How to talk to clients about disability

More than two-thirds of employees (67%) are not discussing the financial impacts of becoming disabled, finds an RBC Insurance survey. And this is despite the fact that 95% of working Canadians agree that a disability could happen at any time.

“One-in-three working Canadians will experience a period of disability lasting longer than 90 days during their working lives,” says Mark Hardy, senior manager, Life and Living Benefits, RBC Insurance. “Workers need to talk with their family and take action today so they are prepared for future financial implications of not being able to work.”

So how do you talk to clients about disability? Here are some tips.

• During an annual review, investigate the coverage they have through their employer plans. Help them understand how the plan defines a disability and what is and isn’t covered.
• Discuss their personal finances and how much income they need to cover monthly expenses. Then, make sure they set aside an emergency budget to help them through at least three months of living expenses.

And read these articles for more.

What to do for clients with disabilities

Working through disabilities

Your clients’ disability needs are changing

Here are some additional findings from the survey.

• 43% of working households have had someone take off time due to disability.
• 72% of Canadians would face serious financial implications if they were off work for three months.
• 34% would be more open to a conversation if their financial situation worsened.

Staff

The staff of Advisor.ca have been covering news for financial advisors since 1998.