Living benefits

Clearing the DI sales hurdle

Disability income (DI) insurance isn’t the sexiest or most lucrative offering in an insurance advisor’s lineup. But DI is an important part of the puzzle for anyone who makes a point of offering holistic advice.

By Kate McCaffery |November 23, 2011

5 min read

Industry

Pitching disability coverage

Picture this: You have a client - 10 years away from retirement - who comes to you for retirement advice. You spend several hours, maybe a full day with him, going over many different retirement scenarios.

November 21, 2011

3 min read

Industry

Canadians ill-prepared for healthcare costs

Nine out of 10 Canadians anticipate financial challenges if they were to experience a major or chronic illness, but more than half are not prepared for it, according to the second annual Sun Life Canadian Health Index compiled by Ipsos Reid.

By Staff |November 16, 2011

2 min read

Industry

Make insurance pitch a family affair

Most people don't like talking about insurance. Whether it’s a life policy, critical illness or long-term care, the discussion revolves around topics most people want to avoid. Now think about the discussions around insuring children.

By Staff |November 14, 2011

2 min read

New policy blends CI, DI, life

Manulife today announced its new Synergy insurance product, which combines life insurance, critical illness insurance and disability insurance in one package—with one application, one payment and one plan to manage. “For many of us, the combined risk of disability, illness or death before age 65 is significant and the financial impact can be devastating,” said […]

By Staff |June 23, 2011

2 min read

Canadians exposed to cost of critical illnesses

Canadians appear more confident about their ability to physically survive a critical illness, than survive its impact on their net worth. According to Desjardins Financial Security Health Survey, close to two-thirds of Canadians are confident they would survive a critical illness, while 67% say it would render them financially vulnerable and they would likely need […]

4 min read

Replacement for RHU rolled out

As the drive for accreditation ramps up, advisors wanting to add more letters to their business cards now have another option. The Institute for Advanced Financial Education will offer the Certified Health Insurance Specialist (CHS) designation starting September 1, 2011. This new designation is meant for advisors looking to specialize in the field of living […]

1 min read

Children’s CI an underserved market

Critical illness insurance for children presents a good news-bad news scenario for advisors seeking to boost revenues. On the upside, the market is underserved and therefore less competitive. But it remains a difficult sale, as CI usually ranks fairly low on a list of client priorities. “You don’t have a lot of people focussed on […]

By Al Emid |January 18, 2011

4 min read

Earn client trust on CI’s finer points

Worried patients take extra comfort with a doctor who appears fully conversant in all of the implications of the latest drugs. So too, an insurance broker’s clients and potential clients will be more comfortable with critical illness insurance if the broker demonstrates up-to-date knowledge of all clauses, especially those most relevant to their situations. Several […]

By Al Emid |October 25, 2010

4 min read