Group insurance provides a mechanism for employers to provide employee benefits as part of an employee’s total compensation package. Group insurance benefits commonly provided in the Canadian marketplace include:
1. Group Life Insurance
▪ Basic Life Insurance
The Life insurance provides basic financial protection to a plan member’s beneficiary if the member dies. The plan provides Life coverage in multiples of the member‘s salary, or as a flat amount. The amount of coverage is determined by the policy owner.
▪ Optional Group Life insurance
In additional to the basic life plan, optional group life insurance allows the employee both chooses the amount of coverage and pay for the additional coverage.
▪ Basic Dependant Life Insurance
Dependant Life provides a specified amount to the group member in lump-sum payment in the event of a spouse or child‘s death.
▪ Survivor income benefit insurance
Survivor income benefit insurance provides an income in the form of ongoing annuity payment to the spouse and dependent children of the group member who dies.
▪ Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance(AD&D)
AD&D provides an additional benefit if a plan member dies, loses the use of a limb, is paralyzed or loses hearing, speech or sight as the result of an accident.
2. Group Disability Income Insurance
▪ Short Term Disability Insurance(STD)
STD provides replacement of lost income if a plan member is temporarily unable to work because of total disability. Benefits are paid weekly until the insured is able to return to work, or until Long-Term Disability benefits start.
▪ Long Term Disability Insurance(LTD)
LTD provides financial assistance if a plan member cannot work for an extended period of time because of total disability. It supplements disability benefits available from government programs to ensure members fully recover and return to a productive and self-sufficient lifestyle.
3. Group Health Insurance
▪ Extended Health Care(EHC)
EHC helps plan members and their dependents pay for necessary medical expense that are not covered by their provincial plans. There is a choice of annual deductible amounts that members pay, as well as choice of reimbursement levels.
EHC usually includes: ambulance services, prescribed drugs, private-duty nursing, appliances (e.g. back braces and artificial limbs) and diagnostic services.
▪ Dental Insurance
▪ Vision Insurance
Group insurance could also include emergency travel assistance, group critical illness insurance, acupuncturist, massage therapist and so on.