PREPARED & PROTECTED It s the most important buying decision you will ever make!

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1 Helpful advice from s recommended insurance provider Protect your life savings, dignity and independence. Ensuring your long term care. As the election draws near, what do seniors want? Seniors Vote has the answer, and is coordinated by. VOLUME 7 ISSUE 1 PREPARED & PROTECTED It s the most important buying decision you will ever make! Published by The McLennan Group Insurance Inc. and, a New Vision of Aging for Canada.

2 As Trusted advice since 1993 Because your protection is our priority s trusted provider, we know it s easier to make informed buying decisions when you know what to look for. Welcome to Insurance Insights. Your very own easy-to-follow insurance buyer s guide Insurance Insights provides unbiased advice about various forms of insurance; similarities, differences, what to look for, the questions to ask, the facts you need. We encourage members to compare apples-to-apples before you buy any insurance product. Besides, we know the closer you look at competitive programs, the better we ll look. Innovative coverage solutions Preferred member pricing No cost value-added benefits Advice from licensed brokers Better rates, coverage and value! No matter who you choose as a provider, be sure the program you select is right for your needs and budget. Read the fine print and ask questions before you buy. Because insurance without proper coverage is like having no insurance at all! STAY SAFE! Compare Insurance Programs for Members Don t gamble with your safety. The McLennan Group Insurance Inc. partnered with retired Police Sergeant Bob Paterson to develop and share practical safety tips for Canadians 50-plus. Find great advice and more at: Auto & Home Insurance The right coverage is more important than low premiums With insurance coverage, typically you get what you pay for Yes, lower rates are what everyone wants, but what about coverage? Will your rates increase after your first at-fault accident? Is your vehicle insured for it s full value or the depreciated amount? What about your home? If it was destroyed, would it be rebuilt with materials of similar kind and quality? Sure, you can get an online quote in minutes. But slow down, and take the time to speak with a licensed broker so you ll know exactly what is and isn t covered before you buy. Discounts are the easiest way to lower your premiums When comparing providers, ask for their list of discounts which may include: Auto Insurance Discounts - 50-plus and / or retiree - Claims and conviction free - Multi-vehicle - Renewal / loyalty - Driver re-training - Toys; ATV s, motorcycles, etc. Never sacrifice coverage, benefits or claims service just to pay a lower premium! Home Insurance Discounts - New home / age of dwelling - Centrally monitored burglar and fire alarm system - Renewal / loyalty - Mortgage-free - Claims free Auto & Home Insurance offered by The McLennan Group Insurance Inc. and is underwritten by Northbridge Personal Insurance Corporation, Northbridge General Insurance Corporation, Traders General Insurance Company or Zenith Insurance Company, depending on your province of residence. Premiums and eligibility for group program will vary for specific drivers depending upon individual factors. Pet Insurance underwritten by Northbridge General Insurance Corporation and distributed by PTZ Insurance Brokers Ltd. (by Sodaco Juridique Inc. in Quebec). Life and Health plans offered by The McLennan Group Life Insurance Inc. Health & Dental, Guaranteed Issue Life, and Term Life Insurance, FollowMe Health, and FollowMe Life underwritten by The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company. / Trademarks held by The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company. Travel Insurance underwritten by The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company and First North American Insurance Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of Manulife Financial. Critical Illness and Long Term Care Insurance offered through MyDignity Inc. AD&D Insurance underwritten by Chartis Insurance Company. Group rates and certain products may not be available in all jurisdictions. Certain conditions, limitations, exclusions and restrictions apply. Refer to policy wordings for complete details. Auto & Home Insurance for Members Call Toll-Free: carpinsurance.ca 2 INSURANCE INSIGHTS Volume 7, Issue 1 Volume 7, Issue 1 INSURANCE INSIGHTS 3

3 Long Term Care Insurance Helps protect your independence, dignity and life savings Critical Illness Insurance Designed to ensure you ll be able to survive financially You can choose the type of care that will suit your needs Daily care will be necessary on a long term basis if you become physically dependent due to accident, illness or aging, are unable to perform the activities of daily living, or become cognitively impaired. But with limited government funding, your costs could be thousands of dollars each month. Plus consider that over half of women and one-third of men age 65 and over will reside in a nursing home, largely due to the high cost of home care. Long term care insurance provides a tax-free income benefit that gives you the freedom to choose to receive care in a facility or your own home. Three types of policies: Reimbursement - will repay your expenses up to the limit of your policy. Indemnity - will pay a set amount for pre-qualified expenses. Income based - will pay for loss of independence, regardless of whether expenses have been incurred. Coverage is available to age 80, with lower premiums for age 65 and under. Rates based on age upon application. When coverage is difficult to obtain, some providers offer simplified issue plans: Less underwriting: There are limited health questions and no medical exam is required. Lifetime benefits: You can buy coverage with lifetime benefits of $50,000 or more to age 80. Added benefits: Look for plans where assistance services like housekeeping are included. You can cover expenses incurred during treatment and recovery Being stricken with a critical illness is not like having the flu. You may be incapacitated, unable to care for yourself. Recovery can be long and expenses not covered by your provincial health plan or other insurance can be tens of thousands of dollars. You may be unable to function in your current home or return to work. Avoid the financial hardships With critical illness insurance coverage, your only concern will be getting well. Tax-free payments upon diagnosis of a covered illness It s your choice: Benefits can be used for income replacement, home renovations, travel, etc. Underwiting guidelines: They ll examine your health, lifestyle, and family s medical history. Apply now: Available to age 65, rates can be costly past age 55. Basic plans: About 90% of policy claims cancer, bypass surgery, heart attack and stroke will be covered by a basic plan. Comprehensive plans: They will cover the basic illnesses plus over 20 more serious illnesses, surgeries and disorders. To help you with an informed decision, be sure to learn the similarities and differences between long term care and critical illness insurance. Long Term Care Insurance for Members Call Toll-Free: carpinsurance.ca Critical Illness Insurance for Members Call Toll-Free: carpinsurance.ca 4 INSURANCE INSIGHTS Volume 7, Issue 1 Volume 7, Issue 1 INSURANCE INSIGHTS 5

4 Travel Insurance You simply can t afford to buy on price alone...you are strongly advised to purchase additional health insurance every time you leave Canada. - Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care Coverage from your provincial health plan is limited June 2013, The Economist said the average cost per patient per day in a In US hospital was $4,300. The Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care s website states for inpatient services, OHIP pays $200 CDN per day. For services rendered in an operating room, OHIP pays $400 CDN per day. No matter your home province or destination, the story will be similar. And without travel insurance, you pay the difference! Not having proper coverage can be financially crippling Policy Maximums The Duration of Your Trip If an emergency leads to multiple procedures and a lengthy hospital stay, you could receive a bill for millions of dollars. Choose a plan with sufficient coverage; some provide a $5 million maximum. Every time you travel, make sure you re covered for the entire trip. A single trip plan offers coverage up to 212 days. By comparison, a multi-trip plan allows unlimited trips of 9, 16, 30 or 60 days. Get advice from a licensed broker & do your homework To ensure proper coverage, you need to answer questions on the application honestly. Non-disclosure of an ailment or pre-existing condition can void your policy, leaving you without coverage. A licensed broker is qualified to help you understand all medical questions. Further, be sure you understand the policy benefits, limits and exclusions. Claim denials are often the result of customers not knowing what they ve purchased, what is and isn t covered, or their policyholder obligations. There are many good questions you should ask before you buy, including: To be eligible for coverage, do you need to call the assistance phone number at the time of emergency? What documentation is required if you need to make a claim? Is your return trip home paid for in the event of an emergency? Can your coverage be extended after you ve departed for your trip? Travel Insurance for Members carpinsurance.ca The time to buy is now Frequent travellers, occasional travellers & snowbirds, no matter when or where you plan to travel, the time to buy is now. Pre-season savings are available from Travel Insurance for Members until September 30th. No fee to change travel dates prior to your departure. Extensions, top-ups available. The right rate for your health. Multiple coverage options. Easy qualification, no medical exam upon application. Added benefits exclusively for members include a 5% discount and up to $1,000 in trip cancellation coverage included with annual plans. 6 INSURANCE INSIGHTS Volume 7, Issue 1 Volume 7, Issue 1 INSURANCE INSIGHTS 7

5 REPORT A New Vision of Aging For Canada Coordinated by, Seniors Vote is a collaboration of 50 senior, retiree, professional, and advocacy groups who are representing well over one million older Canadians. They are raising common concerns which particularly resonate with all older Canadians financial security in retirement and health care reform. Seniors Vote recognizes today s ballot questions are the blueprint for our children s future. These pages detail the priority issues for the 2015 federal election, and outline what seniors will vote for. Susan Eng (second from left), VP Advocacy co-chairs a Seniors Vote pre-budget meeting with Pat Kerwin, President of Congress of Union Retirees of Canada at the Canadian Nurses Association offices in Ottawa. Older Canadians are among the most politically engaged voters. Their past party loyalty simply cannot be taken for granted. And this has led all political parties to ask, What do seniors want? The answer has been a call for the kind of transformative change in our public systems that will make life better for all Canadians as they age: Pension reform is needed to ensure that people will not outlive their money by expanding access to pension savings and increasing income support. Health care reform to ensure Canadians will not be treated as consumers or merely patients, but rather as health care citizens who pay for the health care system and expect it to serve the values set out in the Canada Health Act universality, accessibility and comprehensiveness. The system must undergo transformative change and focus on the needs and expectations of the health care citizen, to provide medical intervention, and support prevention and the social determinants of health, family caregivers and end-of-life care. Homecare programs that allow seniors to stay in their own homes. There is a need for a national housing strategy that includes seniors housing. An end to growing income inequality. More and more seniors are falling below the poverty line. Seniors are also concerned that too many of their children and grandchildren are facing a precarious job market and a bleak future. Income and Retirement Security Achieving income security in working life and retirement is increasingly difficult for Canadians of all ages: Nearly five million Canadians live in poverty. 12 percent of seniors still live in poverty, amounting to more than 600,000 people. One in six single seniors live in poverty, most of whom are women. 12 million working Canadians do not have workplace pension plans and significant numbers of Canadians will face a substantial drop in their standard of living on retirement. Younger working Canadians will have especially limited access to workplace pensions. Federal Leadership on Health Care Transformation Health care remains the highest priority for Canadians who are calling for transformative change. Older Canadians and their families find the system difficult to navigate, incomplete, inadequate in meeting post-acute and chronic care needs. Over eight million caregivers provide invaluable support to family members and the formal health system, without adequate support from employers and government. Poverty, social isolation, a poor physical environment, and inadequate housing leads to poor health outcomes. Investments in prevention and in the social determinants of health could save the system money and produce better health outcomes for Canadians. 8 REPORT To Find Out More Visit carp.ca To Find Out More Visit carp.ca REPORT 9

6 REPORT A New Vision of Aging For Canada It is now common knowledge that older Canadians are the most committed voters; 65% or more vote regularly. The voice of seniors will be heard in the election! Seniors Vote calls on the federal government to: Work with the provinces to increase the CPP. Strengthen income support by: restoring the OAS eligibility age to 65 from 67, increasing the exempt earnings band for GIS, and increasing the amount of OAS and GIS for low income seniors. Increase income supports for low-income, single older Canadians not yet eligible for OAS by creating an equivalent to the OAS spousal allowance. Prohibit retroactive erosion of earned pension benefits. Work with the provinces to create a national pharmacare plan, with an ultimate goal of first dollar coverage for all Canadians. Work with the provinces to fund and set standards to improve access, affordability, and quality of post-acute and chronic care, in the home and in the community, with particular focus on dementia care. Increase financial support and provide workplace protection for caregivers. Work with provinces to ensure Canadians have access to appropriate housing, including affordable and supportive housing, and assisted living services. Seniors Vote / Le Vote des Aînés is endorsed by a group of national and regional senior, retiree, advocacy and professional associations including: National Pensioners Federation (NPF) Réseau FADOQ Congress of Union Retirees of Canada (CURC) International Federation on Ageing (IFA) College of Family Physicians of Canada CURAC Canadian Nurses Association (CNA) National Association of Federal Retirees Canadian Association of Retired Teachers (ACER-CART) Canadian Alliance of United Seniors (CAUS) Council of Senior Citizens Organizations of British Columbia (COSCO) Professional Institute of the Public Sector of Canada The Royal Canadian Legion, Ontario Command Police Pensioners Association of Ontario (PPAO) British Columbia Old Age Pensioners Organization (BCOAPO) Older Women s Network (Ontario) Quebec Provincial Association of Retired School Educators (QPARSE-APPERQ) The United Senior Citizens of Ontario (USCO) Social Services Network (SSN) Public Interest Alberta Saskatchewan Seniors Association Incorporated (SSAI) Federation of Senior Citizens and Pensioners of Nova Scotia (FSCPNS) Service Employees International Union Retirees (SEIU) Communications Workers of Canada Retirees Council Steelworkers Organization of Active Retirees (SOAR) Retired Members Division of Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) PEI Federation of Union Retirees This list is current as of May 15, To read the updated list of organizations who endorse Seniors Vote, visit and search Seniors Vote. 10 REPORT To Find Out More Visit carp.ca To Find Out More Visit carp.ca REPORT 11

7 Life Insurance Plans Make plans to safeguard your family s financial future Health & Dental Insurance Because government health plans just cover the basics Deciding which coverage is best depends on your needs or the financial security your loved ones deserve, you should consider proper F life insurance coverage. But how do you decide which type of coverage is best for you? The right coverage option may be determined by your needs and situation. Guaranteed Issue Life If obtaining coverage is a concern: You ll be accepted for coverage with no medical questionnaire, upon receipt of initial premium. Less coverage than underwritten plans; usually $25,000 maximum. Accidental death could pay up to five times the policy value. Coverage is available for those between age 50 and 80. Term Life Plans More coverage for the money: Premiums are typically lower as the policies hold no cash value. Benefits can range from a small amount up to $150,000 or more. Rates are based on age at time of application, are fixed for the initial term and rise on renewal. For applicants to age 70, with an option to renew up to age 85. No matter which type of life insurance plan you choose to protect your loved ones, the younger you are when you apply, the lower your premiums will be. W ithout supplemental health insurance for the benefits and services receiving limited or no coverage from government health plans, you could be out-of-pocket thousands of dollars each year. Many coverage options available Health & dental insurance is available with basic or comprehensive coverage, on its own, or to supplement a company plan. If wide-ranging coverage isn t needed, consider a specialty plan such as enhanced dental. Your premiums are affected by the benefits, coverage levels, yearly maximums and co-pay amounts you select. Some plans offer guaranteed acceptance. For real convenience, look for a plan that does not require you to pay upfront for most benefits. You may not be covered by your provincial health plan Many health care benefits; even routine services like dental care, prescription medications, hearing aids, vision care, health specialists and home support services receive limited or no government coverage. For details on health care coverage in Canada, click Insurance Insights on the carpinsurance.ca homepage. Guaranteed Issue Life Insurance for Members Call: Term Life Insurance for Members Call: Health & Dental Insurance for Members Call Toll-Free: carpinsurance.ca 12 INSURANCE INSIGHTS Volume 7, Issue 1 Volume 7, Issue 1 INSURANCE INSIGHTS 13

8 Coverage Considerations Additional insurance offerings for members Pet Insurance Every year, 1 in 3 pets require emergency veterinary care Because bad things happen to good people Accidental death & dismemberment insurance provides lump sum cash benefits, helping you cope and adjust. Upon request, members can receive complimentary AD&D coverage. Accident Insurance for Members Call Toll-Free: FollowMe Health The end of your company benefits If you are retiring or changing careers, and you apply within 60 days of the loss of your employer-sponsored health care or life insurance plan, you ll enjoy uninterrupted coverage. There is no waiting period, and no medical questionnaire or exam required at the time of application. FollowMe Life DO NOT wait until your pet is sick or injured to apply for coverage. It may be too late as you will be faced with pre-existing condition exclusions. tatistics Canada said the average Canadian household S spent $420 on their pet s health care in However when you consider that two out of three dogs and cats will develop a significant health problem in their lifetime, you see how the cost to maintain a pet s health can spiral from hundreds to thousands of dollars per year. However, a bit of planning today allows you to avoid heartache tomorrow. You can be prepared for your pet s future health care costs Pet insurance allows owners of healthy dogs or cats to prepare for unexpected health care costs, and budget for their pet s annual health care expenses with a series of affordable monthly payments. Premiums are low, the benefits are high. Your premiums will be affected by the lifetime maximums and coverage levels you choose. Before buying, be sure to read terms, conditions, and limits to know what is and isn t covered. Avoid plans that increase their premiums as your pet ages. For small business owners like you The McLennan Group Insurance Inc. partners with TruShield Insurance to protect your small business. They have insurance solutions for your property and contents, company vehicles, employees and your day-to-day operations. Small Business Solutions Call: Pet Insurance for Members Call Toll-Free: carpinsurance.ca 14 INSURANCE INSIGHTS Volume 7, Issue 1 Volume 7, Issue 1 INSURANCE INSIGHTS 15

9 Your protection is our priority. trusts The McLennan Group Insurance Inc. to deliver innovative insurance solutions for Canadians 50-plus. We offer the coverage needed to protect your health, possessions, financial future, and your loved ones. Members: Free Mobile App! Our easy-to-use app makes insurance easy to understand. You can check out the features and download for free at: carpinsurance.ca. TL Auto & Home Health & Dental Travel Guaranteed Life Term Life Long Term Care Critical Illness Simplified LTC Pet FollowMe Plans Accident Small Business Insurance Programs for Members You ll find complete details online at: carpinsurance.ca s recommended and trusted insurance provider for over 21 years. The McLennan Group Insurance Inc. and The McLennan Group Life Insurance Inc. work with a number of trusted Canadian insurers. Auto & Home Insurance Program and Pet Insurance Program offered by The McLennan Group Insurance Inc. Life and Health Plans are offered by The McLennan Group Life Insurance Inc. Group rates and certain products may not be available in all jurisdictions. Certain conditions and restrictions apply. Please refer to your policy wordings for complete details. The McLennan Group Insurance Inc. respects your privacy. Please visit our website to review our Privacy Commitment.