Claims Procedure. With respect to any claim for benefits which are provided for under this Policy, the claim shall be approved or denied by the Committee or a panel designated by the Committee within 90 days following the receipt of the information necessary to process the claim. If the Committee denies a claim for benefits in whole or in part, it will give written notice of the decision to the claimant or the claimant’s authorized representative, setting forth the specific reasons for such denial, make specific reference to the pertinent Policy provisions on which the decision was based, and provide any other additional information as may be required by [Section 503] of ERISA and the regulations thereunder.

With respect to any claim for benefits which are provided exclusively under this Plan, the claim shall be approved or denied by the Committee (in respect of any Section 16 Participant) or a panel of senior executive officers of the Company (in respect of any Non-Section 16 Participant) within 90 days following the receipt of the information necessary to process the claim. If the Committee denies a claim for benefits in whole or in part, it will give written notice of the decision to the claimant or the claimant’s authorized representative, which notice will set forth in a manner calculated to be understood by the claimant, stating the specific reasons for such denial, make specific reference to the pertinent Plan provisions on which the decision was based, and provide any other additional information, as applicable, required by [Section 503] of ERISA and the regulations thereunder.

Claims Procedures. Any Participant, former Participant or Beneficiary may file a written claim with the Administrative Committee setting forth the nature of the benefit claimed, the amount thereof, and the basis for claiming entitlement to such benefit. The Administrative Committee shall determine the validity of the claim and communicate a decision to the claimant promptly and, in any event, not later than ninety (90) days after the date of the claim. The claim may be deemed by the claimant to have been denied for purposes of further review described below in the event a decision is not furnished to the claimant within such ninety (90) day period. If additional information is necessary to make a determination on a claim, the claimant shall be advised of the need for such additional information within forty-five (45) days after the date of the claim. The claimant shall have up to one hundred and eighty (180) days to supplement the claim information, and the claimant shall be advised of the decision on the claim within forty-five (45) days after the earlier of the date the supplemental information is supplied or the end of the one hundred and eighty (180) day period. Every claim for benefits which is denied shall be denied by written notice setting forth in a manner calculated to be understood by the claimant # the specific reason or reasons for the denial, # specific reference to any provisions of the Plan (including any internal rules, guidelines, protocols, criteria, etc.) on which the denial is based, # description of any additional material or information that is necessary to process the claim, and # an explanation of the procedure for further reviewing the denial of the claim and shall include an explanation of the claimant’s right to bring a civil action under ERISA [Section 502(a)] in the event of an adverse determination on review.

Claims Procedure. Any employee or other person who believes he or she is entitled to any payment under the Plan may submit a claim in writing to the Committee within 90 days of the earlier of # the date the claimant learned the amount of his or her benefits under the Plan or # the date the claimant learned that he or she will not be entitled to any benefits under the Plan. If the claim is denied (in full or in part), the claimant will be provided a written notice explaining the specific reasons for the denial and referring to the provisions of the Plan on which the denial is based. The notice also will describe any additional information needed to support the claim and the Plan’s procedures for appealing the denial. The denial notice will be provided within 90 days after the claim is received. If special circumstances require an extension of time (up to 90 days), written notice of the extension will be given within the initial 90-day period. This notice of extension will indicate the special circumstances requiring the extension of time and the date by which the Committee expects to render its decision on the claim.

If the Participant or the Participant’s beneficiary (hereinafter referred to as the “Claimant”) is denied all or a portion of any expected benefit under this Plan for any reason, he may file a claim with the Committee. The Committee shall notify the Claimant within ninety (90) days of receipt of the claim of allowance or denial of the claim, unless the claimant receives written notice from the Committee prior to the end of the 90-day period stating the special circumstances requiring an extension of time for decision and the date by which a final decision shall be made. If a decision is not provided within 90 days, the claim is deemed denied, and the Claimant may proceed to request a review of the claim as described in subsection # below. The notice of a denial of benefits shall be in writing, sent by mail to Claimant’s last known address, and shall contain the following information: the specific reasons for the denial; specific reference to pertinent provisions of the Plan on which the denial is based; if applicable, a description of any additional information or material necessary to perfect the claim and an explanation of why such information or material is necessary; and explanation of the review procedure.

Initial Claim. A Member or Beneficiary (or his or her duly authorized representative) (the "claimant") may file a claim for benefits in writing with the Committee. If any such claim is wholly or partially denied, the Committee will notify the claimant of its decision in writing and shall provide the claimant with a written notice identifying the reason or reasons for such denial and an explanation of the steps that the claimant must take if he wishes to appeal the denial. The Committee shall notify the claimant of any adverse benefit determination within a reasonable period of time, ordinarily within 90 days after receipt of the claim, unless the Committee determines additional time is required to make a determination.

Claims Procedure. If any person believes he is being denied any rights or benefits under the Plan, such person (the “Claimant”) may file a claim in writing with the Committee, or designee thereof (the “Claims Administrator”). If any such claim is wholly or partially denied, the Claims Administrator will notify such person of its decision in writing. Such notification will contain # specific reasons for the denial, # specific reference to pertinent Plan provisions, # a description of any additional material or information necessary for such person to perfect such claim and an explanation of why such material or information is necessary, and # information as to the steps to be taken if the person wishes to submit a request for review. Such notification will be given within 90 days after the claim is received by the Claims Administrator (or within 180 days, if special circumstances require an extension of time for processing the claim, and if written notice of such extension and circumstances is given to such person within the initial 90 day period). If such notification is not given within such period, the claim will be considered denied as of the last day of such period and such person may request a review of his claim.

Claim Denials. If a claim for benefits is denied in whole or in part, the Committee will provide notice of the decision to the Claimant within a reasonable time period not exceeding 90 days after the receipt by the Committee of a properly submitted claim, unless special circumstances require an extension of time for processing the claim. If the Committee determines that it needs additional time to review the claim, the Committee will provide the Claimant with a notice of the extension before the end of the initial 90-day period. The extension will not be more than 90 days from the end of the initial 90-day period and the notice of extension will explain the special circumstances that require the extension and the date by which the Committee expects to make a decision.

Claims Review Procedure. Within sixty (60) days after receipt of notice that his or her claim has been denied in whole or in part, the claimant may file with the Committee a written request for a review and may, in conjunction therewith, submit written issues and comments. Within thirty (30) days after the filing of such a request for review, the Committee shall notify the claimant in writing whether, upon review, the claim was upheld or denied in whole or in part or shall furnish the claimant a written notice describing specific special circumstances requiring a specified amount of additional time (but not more than sixty days from the date the request for review was filed) to reach a decision on the request for review.

Claim Procedure. A Participant is not required to file a claim in order to receive any benefits that are payable under the Plan but a Participant who believes he or she is entitled to benefits or additional benefits may file a written claim for benefits with the Committee. The Committee shall review any written claim for benefits that is submitted to it. If a claim is wholly or partially denied, the Committee will furnish the Participant written notice in accordance with Department of Labor regulations of the Committee’s decision within ninety (90) days of receipt of the written claim. The Committee’s notification shall include # the specific reasons for the denial, # the specific reference to the pertinent Plan provisions upon which the denial is based, # a description of any additional material or information necessary for the Participant to perfect the claim and an explanation of why such material or information is necessary and # a description of the Plan’s claims review procedures describing the steps to be taken and the applicable time limits to submit a claim for review, including a statement of the Participant’s right to bring a civil action under [Section 502(a)] of ERISA following an adverse benefit determination on review.

Claims Procedure. Any claim by a Participant with respect to eligibility, participation, contributions, benefits or other aspects of the operation of the Plan shall be made in writing to a person designated by the Committee from time to time for such purpose. If the designated person receiving a claim believes, following consultation with the Chairman of the Committee, that the claim should be denied, he or she shall notify the Participant in writing of the denial of the claim within ninety (90) days after his or her receipt thereof. This period may be extended an additional ninety (90) days in special circumstances and, in such event, the Participant shall be notified in writing of the extension, the special circumstances requiring the extension of time and the date by which the Committee expects to make a determination with respect to the claim. If the extension is required due to the Participant’s failure to submit information necessary to decide the claim, the period for making the determination will be tolled from the date on which the extension notice is sent until the date on which the Participant responds to the Plan’s request for information.