Special Consideration Granted
7. When an insurance membership of two or more years standing
shall be forfeited on any account, except failure to make all payments
required in connection therewith, the former insurance member or
his designated beneficiary shall have a right within six months there-
after to ask special consideration of the case by the Board of
Directors. The Board of Directors is empowered to refer all such
cases for decision and final action by a committee consisting of the
Supreme Knight (or his Deputy), the Supreme Advocate and the
Supreme Secretary. The advice of the Supreme Physician or the actu-
ary shall be obtained wherever apparently desirable.
If there is no living designated beneficiary to present such a peti-
tion to the Board of Directors, it may be presented by any person who
would have been recognized as a proper beneficiary prior to the for-
feiture. Such petition must state fully and explicitly all the reasons, if
any, why it is thought that special consideration should be given to
the case and what hardship, if any, would result from an absolute for-
feiture of all rights to any possible benefits that might accrue under
the insurance certificate.
The decision of the committee and the reasons therefor shall be
stated in writing and placed on file for the information of the Board
of Directors. The petitioner shall be notified of the decision, but the
reasons shall not be made known except by special direction of the
Board of Directors.
Effect of Suspension of Members
SEC. 169. (a) No suspended member, nor his administrators, execu-
tors or beneficiaries, during the time of such suspension and until
reinstatement, shall have any claim of any description whatever
against the council, or the Order, nor shall he be admitted to meetings
of the council, or be entitled to any of the privileges of membership
whatever until reinstated according to law, provided that, if the mem-
ber has been an insurance member, and is entitled to continuance of
his insurance under the automatic assessment or contribution loan
provisions or under the terms of any nonforfeiture option set forth in
his insurance certificate, such expulsion, suspension or forfeiture of
membership shall not terminate his insurance until the expiration of
the period during which it is thus continued in force and further pro-
vided that unless the certificate is being kept in force because of the
election of an option providing for paid-up insurance in a reduced
amount or extended term insurance the insurance may be continued
in force by cash payment of any required assessments or contribu-
tions and/or automatic per capita taxes where applicable. While the
insurance is thus continued, the member shall be classed as an “inac-
tive insurance member” as defined in Section 69.
(b) Any member who shall incur the penalty of expulsion for any
reason whatever, or who shall incur the penalty of forfeiture of mem-
bership for the reasons set forth in subdivision 6 of Section 168, shall
never again be eligible to membership in the Order without the
approval of the Board of Directors, upon petition and for cause
shown.
70 OFFENSES AND PROCEDURE