A Call to Action
There is a major problem with how Canadian group Dependent Life insurance contracts define eligible children, and it is time to come together as industry stakeholders to ensure we properly take care of young families.
It’s time to bring outdated legacy definitions up to modern standards, and to ensure that no one in the Canadian insurance industry going forward should ever need verify the number of hours or days lived to determine if an infant death qualifies for coverage under a Dependent Life benefit. We can do better.
CGIB Member Gavin Mosley has made it his mission to help rectify this problem.
I'm asking for your support...
1. Sign the petition
2. Share it with your clients and their employees (if willing)
3. Share as widely as you can (friends, family and the rest).
For more details, read here. https://www.change.org/p/modernizing-group-dependent-life-insurance-coverage-for-children
Initial "INFORMAL" TPA/ Insurer feedback
Beneva:
Co-operators:
Clear Benefits:
I agree this is important. ClearBenefits.ca addressed the Dependent Life issue in 2007 and took the position to include a compassionate pre-natal definition of eligibility.
Canada Life:
Cooperators:
Desjardins:
Our standard at Desjardins for Perform Plus, as of April 3rd dependent life ( from 20 weeks gestation) is our standard.
However, sponsors do have the choice to still have the live birth definition ( we have removed the option of 24 hours after birth). We would amend the contract to the new definition if requested (at no change in rates).
In large group our standard is also the same however the sponsor still has the options of live birth, 24 hours and other (to match different definitions for large cases).
Empire Life:
We fully agree and support this initiative. We updated the language in our contracts over 5 years ago
Thank you for spreading Gavin's the message about this important issue
Equitable:
Green Shield:
IA:
Manulife:
Medavie Blue Cross:
RBC:
Sun Life:
Wawanesa: