It’s a common misconception that the phrase “the luck of the Irish” denotes good luck. On the contrary, this phrase implies the constant struggles the Irish have faced over the last few centuries. Often misinterpreted as a “lucky” phrase, it is never a good omen to wish “the luck of the Irish” on anyone, as it may result in hardship after hardship – just as the Irish have experienced. 

Why am I talking about this? Partly because St. Patrick’s day falls on the 17th of this month and partly because when it comes to insurance, we see many clients who have “the luck of the Irish.” Whether they have been previously rated, declined, or have ongoing health issues, many clients are hesitant to restart the insurance process due to unpleasant experiences in the past.

What Are Some Ways You Can Navigate Through The Insurance Process?

1. Analyze the coverage you currently have.
   Some clients who come through our doors may already have coverage in place, which is a good thing. Still, they may also require to have their insurance needs analyzed, which our licensed life agents can do. However, if you do not have any coverage in place, you are putting yourself and your family at risk. You should have your insurance needs analyzed by one of our professionals.
2. Keep an open mind.
    It’s always a good thing to keep in mind that countless insurance options are out there, and times have changed with how many companies rate individuals. Five years ago, marijuana smokers would have been rated or declined for insurance. In contrast, today, many companies will offer them non-smoker rates and not impose ratings on them due to marijuana now being legal in Canada.
3. Contact Broker Plus Insurance today for a free, no-obligation quote!
   We have been in business for over 20 years and pride ourselves on being insurance professionals who put you and your family’s needs first. We break down the insurance process into bite-sized pieces, so it’s not overwhelming for you to understand and have access to products for the entire family.  

Contact Broker Plus Insurance today to learn more about our wide range of products and just how stress-free we can make your insurance experience!

To request a quote on the products we offer, click here.

With this month being February, we wanted to talk about a few matters of the heart, specifically – heart disease and heart-related issues. The Government of Canada’s website notes that heart disease is the second leading cause of death in our country, with 12 Canadians diagnosed with it each hour. Men are also two times more likely to suffer a heart attack than women and are often diagnosed 10 years younger than women are (between ages 55 and 64). While there are lifestyle changes that can reduce your risk of contracting heart disease, sometimes other factors, such as genetics, can lead an otherwise healthy individual to be diagnosed with one of these conditions.

With all this information tugging on your heartstrings, there’s never been a better time to contact Broker Plus Insurance for your Critical Illness coverage. We have various products to suit every client's needs, including No Medical products for clients who have a history of health conditions that may lead to decline with other companies. As Critical Illness policies are paid out as a lump sum, it will not affect any other benefits you may receive, such as employment insurance for sickness leave.

Don't forget about the kids! Parents often overlook children's needs for insurance. Critical Illness Riders can be added to our Term Life policies for as little as $5 a month for all children to be insured under one of our life policies for $10,000.00 in coverage or $10 a month can gain $20,000.00 in coverage. As with all Critical Life Policies, the payment will be made in a one-time lump sum should the child survive the condition's waiting period noted on the policy.

Contact us today for more information about the benefits of having a Critical Illness policy in place. Our stress-free, no-obligation, and no-pressure approach to insurance will make your heart sing!

To request a quote on the products we offer, click here.

*Sources https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/publications/diseases-conditions/heart-disease-canada.html

A new year means a fresh start for many of us, and now is the best time to ensure you stay loyal to your resolutions. Don’t have resolutions for this year, why not rethink your insurance needs to ensure you have the best coverage possible! Often, homeowners take policies that are not beneficial for their needs and lack the flexibility that many families require.  

An example of this flexibility would be allowing homeowners to choose their desired amount of coverage. The benefit of this is that you can insure more than your mortgage amount to account for future planning, such as replacing lost income due to a spouse's death or plan for children’s future education needs.

Another vital function of the products we offer is that all the underwriting is done up-front, not at the time of claim. This means that when a claim arises, the insurance company has already reviewed your health and medical history at the time of application. By having underwriting done upfront, there will be less of a delay in claims being paid than if the underwriting is done at the time of claim.

Finally, I want to make the last point regarding the importance of disability with long-haulers suffering COVID symptoms. With the long-term effects of COVID-19 still being analyzed, having disability coverage in place should you be unable to work for an extended period is imperative. Disability coverage allows your monthly mortgage payment to be paid to the lender, so it won't conflict with any other benefits you receive (both provincial and federal) if they are off work due to COVID related issues.

Contact us today to learn more about our products and just how flexible stress-free insurance can be when you put your trust in Broker Plus Insurance!

To request a quote on the products we offer, click here.
Or call: 1-877-242-8820 and press 3 to speak with an insurance coordinator. 

The holiday season is finally here, and for many of us, the holidays will look a bit different this year. Family dinners may not happen on the same scale they usually do. There will be no family or friends coming in from out of town. 2020 has been a trying year for many of us, and while COVID-19 has contributed to the deaths of loved ones, other folks have lost loved ones to different conditions. Whether it’s a sudden heart attack or the ending of a long battle with cancer, people lose their lives every day. Regardless of the circumstances, families face similar challenges and the grieving process of those who have lost loved ones this year due to COVID-19.

We’ve seen an increase in homeowners taking insurance seriously during this time. Still, we realize that not all folks are keen on insurance as others. The insurance process can be scary to some, but at Broker Plus Insurance, we try to make it as stress-free as possible. In the wake of this pandemic, the thought of not having insurance should be enough to get folks to re-look at their insurance needs. If this pandemic has taught us anything, we need to look at the safeguards we should have in place, such as insurance, if anything was to happen to our loved ones or us.

Many folks have faced layoffs and job losses during this year. There’s also a common misconception that insurance is an expensive product. While certain factors such as age, smoking status, pre-existing conditions, and the amount of insurance required can lead to a higher premium, there are affordable ways to ensure you and your family have your needs met. For clients who have a history of health issues, we have No Medical options that can be put in place for them to ensure their coverage needs do not go unnoticed.

With the uncertainty that's going on right now, one thing that should be certain is insurance. Contact us today to learn about how our company will go above and beyond to ensure your family’s needs are met.

Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas from all of us at Broker Plus Insurance.
We hope you have an excellent 2021 and stay healthy during the holiday season.

To request a quote on the products we offer, click here.
Or call: 1-877-242-8820 and press 3 to speak with an insurance coordinator. 

Children have been dealing with a lot of changes and challenges this year. There have been many routine changes in their daily lives, from learning online to having alternatives to trick or treating. I feel like adults glance over how the children are adjusting and relearning how to navigate this pandemic. As a parent myself, I find this very disheartening. What’s even more unfortunate is that the children are often overlooked for their insurance needs regarding insurance. I have had parents immediately shut me down, claiming they “don’t want to even think about it.” Still, unfortunately, children do get sick, and in some cases, they do die.

I realize this is extremely sad, and for some folks, far too morbid, but it is a sad fact of life. Just as insurance is a way or adults to protect themselves and those they love against financial hardships if they are to become sick and die – it is precisely the same rationale for child insurance. No parent wants to think about losing a child. Still, parents forget about the cost of hospital bills for specialty treatment and parking, time off work to be with a sick child, time off for grief, and final expenses such as a last vacation or a celebration of life. As this rider is paid tax-free, the funds can be used for whatever the parents feel is in their child’s best interest.

                             The benefits of insuring your child while they are young are:

1. Children have access to some of the LOWEST rates in the industry for insurance; there’s no better time to insure a child than when they are this young, and they are healthy.
2. We have two riders for our Term Life policies, Critical Illness and Child Protection (Life) and are only $5/month for $10,000.00 or $10/month for $20,000.00 in coverage.
3. Our Child Protection Rider (which can be added onto any Life policy) can convert to a full Life or even Whole Life policy after it has been in-force for 2 year. The conversion is up to 5 times of the face amount of the rider, which is either $50,000,00 or $100,000.00 in amount.
4. This rider covers all current and future children (as long as they survive 15 days from birth), meaning you only pay $5/month or $10/month to have all children insured!
5. For parents who want more robust coverage with a longer period of insurability, we have standalone Critical Illness products for children that can be quoted upon the request of the client.
   

When it comes to insurance, make sure someone thinks about the children, contact us today for more information about these products, or the other products offered here at Broker Plus Insurance.

To request a quote on the products we offer, click here.
Or call: 1-877-242-8820 and press 3 to speak with an insurance coordinator. 

With spooky season upon us, it’s time to socially distance around the campfire for some insurance horror stories! These stories are real and were disclosed to us by the clients we’ve helped place insurance for. While these clients' names have been changed, it’s our hope that these stories will provide you with some insight to prevent you from falling into the same traps these clients fell into.

Jason was declined benefit payout by Group Creditor due to failing to disclose a previous surgery:
Jason is a hardworking 34-year-old who suffered an eye injury at work. This injury resulted in him having to take some time off work due to being unable to see out of one eye. When Jason went to claim his disability insurance benefit with his Group Creditor carrier, he was shocked to learn that the company needed to underwrite at the time of claim, and went to his doctor for further information. Jason was contacted a few weeks later, noting that his disability benefit would NOT be approved because he failed to disclose he had his appendix out at age 16! Jason’s benefit was not paid, and he had to hastily go back to work to make ends meet at home.
At Broker Plus Insurance, all of our underwriting is done UPFRONT, not at the time of claim, to allow clients to have as little delay as possible with their claims being paid out.

Michael declined insurance years ago because he was rated as a smoker due to his consumption of marijuana:
Michael was referred to our company by a friend of his; right off the bat, he became very defensive about why he didn’t think he needed insurance. He told us that he was rated as a tobacco user because he enjoys the odd joint on the weekends with his friends. He was upset that marijuana users were rated the same was as tobacco users and noted he would not take a policy if he was rated as a smoker.
Michael obtained coverage with our standard-issue carrier for non-smoking rates because he smokes marijuana less than 4 times per week!

Samara is a cancer survivor who was declined by Group Creditor and was only offered an Accidental Death policy:
Samara came to our company feeling defeated; she had survived cancer as a child and was told she would be uninsurable with any company. She had been told that an Accidental Death policy was the only product she could qualify for. She was skeptical about taking this policy as it would only payout in the event of an accident. Moreover, the amount insured was only $250,000.00, which wasn’t even half of her mortgage amount!
Thankfully, Samara came to us for a second opinion. We were able to put a No Medical Life and Critical Illness policy in place for her!

Carrie is a tattoo artist who has a history of depression and has attempted suicide twice; she was worried she would be uninsurable for this reason:
Carrie got the best service possible at Broker Plus Insurance. Upon hearing of her medical history and occupation, our life agent tried to put coverage in place with our standard carrier. However, upon her decline with this carrier, our life agent knew our No Medical carrier would provide her with the coverage she needed despite the “high risk” occupation and her history of depression.
Carrie was insured with our No Medical Life carrier with no rating imposed, despite her occupation class and mental health history.

Don’t let the insurance horror stories stop your client from getting a second opinion, with industry professionals who have over 18 years of experience. Contact us today for more information about how we take the tricks out of insurance and provide you, and your family, with the treats of having the best coverage possible!

To request a quote on the products we offer, click here.
Or call: 1-877-242-8820 and press 3 to speak with an insurance coordinator. 

There’s been a dangerous trend that we’ve seen lately in our industry. This trend is clients cancelled their insurance policies during this pandemic. We realize that with countless people having suffered financial hardships during this time and that having your mortgage payment made and food on the table is more important than having insurance in a worst-case scenario. However, cancelling a policy should be the last resort for any clients. As the minute you are without coverage (assuming Murphy’s Law is correct), something can happen.

                        Why You Should Not Cancel Your Coverage During This Pandemic:

1. If you reapply for insurance, you will be rated at your new age, including higher premiums and, in some cases, subject to underwriting. Suppose you’ve developed a health condition that may lead to a rated policy or potentially uninsurable. In that case, you’ll be sorry that you cancelled your policy to begin with.
2. Speaking of underwriting, considering doctors and nurses are on the frontline of this pandemic, the last concern on a doctor’s mind is getting your Attending Physician’s Statement (a doctor’s note outlining a client’s health which is sometimes requested by the insurance company) to an underwriting company for review. Suppose you have to go through the underwriting process again. In that case, you risk having an unforeseeable delay with getting this information back to the insurance company for consideration.
3. In the worst-case scenario, you pass away without having coverage in place. This means that the outstanding debt for your mortgage falls to your spouse and/or children. Without sufficient financial help, they cannot afford to continue with the mortgage payment on a sole income.

While it’s not my place to muddle in your finances, perhaps there are areas in your spending habits that you can cut back on. Do you really need that monthly Netflix subscription when they already have Crave, or maybe it’s a lifestyle change such as quitting smoking will present you with significant long-term health benefits, including a lower premium on coverage when they have been one year smoke-free. It may be helpful to take some time to meditate on your monthly cash flow and analyze areas in which you can save money in.

To request a quote on the products we offer, click here.
Or call: 1-877-242-8820 and press 3 to speak with an insurance coordinator. 

In a perfect world, every client would have insurance in place for their entire family. There would never be any declines or ratings because everyone would be in excellent health. Sounds like a pipe dream, doesn’t it? Well, that’s because it is. While I truly wish that every client who comes through our doors is healthy, that isn’t the case with some of the clients we deal with. Whether it’s hereditary diseases, a high-risk occupation, a history of driving offences or ongoing medical conditions, there are many reasons why clients are rated for insurance.

Many brokers we work with have access to Group Creditor insurance through their in-house programs. While Group Creditor is a good insurance option for clients, it does present several shortfalls to clients and, in many cases, is not the best choice for their insurance needs. For example, Group Creditor clients declined for Mortgage Life will be offered Accidental Death in many cases. Our personal life insurance policies approve many of the clients that Group Creditors will decline, which allows them to have better coverage than an Accidental Death policy. We can customize these policies to a client’s individual health status by allowing them to try with standard-issue first. Then if that doesn’t work – we will offer No Medical insurance.

When a client is rated, our first course of action is to run the rated rates against one of our No Medical products to see if No Medical comes up cheaper. In some cases, it does; however, our primary insurer Wawanesa Life has a fair premium rating. We find that for most clients, the rating for standard insurance is lower than the No Medical ratings. We will then contact the client, explain that they’ve been rated and why. This can be an awkward conversation to have, as sometimes the clients may be embarrassed about why they are rated. Our licensed life agents are professional, compassionate, understanding in explaining it to them. We will then present their options and go over the pros and cons of both. Whichever decision they chose, you can be assured it will be significantly better coverage than an accidental death policy.

To request a quote on the products we offer, click here.
Or call: 1-877-242-8820 and press 3 to speak with an insurance coordinator. 

We are excited to announce that we have recently gained access to a new No Medical Critical Illness product through one of our carriers, Canada Protection Plan! There are four different plans for clients to choose from to allow clients to select which type of coverage best suits their needs. As with all Canada Protection Plan products, there is no medical exam required, payments in the first month are free, and those with pre-existing conditions and cancer survivors may be covered under one of these products!

For the products below, we will be analyzing the monthly premiums for a 30-year-old female who is a non-smoker.

                                                            Cardiac Protect Critical Illness
This product covers five different conditions (heart attack, stroke, aortic surgery, coronary artery bypass surgery, and heart valve replacement/repair). It is available on a Term 75 for those ages 18-65. The minimum amount that can be taken is $10,000.00, and the maximum amount is $50,000.00. The monthly premium for this client would be $15.71/month.

                                                           Cancer Protect Critical Illness
This product covers three different conditions (life-threatening cancer, aplastic anemia, and benign brain tumour). It is available on a Term 75 for those ages 18-65. The minimum amount that can be taken is $10,000.00, and the maximum amount is $50,000.00. The monthly premium for this client would be $26.28/month.

                                               Cardiac AND Cancer Protect Critical Illness
This product covers eight different conditions (heart attack, stroke, aortic surgery, coronary artery bypass surgery, heart valve replacement/repair, life-threatening cancer, aplastic anemia, and benign brain tumour on a Term 75 for those ages 18-65. The minimum amount is $10,000.00 per event, and the maximum is $50,000.00 per event. This means that if you were to have two of the eight conditions noted above, your policy would pay out twice! The monthly premium for this client would be $36.59/month.

                                              Cardiac OR Cancer Protect Critical Illness
This product covers eight different conditions (heart attack, stroke, aortic surgery, coronary artery bypass surgery, heart valve replacement/repair, life-threatening cancer, aplastic anemia, and benign brain tumour on either a Term 20 for those ages 18-55 or Term 75 for those ages 18-65. The minimum amount for a Term 20 is $25,000.00, and the maximum event is $100,000.00. For Term 74, the minimum amount is $10,000.00, and the maximum amount is $100,000.00. This policy will terminate after the first claim is made. The monthly premium for this client would be $27.95/month for $50,000.00.

Need another reason to request a quote from Canada Protection Plan’s No Medical products? Clients who have a policy with CPP can access Foresters member benefits, which include things such as orphan benefits, emergency assistance program, academic scholarships for children, financial counselling, and discounted legal services. With all these benefits, you will have to do a lot of critical thinking when deciding on the best product, so let us help in this process by requesting a quote from the link below!

To request a quote on the products we offer, click here.
Or call: 1-877-242-8820 and press 3 to speak with an insurance coordinator. 

I remember New Years’ Eve of 2019 like it was not even half a year ago. I had written down some goals I wanted to accomplish in my manifestation journal and was optimistic about 2020 being one of the best years yet, not just for myself but also for everyone. Not many of us could have seen this coming, but 2020 has turned out to be one of the most trying times in modern history. With many folks, including my husband, suffering layoffs from the COVID-19 outbreak, daycares closing, parents becoming homeschool teachers with no time to refresh themselves on how to do long division, its been stressful for many of us, to say the least. 

Let’s be real here, how is everyone really doing?
It’s okay to feel down, miss your family and friends, to stress clean the house for the second time in one day or to let the dirty dishes pile up because hey, you got nothing planned for tomorrow, right?

There is a light at the end of all of this, and as Canada starts lifting restrictions, this light is getting brighter. In times such as these, people are confused as to what they should do next in our changing society. When it comes to insurance, many client’s know that Broker Plus Insurance is the stress-free way to ensure your coverage needs are met. We’ve prided ourselves on going above and beyond for clients during this time by continuing to provide a flexible full-service center here to contact you at a time that works for you.

However, if you are one of the many folks we speak to who are putting off purchasing a home at this time or looking at refinancing their mortgage, it's always beneficial to look at one of the various Term Life products we have available. For clients who may want more coverage, we have Disability options (with 2 and 5 year benefit periods), Critical Illness and No Medical products for clients who may have a history of health issues or who may be hard to insure. We even have child policies!

Going without insurance is not something anyone should put off any longer, especially in light of the current global pandemic. Contact Broker Plus Insurance today for more information on how we’re here to help our clients navigate through this uncertain time.

To request a quote on the products we offer, click here.
Or call: 1-877-242-8820 and press 3 to speak with an insurance coordinator.