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. 

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. 

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. 
 

We’ve been hearing a lot of concerns from our clients about obtaining insurance during this time of uncertainty in our society due to COVID-19. Many clients think that applying for insurance is something that requires to be done in-person, which isn’t the case with any of the carriers used here at Broker Plus Insurance! We can take applications over the phone, and paperwork can be signed and scanned or faxed back to us for processing.

How Do We Make This Work?

• Our life agents are flexible and can contact you whenever it is best suited to your needs.
• We will call you to take your information and then submit it to the insurance company on your behalf.
•  If anything is required by the insurance company, such as a paramedical exam or a telephone interview, we will let you know ASAP so that you can prepare for it.
• Once your policy is approved, we will email you the paperwork to sign and return back to us.
• After we’ve insured the documents were completed correctly, we will email them to the insurance company of your behalf.
• When your policy is in-force (meaning the insurance company has received your signed documents), we will contact you about mailing the original documents to the insurance company.

Yes, it really is that easy to apply for insurance while respecting social distancing. We have access to a wide range of products to ensure that your entire family is covered!

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. 
 

It’s the most wonderful time of the year unless you have the mindsets of Ebenezer Scrooge or The Grinch before they had their Christmas epiphanies. However, for many of us, Christmas is a time where we get together with family and friends, celebrate the season, and to spread comfort and joy. While you’re enjoying a glass of eggnog, there are some things that are important to conspire by the fire; and these important things are insurance.

This year, we’re asking our clients to think outside the present box and educate themselves on just how important insurance is compared to that new plasma TV set they’ve wanted.

Why is Insurance The Greatest Gift You Can Give?

1. Unlike new TV’s, they rarely need to be replaced or upgraded every ten years; especially if you choose a 20 or 30-year Term insurance product.
2. The cost of a monthly premium can be as low as a cup of coffee per day. 
3. In the unfortunate event that someone cannot be home for Christmas, their spouse has received the beneficiary payment, which can help with Christmas’ and other life needs for years to come.
4. While the children may want new toys, for $5 or $10 per month, all children who are biological or adopted can be insured under our Term Life insurance as a Rider for Critical Illness or Child Protection Benefit.
5. Have someone impossible to shop for? We have three No Medical products for clients who may be harder to insure due to a history of health conditions, who may not have time for a paramedical exam and for those who enjoy extreme reindeer games!
   

Don’t let your insurance needs fall off Santa’s sleigh, contact us today for more information on how we can ensure you have a holly, jolly Christmas by ensuring their insurance needs are fully met.

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. 

Insurance can be equated to a horror movie to many of us, as we never know what’s lurking around the corner in the haunted house of life. While we hope to get out safely, we don’t know if Jason, Freddy or Pennywise is around the corner; waiting to catch us off guard. Unfortunately, what happens to many people, is they run through this haunted house frantically trying to evade the monsters who want to harm us. These monsters are cancer, death of a loved one, disability, and the worst, in my opinion – a critically ill child.

While running through the haunted house of life, frantically does work for some people, it’s not a practical solution to fighting off these monsters. No, you don’t need a knife, hatchet or chainsaw; what you need is insurance. Now imagine you’re trapped in this haunted house with another person named Georgie. Georgie confidently claims, “I have insurance through work, I’m covered three times my salary if I pass away; these monsters can’t hurt me!”

Wrong Georgie, let’s break this down to make it a little easier to see why Pennywise grins from ear to ear when he hears someone say this. Georgie makes $50,000 a year if he passes away his spouse gets $150,000. While this amount is enough to cover three years without him; what about the other years he would have been alive? Does Georgie have children? If so, he will need much more than three years of coverage to ensure his family’s needs are taken care of.

If Georgie was to take a Term 20 policy for $500,000; he would be able to have 10 years of his salary paid upon the time of his death, add the three years he gets paid from work – that’s 13 years of his lost salary wages his spouse will have to ensure his family can safely navigate through the haunted house of life without Georgie.

Don’t fall into the pitfalls of work coverage as the magic potion for your needs; contact us today for more information.

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 read an article recently, which has prompted me to write this post and with June being Pride month; this article could not come at a better time. According to the report, which is cited at the bottom of this blog, Iowa State University's Ivy College of Business found approval rates for same-sex couples were between 3% and 8% lower than for heterosexual couples. I realize this study is based out of the United States, and I like to think that as Canadians, we are little further ahead with acceptance compared to our southern neighbors. However, we have had clients from the LGBTQ+ community who have told us they have been afraid of applying for insurance for fear that they will be turned down for who they are or who they love.
 
Let me make one thing perfectly clear before I go any further.
Regardless of who you identify as or who you choose to love, there is something that you cannot forgo; and that is insurance.
 
Rest assured that at Broker Plus Insurance, we do not impose a rating, nor discriminate clients based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. In fact, sexual orientation is not even asked on any of our applications because that’s your business, not ours! We offer several different products for clients from all walks of life to ensure that their needs are covered with the best product possible. We have Term options of 10, 20 and 30-years; three No Medical products for clients with previous health conditions and specialty products such as Critical Illness and a Job Loss Rider to our Mortgage Disability insurance. We even have child riders for Critical Illness and Child Protection that can be added to our Term life insurance, which covers biological children AND adopted children.

Regardless of who you love or who you are, we should all share the same love for insurance. Contact our office today to find out how you can protect yourself and your family.
 
To request a quote on the products we offer, click here.
Alternatively, call: 1-877-242-8820 and press 3 to speak with an insurance coordinator. 

**Source https://www.mortgagebrokernews.ca/market-update/do-mortgage-lenders-discriminate-against-samesex-couples-256558.aspx?utm_source=Pinpointe&utm_medium=20190418&utm_campaign=MBN-Morning&utm_content=CD515713-56DD-42B4-A34A-AC106012B56D&tu=CD515713-56DD-42B4-A34A-AC106012B56D

With Halloween happening at the end of this month, there is no doubt that many of you may be partaking in the festivities by watching horror movies, eating copious amounts of candy and taking your children out trick or treating. With all the ghost, goblins and witches that will be on our streets over the next few weeks, I felt compelled to write a post about something potentially horrifying – not having insurance. According to a study conducted by the investment firm Edward Jones, less than one-third of Canadians have insurance coverage for serious life events. The study goes on to say that 23% of Canadians answered that they are not financially prepared if they pass away too soon and only16% said that they had purchased life insurance that would cover their remaining mortgage payments should they ever pass away.*

With this information, the sheer thought of not having any insurance in place is enough to frighten Jason Voorhees himself. Luckily, there is a solution, and that solution is simple – buy insurance. Now here’s the tricky part, not everyone likes the concept of insurance. At Broker Plus, we try to keep insurance simple, affordable and stress-free by educating you about the benefits of the products while forgoing the jargon that can leave clients scratching their heads. However, we’ve noticed a trend with clients who still feel overwhelmed when they get insurance quotes because, let’s face it, thinking about one’s mortality or morbidity is usually not a happy topic to discuss.

Here are some ways you can navigate through the fog when it comes to insurance:

1. A Quiet Place – find a quiet place that brings some peace to you. Take 5-10 deep breaths before you begin reviewing your options, this will help you think more clearly as opposed to being “stressed” about the thought of your morbidity and mortality. It may be best to get out of the house and find a nice, quiet place (assuming your home has a screaming 20-month-old as mine does) to be able to become fully focused on what your true needs are.
2. The Others – often children get forgotten about when homeowners take out insurance policies when ideally it is the best time to add a child rider to a policy for products such as Term Life. The riders are usually affordable, $10 per month for $20,000 amount of coverage, which is cheaper than two specialty coffees at Starbucks.
3. Let The Right One In – if you’re getting multiple quotes from different companies it can sometimes be hard to make clear decisions without feeling overwhelmed. Broker Plus Insurance has been working with Canadians for over 20 years with our focus on helping mortgage clients be more aware of the different options that are available to you.  We also can do partial coverage for folks who are worried about the premium amount or who have additional coverage already in place.
4. As Above, So Below – what if I told you that for those 3 points above Broker Plus Insurance could do all of those things for you? No, it’s not a trick, at Broker Plus Insurance we put your needs first and have a full-service center open five days a week to assist you with any questions you may have. We can even do evening and weekend calls!  We do the shopping around for you, so you can rest assured that we have your best interest in mind and try our best to provide you with the cheapest premium while not sacrificing the quality of the coverage offered.

With a full-service center that genuinely cares about its clients and puts their needs first, does insurance seem that scary? Contact Broker Plus Insurance today for a no-obligation quote to ensure that you and your families insurance needs are being met!

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.
*Sources cited from https://www.insurancebusinessmag.com/ca/news/breaking-news/most-canadians-are-underinsured-study-62245.aspx