GUARDIAN PERSONAL NON-CANCELLABLE ProVider Plus Form 1400

TOTAL DISABILITY (Not working in your regular occupation)

Definition of Total Disability- Because of sickness of injury, you are unable to perform the material and substantial duties of your occupation.

Occupation- Your regular occupation (or occupations, if more than one) at the time you become disabled. You will be totally disabled even if you are performing unrelated duties in a different occupation, as long as you are not able to work in your own occupation.

Specialty Coverage- If your occupation is limited to a single medical specialty certified by the American Board of Medical Specialties or a single dental specialty recognized by the American Dental Association, we will deem your specialty to be your occupation.

RESIDUAL DISABILITY RIDER (optional - available to classes 6-3)

Definition of Residual Disability- Residual disability means that you are at work and are not totally disabled, but because of sickness or injury your loss of income is at least 15% of your prior income.

How Residual Indemnity is Determined- We replace lost income dollar for dollar, up to the monthly benefit, for the first 12 months, then benefits are proportionate to the loss of income. If the loss of is 75% or more, we consider the loss to be 100%.

Additional Residual Information- When a policyholder returns to work but continues to have a 15% loss of income, we'll pay a proportionate benefit for the entire benefit period, unlike other companies that pay either a lump sum or a monthly benefit for a limited length of time regardless of the benefit period.

OTHER DISABILITY RIDERS (optional - available to classes 6-3)

Cost of Living Adjustment Rider- We offer three different optional COLA riders - Fixed 3%, 6% maximum, and a 4-year delayed 3% Fixed. All three have a guaranteed benefit adjustment of 3% calculated on a compound interest basis. Not only does it help ensure that the monthly benefit keeps pace with the cost of living, but upon recovery, any increases to the monthly benefit remain as part of the policy's base benefit, with no additional premium. Competitors' policies revert to the original benefit amount, or charge an extra premium to retain the increase.

Future Increase Option Rider- If you expect to have significant income growth you may need the Future Increase Option (FIO) Rider. It offers you the opportunity - each year until you reach age 55 - to purchase additional coverage without providing evidence of medical insurability. The amount of the FIO option added to the base policy can be up to twice the base benefit plus all other in-force coverage with Berkshire or Guardian. Until you reach age 45 you can exercise the entire FIO amount on your option date if your income justifies it. Once you become age 45, up to one-third of the FIO amount is available in any one year. If you are disabled on an option date and meet the conditions for purchase, benefits under the additional benefit will be payable on your NEXT claim, not the current claim. The rider also includes special option dates to allow off-anniversary increases for events such as the loss of group long-term disability coverage. Applicants must undergo financial underwriting to determine if they are eligible to obtain additional coverage.

Catastrophic Disability Benefit Rider (CAT)- This optional rider offers extra protection from the financial impact of a functional or irrecoverable disability, or an illness or injury that causes cognitive impairment or the loss of two or more Activities of Daily Living (ADL: bathing, continence, dressing, eating/feeding, toileting, and transferring). The maximum catastrophic benefit is $8,000/month and, when combined with the base policy benefit and other disability coverages, may cover up to, but not exceed, 100% of your income from all sources. One of the unique features of this rider is the built-in indexing of benefits. Included with the rider is an automatic, annual, compounded 3% increase. The CAT rider also has its own elimination period, but can be satisfied concurrently with the base policy elimination period.

Graded Lifetime indemnity Benefit- This options is available when either of the longest benefit periods - To Age 65 or To age 67- are elected. If your client is still totally disabled after the benefit period has ended, this rider will continue to provide a monthly benefit payment for as long as the disability continues. The benefit payable depends upon the onset date of total disability.

Retirement Protection Plus Rider - This rider is specifically designed to help ensure that retirement funding can continue even if your client becomes totally disabled. We may insure up to 100% of your retirement contributions, including any employer-matching funds. We also offer this protection as a separate policy.

Unemployment Waiver Rider - This rider will waive premiums for up to 12 months if your client becomes unemployed and receives unemployment compensation for at least 60 consecutive days.

Social Insurance Substitue Rider - A monthly benefit that coordinates with payments received under Social Security and other government programs is paid when your client chooses this rider. It is often purchased to reduce the total cost of coverage, while helping to assure an adequate level of disability protection.

OTHER POLICY BENEFITS

Waiver of Elimination Period- We will waive the elimination period if you become disabled within five years after the end of a prior disability which lasted more than six months and for which Guardian paid benefits. This can mean first day coverage within five years for all periods of disability beginning after full recovery, regardless of cause.

Waiver of Premiums- Premiums are waived during a disability (including during the elimination period) and for six months after recovery. If any premium attributable to this period was paid, it will be refunded- even if it was paid before the disability began. Other companies refund or waive premiums that are due or paid only during a disability and do not waive premiums after recovery.

Presumptive Total Disability Benefit- This contract does not stipulate that the disability be irrecoverable. We'll consider a policyholder totally disabled, and waive any unexpired part of the elimination period, if an illness or injury causes the loss of sight in both eyes, hearing in both ears, speech, or the entire use of both hands, both feet, or one hand and one foot.

Capital Sum Benefit- The capital sum will be paid in addition to any other indemnity payable if, because of a sickness or injury, you lose the entire sight in one eye with no possibility of recovery; or suffer the complete loss of a hand or foot by severance through or above the wrist or ankle; and you survive it for 30 days. Up to two losses are payable during your lifetime.