deductions are authorized, life insurance covering the person’s children or the person’s spouse or both the person’s children and the person’s spouse at coverage amounts to be determined by the board at a cost to be stipulated in a contract with a private insurance company or as may be required by the system if the board of trustees determines that the system should provide such insurance itself.

4. The highways and transportation employees’ and highway patrol retirement system shall provide or contract or both for the death benefit for special consultants in subsection 4 of section 104.515. The highways and transportation employees’ and highway patrol retirement system may request the state highways and transportation commission to administer the death benefit. If the state highways and transportation commission accepts the obligation to administer the death benefit, the highways and transportation employees’ and highway patrol retirement system shall reimburse the state highways and transportation commission for any costs or expenses of administering the death benefit.

5. To the extent that the board enters or has entered into any contract with any insurer or service organization to provide life insurance provided for pursuant to this section:

(1) The obligation to provide such life insurance shall be primarily that of the insurer or service organization and secondarily that of the board;

(2) Any member who has been denied life insurance benefits by the insurer or service organization and has exhausted all appeal procedures provided by the insurer or service organization may appeal such decision by filing a petition against the insurer or service organization in a court of law in the member’s county of residence; and

(3) The board and the system shall not be liable for life insurance benefits provided by an insurer or service organization pursuant to this section and shall not be subject to any cause of action with regard to life insurance benefits or the denial of life insurance benefits by the insurer or service organization unless the member has obtained judgment against the insurer or service organization for life insurance benefits and the insurer or service organization is unable to satisfy that judgment.