Let's start by taking the few areas where I agree with Mr. Solomon. "It's expensive" – it is only expensive because the insurance industry – very typically when it come to the whole area of Living Benefits - did not do a good job of launching the product. FAR too much emphasis is put on Level Term to Age 75 or – even worse – Term to 100 contracts (and yes Mr. Solomon almost all carriers offer PERMANENT CI – that does NOT terminate at age 75). It seems that until the summer of 2009, our industry did not realize clients actually have budgets. We also mention far too often "Use your CI to fund care in the private system or in the US". That statement makes people think they need to buy HUGE amounts of CI. "What will $100,000 buy me if I need to go to the US?" – and when they see the cost for $1,000,000 or $2,000,000 CI, naturally they FREAK! Look Insurance Industry – there are better and cheaper means of funding care than using CI. I refer you to Executive Health Options via Capco for one. $100,000 CI is PLENTY for 98% of Canadians. Would you refuse $25,000? And STAY AWAY from long term plans – T-10 or T-20 is MUCH more affordable for younger clients with families and other needs.

2nd – STAY AWAY FROM ROP. Here I agree almost totally with Mr. Solomon. I LOVE ROP – on DI. I have been promoting that for 35 years – because (while you WILL BE disabled before you die) you will ALSO have periods of good health. ROP on DI allows you to benefit from both PLUS we have no problem selling DI without ROP. Frankly – if I do NOT collect on my CI, I will be VERY happy and VERY LUCKY.

Now – my disagreements. CI is intended to protect against major illnesses. Heck – I have a brother with HepC – he would not have been paid. I have a son who is BiPolar – he would not have been paid. I have ZERO problem with that. I want CANCER to be paid – my mom and dad both had that. I want heart attacks and strokes to be paid. If we paid every illness a client might have it would be INSANELY expensive.

I am sorry Mr. Solomon but my 43 years in our business – all of which have been in Living Benefits – make me almost completely disagree with you. We NEED Critical Illness insurance. Heck if it had been around in the early 1950's it MIGHT have covered polio – and I probably would NOT have been paid – because I had the least serious kind. Guess what? I have no problem with that either