Cancer is a disease that affects millions of people around the world. It is a leading cause of death in Canada, and it is estimated that one in four Canadians will be diagnosed with cancer at some point in their lives.
Cancer patients are often concerned about how they will pay for their treatment and other expenses related to their illness. They may also worry about how they will provide for themselves and their families if they cannot work because of the disease or its treatment. This is why buying life insurance is essential.
As a cancer patient, securing traditional life insurance may be near impossible. A no-medical exam insurance might be your best shot at getting insured. However, the kind of coverage made available is determined by when you had the diagnosis, stage of the disease, treatment plan, and whether or not you are in remission. These factors may also influence your premiums. It is also important to note that these policies have higher premiums and lower death benefits.
Types of No Exam Life Insurance Policies for Cancer Patients in Canada
Simplified Issue Life Insurance
This policy is geared towards people who need insurance instantly but do not want to submit to a medical exam. Simplified Issue Life Insurance gets fast approval with minimal health questions. A simplified issue policy’s death benefit payout ranges from $5,000 to over $100,000.
Not taking a medical exam means insurers cannot evaluate the risk of insuring you; hence, you pay higher premiums to hedge out risk.
Pros
- A medical examination is not required.
- Coverage begins the moment application is accepted.
Cons
- Premiums are usually higher than for other types of life insurance.
- Death benefit payouts are frequently less than those provided by standard insurance.
- Some policies need a waiting time before the full coverage can be paid out.
- Answering health-related questions are mandated – this may disqualify you from coverage.
Guaranteed Issue Life Insurance
A guaranteed issue life insurance policy, commonly referred to as no-questions life insurance, is a permanent insurance policy that does not require medical underwriting. There is no need for a medical exam to qualify for coverage. These policies, however, have higher premiums and a lower death benefit.
Guaranteed issue policies allow you to apply for permanent life insurance without answering any health questions. It could be a suitable alternative if you do not qualify for other types of life insurance.
Coverage amounts are typically relatively low, ranging between $10,000 and $25,000. Due to these modest coverage limits, guaranteed issue life insurance is sometimes acquired to cover mainly last expenses such as a funeral, hospital bills, and small debts.
Most insurance companies include waiting periods in their policy. If you die within the first two or three years of the insurance, your beneficiary may only receive a refund of your premiums plus interest. Interest amounts paid vary by firm but can be in the range of 10 to 30 percent. Your beneficiary, however, gets full benefits if the cause of death is accidental regardless of the length of time since purchasing the policy.
Pros
- Easy application process.
- No health questions.
- No medical exam is required.
Cons
- As with most no-medical exam policies, the Guaranteed issue policy offers low coverage.
- Except death is accidental, your beneficiary does not receive full benefits if you die within the waiting period – usually 2 to 3 years.
- The cost is exorbitant given the quantity of coverage provided.
Simplified Issue Life Insurance vs Guaranteed Issue Life Insurance: Although similar in various Simplified Issue Life Insurance differs from Guaranteed Issue Life Insurance in not needing you to answer any health questionnaire.
Canada Protection Plan
CPP Insurance offers alternative options to persons denied insurance on health grounds. Canada Protection Plan has four critical illness policies, of which three cater to persons with cancer.
- Cancer Protect CI
CPP’s Cancer Protect CI is for you if you are diagnosed with life-threatening cancer, Aplastic Anaemia, or a benign brain tumour. This product may be appropriate for clients who have diabetes, high blood pressure, a stroke, a TIA, or a heart attack.
Cancer Protect CI is a non-convertible Critical Illness insurance policy that provides a lump sum payout of up to $50,000 – coverage amount ranges from $10,000 to $50,000. It can be issued to clients between the ages of 18 and 65 with a term of 75 years. Premiums are calculated using face amount bands.
For cancer, a moratorium of 90 days is in place. There is, however, a 30-day survival period. Optional benefits include:
- Accidental Death Benefit.
- Return of Premium on Death.
- Cardiac and Cancer Protect CI
Another critical illness product with coverage up to $50,000. The cardiac category caters for Heart Attacks, Stroke, Aortic Surgery, Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery and Heart Valve Replacement or Repair. The Cancer category covers Cancer, Aplastic Anaemia and Benign Brain Tumour. Just like the Cancer Protect CI, CPP’s Cardiac and Cancer Protect CI is issuable to persons aged 18 to 65 and is in effect till your 75th birthday. Premiums are calculated using face amount bands. There is also a moratorium of 90 days for cancer and a 30-day survival period.
- Cardiac or Cancer Protect CI
Cardiac Or Cancer Protect CI plan provides coverage on a diagnosis of any of these critical illness conditions: Cancer, Heart Valve Replacement or Repair, Aplastic Anaemia and Benign Brain Tumour, Heart Attack, Stroke, Aortic Surgery, Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery. It is available to clients aged 18 to 65. Term 20 is open to persons aged 18-55, while Term to age 75 includes persons up to 65 years.
Face amounts for each term differ. Term 20 ranges from $20,000 to $100,000 while it is from $10,000 to $100,000 for Term to age 75. Premiums are based on face amount bands. For Cancer, there is a Moratorium Period of 90 days. The 30 days survival period is part of the policy.
Conclusion
Choosing the right insurance product entails many things. It is not a journey to embark on alone. That is why we recommend that you employ the services of an experienced advisor. At Best Insurance Online, we work with you to create a plan that best suits your needs. For more enquiries, call our toll-free hotline at +1 877-611-6722.
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For more insights into the products of top insurers in Canada, we have reviews available for you: Manulife review, Sun Life review, Desjardins review, iA Financial review, etc.