An Cosantóir

14 | The very significant decrease in benefits for members in the 66-74 year brackets came about following an actu- arial risk analysis of the large numbers of officers entering these brackets relative to our membership base over the period of the new contract. Agreement was reached fol- lowing a unanimous vote by the CAOGA committee. Research shows that we are the only group life assur- ance plan in the country providing life cover to people over 65 years of age. Our benefits are also greater that those being paid by any other group life assurance plan. Please be assured that the CAOGA committee are com- mitted to getting the best deal possible for members of all ages. The high level of claims experienced by CAOGA over the past 18 months is reflected in all group life assur- ance plans in Ireland. It is hoped that this high claims experience will improve over the period of the coming contract and that this will be reflected in premiums in the future. While the rules governing the running of CAOGA, set up under the Friendly Societies Act, have stood the test of time, the CAOGA committee, with legal advice, is at pres- ent conducting a root-and-branch review of our rules to ensure their relevance to the trends and changes in Irish society today. Legislative changes brought about by the enactment of the Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Act, 2010, will be fully reflect- ed in the amended rules. Likewise, all measures necessary will be adopted to ensure the increase and retention of our membership base in the future. Another very important and often unsung area of CAO- GA's work is the provision of welfare grants to serving of- ficers who find themselves in financial distress through no fault of their own. Serving officers contribute €2 per month to the CAOGA Benevolent Fund; not be confused with the Army Benevolent Fund which provides assistance to all other-ranks and retired officers. Applications are processed by the committee on a discreet and confidential basis, with no reference to the identity or gender of the applicant. Only the treasurer, on making payment, is aware of the identity of the recipient. CAOGA is in the process of launching a new content- based, interactive website in order to communicate more efficiently with our members. The website is designed to make CAOGA more accessible to all officers and we will be keeping you updated on developments via mail shot. You will also be able to email us any of your queries or worries regarding your personal CAOGA cover and we will undertake to reply to you as soon as possible. If you have not already contacted the CAOGA office with your personal email address, please email us at info@caoga-defenceforces.com While the environment in which we find ourselves may have changed dramatically in the past few years, the tenets governing CAOGA remain essentially the same. It is an organisation dedicated to the collective welfare of the officer body: it is for all officers and is committed to working for your family's protection now and in the future. Should you have any queries or concerns in relation to CAOGA or if you are considering joining, please do not hesitate to contact me, Comdt Pauline O'Connell (Secretary COAGA) or Ms Judy Farrell (CAOGA Administrative Officer) at 01-8042785/2786, www.caoga-defenceforces.com or call to the COAGA office located in DFHQ, Infirmary Road, Dublin 7. All queries are dealt with in strictest confidence. FREE MORTGAGE ADVICE For free mortgage and mortgage protection advice for CAOGA members, contact our insurance broker, Mr Martin Sheehan, of Penpro at 01-2000100. (Martin was selected as our insurance broker after a tendering process. His other clients include such diverse groups as the Garda Representative Association, the Law Society of Ireland and University College Dublin. An Cosantóir December 2011

• Cover