Frequently Asked Questions

If you do not find an answer to your question here, please contact us and we will be happy to help you.

Q.

Why should I purchase my term life insurance from LifeInsurance-Orleans.ca?

A.

LifeInsurance-Orleans.ca provides you with all the tools you need to make a sound term life insurance purchasing decision. We offer you access to over 25 life insurance companies. (one of the largest databases available) Fast online term life insurance quotes, easy to follow instructions, and we pride ourselves in providing you with the highest level of service in the life insurance industry. Never has purchasing term life insurance been more convenient and economical. Our large carrier database means No One offers you lower premiums.

Q.

How do I determine my term life insurance coverage amount?

A.

Each family's situation is unique from every other. Because of this, there are no absolute rules for determining how much term life insurance you should purchase. Buying the right amount of term life insurance involves answering an uncomfortable question: How much money would your dependents need if you were to die prematurely? The answer will likely be more than you think. Major personal finance magazines recommend a life insurance coverage amount from 5 to 10 times your annual earnings. For business life insurance it is best to consult with your accountant. Use our life insurance needs calculator to help you estimate how much life insurance you need.

Q.

I don't need Life Insurance because I have Mortgage Insurance.

A.

Banks and Brokers selling mortgage insurance are unlicenced and are not trained to explain the details and legalities of insurance products. The result is people who pay premiums and think they are covered, only to realize later that their claims denied when they became sick or died.

Q.

How long does it take to get insured?

A.

Underwriting begins when we receive your signed application in our office. Typically, underwriting is a 4 to 6 week process, but there may be slightly longer periods in certain cases.

Universal Life Insurance FAQ

Universal Life Insurance combines the lowest possible cost life insurance to cover estate planning and family income replacement needs with the power of tax-sheltering your investment growth. Universal life insurance, such as Tax Advantage Life, is one of the last significant mainstream tax shelters left to Canadians trying to maximize their savings for their fast-approaching retirement years.

What are the advantages of Tax Advantage Life?
Tax Advantage Life is a universal life insurance policy that features unmatched flexibility and solid guarantees. The flexibility lets you tailor your policy to meet your specific needs. And as your needs change, your policy can be revised to address these needs. The major strength of Tax Advantage Life is that it is a flexible permanent insurance policy that can accumulate value on a tax-deferred basis. This means that the value within your life insurance policy will grow faster than if you had to pay income tax each year on the interest as it is earned. Plus, you have access to the value within your policy by making a loan or by taking a partial withdrawal subject to surrender penalties during the first 10 years, and Market Value Adjustments on Fixed Interest options. Also, your beneficiaries will receive the death benefit tax free.

What guarantees are associated with my Tax Advantage Life Policy?
Your policy contains the following guarantees:

• Guaranteed cost of insurance: the current schedule of mortality deductions is guaranteed right in the contract.
• Guaranteed administration fees: there will be no increase in expense charges or policy fees for the life of the policy.
• Guaranteed tax exempt status: The life insurance company makes sure that all policies remain tax exempt. If necessary, the death benefit will be increased by as much as 8% each year to maintain your policy's tax exempt status.

What interest options are associated with my Tax Advantage Life Policy?
With Tax Advantage Life, you have many options to choose from:

• Daily Interest
• Guaranteed Interest
• Bond Indexes and Funds
• Canadian Equity
• U.S. Equity
• International Equity
• Managed Funds
• Allocation Portfolios

You can choose any combination of these options for your policy funds and you can switch between options.

Are there any guarantees associated with any of the interest options?
The interest payable on Guaranteed Interest Options is linked the yield of a comparable Government of Canada Bond, minus a charge. The bond and index options are designed to closely match the performance of the index or fund that they are based on.

How much flexibility do I have if I change my mind about my policy?
When you receive your policy, you have a "free look" period of 10 days from the day the policy is delivered to you. You may return it during the free look period for a full refund of the premium you paid. After the free look period, surrender penalties will apply. Premiums are flexible, although continuing to pay your premiums will help you maintain your policy's value. If you discontinue your premium payments, the policy may terminate. To avoid this situation, be sure to check your Annual Statement to make sure the value within your policy is sufficient to keep your policy in force.

Term Life Insurance FAQ

There are several different reasons for purchasing term life insurance. These reasons tend to suggest a period of time (term period) that would be most appropriate for you. To help with this, we have included a few examples where different time periods might apply. Please don't hesitate to ask our licensed online specialist if you need any further help.

10 Year
Let's say that you are a business owner, and you have a key employee that you wish to cover with life insurance. If you don't expect the employee to stay in the same position for more than 10 years, a 10-year term policy may be ideal.

20 Year
This is a very common choice among people seeking longer-term coverage because of the cost-effective nature of the premiums. For example, over 20-years the total premium on a 20-year policy generally costs much less than purchasing a 10-year policy and then keeping the same 10-year policy for an additional 10 years. If you have young children at home, a 20-year term policy could be the perfect choice for seeing them through their college years.

Are the premiums guaranteed?
Premiums are set and guaranteed when your policy is issued. Premiums will increase at each renewal as shown in the policy and are guaranteed never to increase during a renewal term.

Is there a money-back guarantee?
A policyholder may cancel coverage at any time during the first 10 days of the policy and receive a full refund of any premiums paid.

What do I do when my term period is finished?
When trying to decide which term period is right for you it is important to know your options. You can always apply for a new term insurance policy after your term is through. At the end of your policy, the insurance company will contact you to tell you that the policy is about to expire. At this point you have three options:

New Policy
Depending on your age and health, you can apply for a brand new policy with either your existing company or a new company. The new policy will simply replace the former policy. You must be careful when doing this because new underwriting requirements must be met with a new policy. Be sure to keep your old policy in force until you know the outcome of your new application. If your health has deteriorated you might face extremely high premiums, or even worse you might be refused coverage.

Keep your existing policy
If you know your health is bad, you can continue paying on the existing policy after it expires. It will automatically continue as an extension of your existing policy. The good part about continuing a policy is that you will not need to provide medical evidence of your insurability: renewal is automatic regardless of changes in your health of personal situation.  The downfall with this option is that the policy typically becomes annually renewable. This means that each year after the guaranteed term period has finished, the premiums will begin to increase substantially every year.

Convert to a Permanent Policy
You can convert your policy to a Permanent Life Insurance policy and lock in your premiums at a higher level for the rest of your life.  You have the right to convert an individual term insurance policy or rider to a plan of permanent insurance without evidence of insurability. The conversion of a Term Life policy may take place at any time before the policy anniversary nearest your 71st birthday. Of course, the premiums will depend on the type and amount of coverage chosen but, regardless of health, you cannot be turned down for coverage under this conversion option.

Business Challenges and Solutions

Business problems need smart solutions. And when it comes to insuring your success, the solution of choice is Business Term Insurance offered through The President's Group. Have a look at some solutions in action...

CHALLENGE: Funding Buy-Sell Agreements
If you have a partner, or multiple partners, you may have wondered, "What happens if one of us dies?" "Will the business continue smoothly, providing income for my family?" "Will there be funds on hand to exercise the buy-sell agreement?"

SOLUTION: Business Term Insurance
The Business Term Insurance offered at The President's Group can fund a buy-sell agreement and provide other funds necessary to ensure a smooth business transition in the event of a tragedy.

CHALLENGE: Keeping your insurance costs down
You and your partner each require life insurance as part of a business loan agreement with your bank. You are each considering alternatives, but worry about the high cost of holding individual policies.

SOLUTION: Business Term Insurance
Our Business Term Insurance can save your company money, while still providing the protection you need. It centralizes the administration fees under a single policy, and generally results in a lower total cost of insurance when compared to each partner being insured individually.

CHALLENGE: Protecting your family from capital gains tax. Your business is an asset. And like any asset, its value may result in a capital gains tax burden for your family when you die.

SOLUTION: Business Term Insurance
With our Business Term Insurance policies your family can afford all the benefits of your success. That's because our policies can provide tax-free funds to a named beneficiary to pay capital gains taxes and other business claims that may be triggered upon your death.

CHALLENGE: Protecting your family from final expenses resulting from self-employment. You're a self-employed professional, but worried that business expenses, taxes, and claims could create a financial hardship for your family, should you die unexpectedly.

SOLUTION: Business Term Insurance
Our Business Term Insurance policies can generate tax-free cash to a named beneficiary to pay off any final expenses resulting from your self-employment activities - allowing you to enjoy the peace of mind that comes from knowing your family will be safe.

CHALLENGE: Ensuring business continuation for family enterprises
As part of a family business, you understand the devastating effect the death of a family member can have on operations. Gone is the knowledge, expertise, and client base he or she contributed daily. So, should tragedy strike, you need a plan to ensure your company survives the turbulence.

SOLUTION: Business Term Insurance
Our Business Insurance policies can provide a valuable contingency fund in the event of the untimely death of a key proprietor. As a direct result your business continues to thrive while remaining in the family.

CHALLENGE: Succession Planning
You're like many business owners, carefully planning the day when the business you've built passes successfully to your heirs. But you're worried, "What if I die during the succession planning process?"

SOLUTION: Business Term Insurance
Your policy can provide the funds for an emergency succession should you unexpectedly die. And because those funds are tax free to a named beneficiary, the integrity of your business plan will be protected.