# Illinois Notice to Policyholders Regarding the Religious Freedom Protection and Civil Union Act

**POLICY NUMBER:** HDO G71237606  
**IL N 175 11 11**

## Illinois Notice to Policyholders Regarding the Religious Freedom Protection and Civil Union Act

Dear Policyholder:

This is to provide notice that, pursuant to Illinois Department of Insurance Company Bulletin 2011-06 (CB 2011-06), this policy is in compliance with the Illinois Religious Freedom Protection and Civil Union Act ("the Act", 750 ILL. COMP. STAT. 75/1). The Act, which became effective on June 1, 2011, creates a legal relationship between two persons of either the same or opposite sex who establish a civil union.

The Act provides that parties to a civil union are entitled to the same legal obligations, responsibilities, protections, and benefits that are afforded or recognized by the law of Illinois to spouses, whether they are derived from statute, administrative rule, policy, common law or any source of civil or criminal law. In addition, this law requires recognition of a same-sex civil union, marriage, or other substantially similar legal relationship, except for common law marriage, legally entered into in other jurisdictions. The Act further provides that "party to a civil union" shall be included in any definition or use of the terms "spouse", "family", "immediate family", "dependent", "next of kin" and other terms descriptive of spousal relationships as those terms are used throughout the law. According to CB 2011-06, this includes the terms "marriage" or "married" or any variations thereof. CB 2011-06 also states that if policies of insurance provide coverage for children, the children of civil unions must also be provided coverage.