How are Canadians investing their money so far this year? With how unpredictable the economy has been, knowing the most popular investment choices for Canadians in 2023 is more valuable than ever, especially if you want to invest for yourself!
In this article, we’ll go through where most Canadian investors put their money. We’ll explain what makes these investments popular, and what you can expect out of them.
No matter what happens, the stock market stays the king of investments worldwide, and it’s also true for Canadians. It’s a tried and true method of long term investing, with an exciting mix of risk management for people who would otherwise get bored of investing.
Buying a stock is buying partial ownership, or shares, of a company. When a company does well, their stock price increases. So if you invested in a company before they became successful, you can sell your shares later for profit.
Many stocks also distribute dividends, which are small shares of a company’s earnings. As a partial owner of the company, a stockholder is entitled to their fair share of the company’s earnings. If a company you invested in does well on a regular basis, dividends can be a reliable source of passive income.
While stocks remain the most popular investment for Canadians, they can still be one of the more risky investments. If your stocks do well, that’s great news for you! But unfortunately, stocks don’t always do well. With crashes becoming a more and more regular occurrence in the stock market, investing in stocks looks to be as risky as ever.
If you’re interested in investing in the stock market, make sure you understand the risks well so that you can plan for them better.
In spite of the recent market correction we saw in Canada’s real estate market, it remains a strong and reliable investment for Canadians to this day. Let’s see what makes real estate a mainstay in Canadian investor’s portfolios.
The best part about real estate is that it requires very little knowledge to get into. Everyone can learn how to buy and sell a house with relative ease. And unlike things like stocks or cryptocurrencies, you can see what you’re putting your money into. That makes real estate a more trustworthy investment for Canadians, especially older generations.
Real estate investments are usually big, because housing is expensive. But that doesn’t mean that you need a huge amount of money to start investing in real estate. With only $20 or $30,000 of downpayment, you can easily buy a $400,000 home.
If you have a steady income and will be able to pay your mortgage regularly, you won’t need to enter the real estate market with a lot of cash in the first place.
One of the main advantages of investing in real estate is that it’s one of the more inflation-resistant investments out there. No matter how the economy is doing, a home is a home, and people need roofs over their heads.
If you’re a risk-averse investor and want something reliable, real estate is a great choice for you.
One of the main drawbacks of investing in real estate is being a long term landlord. If you’re flipping house quickly, this is less of a problem. But for most Canadians, real estate is a long term investment.
And what comes with owning a home for many years? Maintenance, property taxes, having to manage tenants if you decide to rent it out, renovations… When compared to a stock, there’s a lot of extra work that comes with real estate ownership.
While not as popular as the stock market or real estate, fixed income investments have been on the rise due to the high interest rates coming from the Bank of Canada.
A fixed income investment is when you put money somewhere and are promised a fixed interest rate or dividend payment until your investment matures. After maturity, you get the initial amount of money you invested back.
Let’s say you put $10,000 on a fixed income investment that promises 5% interest over a year. After one year, you’ll get your $10,000 back, with 5% on top, for a total of $10,500.
There are multiple kinds of fixed income investments. Some of the most popular are:
The greatest asset that fixed income investments have is how reliable they are. With a GIC, your investment is “guaranteed”, it’s in the name. You know exactly what you’re going to get when your investment reaches maturity, no matter what. When compared to the volatility of the stock market or ups and downs of real estate, you can’t get a more reliable investment than fixed income.
On top of reliability, fixed income investments are some of the easiest investments to make. After all, all you’re doing is putting your money somewhere for a determined period of time. You can open a GIC over the phone with most Canadian banks in less than an hour currently.
The only real downside to fixed income investments is that you can’t expect that much out of them. 5% is 5%, and that’s far from nothing, but you’re not going to get much more than 5% out of fixed income. Compare that to what’s possible with the stock market, and the difference is striking. Low reward is the price you pay for absolute reliability.
Investing in crypto isn’t nearly as popular with Canadians as the other investments we mentioned, but it’s worth a mention because of how quickly it’s rising. While only 13% of Canadians owned crypto assets going into 2023, the market is projected to grow by 14% by 2027.
The crypto market is still young, and investors haven’t quite figured it out yet. Recently we’ve seen extreme volatility with cryptocurrencies, with big booms and catastrophic crashes.
If you’re the kind of investor that’s interested in exploring uncharted territories, and taking big risks for possibly huge rewards, then you could join the growing number of Canadians that are turning toward cryptocurrencies.
With how the economy has been doing recently, it’s more important than ever to find the best ways to invest your money. Smart investments are the best way to stay safe from economic instability.
When people think of investing their money, they don’t always think of life insurance. But life insurance is one of the most reliable investments out there, and it’s quite popular among Canadians (more popular than crypto!).
If you’re interested in protecting your family’s financial future, then life insurance is the right investment for you. Life insurance is reliable, low cost, and with potentially high rewards, especially if you get into it early.
Ontario announced reduced daycare fees in Ontario. This is great news for any family with a young child!
In this article, we'll go over the new government program helping reduce daycare fees in Ontario, and what that can mean for your finances if you have a young child.
The average Canadian family spends about $10,000 per year on a single child’s daycare (and this number goes up significantly in urban areas). It is by far one of the largest expenses for families with young children.
The added cost of daycare has been a deterrent for many young couples in Canada from starting their own families. If both parents work full time, there are very few options left other than shouldering the high cost of childcare.
To address the issue of rising daycare costs, the Ontario government issued a program to progressively reduce daycare costs. Their goal is to reach an average of $10 per day by September 2025.
By comparison, if you were to send your child to daycare for every business day, for a full year, it would add up to $2,500. While that’s still a lot, it’s a quarter of the 2022 yearly daycare expenditure.
On top of this, the government is investing in increasing the availability of daycare to all Ontario families. Childcare spaces are currently limited, and families often have to be put on waitlists in hopes of sending their child to daycare. The Ontario government aims to add 50,000 spaces to the current daycare infrastructure.
If you’re the parent of a young child and are concerned about daycare costs, then you’re in luck! These programs were designed to take that weight off your shoulders. Within the next few years, daycare costs in Ontario should be cut dramatically, together with more spaces for children.
This is great news for your child, because it means you’ll almost certainly be able to send them to daycare. You won’t need to compromise your own career goals to make sure your child is properly taken care of.
On top of all this, you’ll be saving thousands of dollars per year.
One of the main goals of the reduced daycare fees in Ontario program is to “put money back into parents’ pockets”, as Minister of Education Stephen Lecce puts it.
Now that you’ll have an extra few thousands of dollars to spare for your family, what’s the best use you can make out of it? The best thing you can do is invest your money so your child has a safe future ahead of them.
As a young parent, there’s no better way to protect your family’s future than by investing in a life insurance policy.
A term life policy lasts for a determined period, and if something were to happen to you during that time, your family will receive your life insurance payout. It’s the perfect way to make sure that your child will be financially protected until they become financially independent adults.
The best part about life insurance is that the younger you are, the cheaper it is. With the thousands of dollars the Ontario government is giving you back, you’ll probably be saving enough money to pay for a term life policy, and still have plenty left to invest elsewhere!
With these new policies, there’s never been a better time for Ontario families to invest in life insurance. From daycare to adulthood, you can guarantee that your child will be taken care of!
With how the economy did in 2023, it’s never a bad idea to find ways to cut costs. In this article, we’ll go through 4 easy ways to save money in Canada. The focus of this post is to give you simple solutions that won’t force you to compromise on your quality of life. If you even follow a couple of these steps, you’ll be on the right track to having better finances fast.
The best place to start is with the small things, like what you eat and what you drink. It may not seem like much, but getting your groceries in order adds up really quickly!
Cooking your own meals is one of the best ways to save money on a day to day basis. The main reason is that when you buy food from a restaurant, you’re paying for your food, but also the service. Forbes finds that eating out can cost anywhere from 3 to 5 times as much as cooking for yourself. And with the rising cost of groceries, that number is more important than ever.
According to StatCan, the main reason 40% of Canadians eat out is for convenience. They either don’t have time to cook or don’t know how to. If you’re one of those people, you shouldn’t worry! Meal-prepping is a great way to save time and money. You can prepare meals for the week during the weekend when you have plenty of time!
While it’s unlikely that saying no to Starbucks will make you a millionaire, you can definitely cut down on unnecessary spending. Since Canadians are some of the biggest coffee drinkers in the world, there’s definitely a few cents to be saved here and there.
The best thing to do is to buy your own coffee and avoid going to Tim Hortons or Starbucks as much as possible. CNET finds that making coffee at home is about three times cheaper than buying your coffee from Starbucks.
Groceries have been a big talking point for Canadians this year. With how high prices have soared, it’s more important to watch how you’re spending your money on groceries than ever before.
Remember that whole bunch of cilantro you bought to test out a new recipe? Most of it went bad in the fridge and you had to throw it out… Canadian households waste between 80 and 140 kilograms of food per year. Wasting food is already bad, but that’s dollars down the drain too!
Buying perishable foods in smaller quantities, so that you don’t end up throwing some (or most) of it out, is a great way to avoid paying for food you’ll never end up eating. Smaller packages are more expensive by weight than bigger ones, but if you throw out half of the bigger package, you won’t be saving any money.
The opposite goes for non-perishable food. Think beans, pasta, canned food, spices, salt. Since these don’t go bad, it’s best to save by buying in bulk. The best thing about buying in bulk is that once you buy something, you won’t have to worry about running out for a while!
A big part of our wasted money comes from our buying habits. We’re too quick to replace an item when repairing it would be just fine. Or we’re fixated on buying new rather than checking out used options.
Adopting buying habits that are geared towards saving money is a great way to reduce excessive spending without really compromising on the quality of your purchases.
Efficiency matters. For larger purchases like cars or appliances, consider long-term savings in fuel or power efficiency over the initial cost. It might be tempting to go for the cheaper choice, but more efficient models could save money down the line.
A fuel efficient car will cost you between 50 and 200% less in fuel than an inefficient car would. Given how much Canadians spend per year on gas, you could easily save hundreds per year just by choosing a more efficient vehicle.
You can use this tool to calculate your vehicle’s fuel consumption (as well as many other things), courtesy of the CAA.
The best way to spend money on things is to only have to spend money on them once. Buying items that will last you a lifetime, without needing to be repaired or replaced, will basically pay for themselves.
When buying things like household items and clothing, a long term approach is the way to go. Higher quality items might have a higher upfront cost, but they’re usually very much worth it.
If you’re unsure where to start, you can check out the Reddit BuyItForLife community that focuses on smart long term purchases.
Buying used doesn't only apply to cars. Many everyday items, from books to furniture, can be found in good condition at thrift stores or online platforms like Kijiji. It’s a great way to save money while reducing environmental waste.
In a throwaway culture, learning to repair your stuff, whether it's clothing, tech, or household items, is a green and budget-friendly choice.
There are countless online tutorials to help you get started on basic repairs. Basic repairs are much easier than you think and they can save you the cost of a full replacement!
Remember to take advantage of coupons and flyers. Sign up for free services like Honey, a browser extension that finds and applies coupon codes at checkout with a single click.
Flipp is a great app for finding flyers at grocery stores. And when you find good prices, don’t forget to price-match at your local supermarket to get the best deal!
Owning a home is expensive. Mortgages, property taxes, renovations and maintenance… It’s a lot of regular spending. But your home doesn’t have to be a money sink. It has the potential to be a source of income or savings if used wisely.
Paying down your mortgage faster reduces the amount of interest you’ll pay over the life of your loan. Simplifying your financial life as you approach retirement could also help you save money in the long run.
Things can get quiet around the house as you get older, especially if your kids have moved out. If you have empty rooms available, you could always look into renting them out to a student. It’s a bit of extra income and it’s not a big commitment.
Utilities can take up a large portion of your monthly budget. You can cut costs by using energy and water more efficiently. Simple steps like turning off lights, not letting water run, and unplugging devices not in use, can contribute to lowering your bills.
The Government of Canada has a great guide you can follow to help reduce your energy bill. It’s both a great savings tool and a way to be more environmentally responsible.
Finally, taking a comprehensive look at your financial health can make a massive difference to your savings.
Opening a Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP) for your child can assist in managing future education costs. The government of Canada contributes to some extent to your RESP, making it an excellent option for long-term savings.
It may seem obvious, but it’s crucial. Always make sure to pay off your credit card bills on time to avoid interest charges. If possible, pay in full to avoid spiralling into debt.
Finally, make sure you're taking full advantage of the tax benefits and grants offered by all levels of government in Canada. Speak with a financial advisor or use reputable online resources to identify further savings potential in this area.
You can check if you qualify for any benefits here.
Consider setting up automatic transfers to your savings account. Over time, this "out of sight, out of mind" tactic can result in a robust savings account without you even noticing. It's an excellent way to save without significant budgetary adjustments in your daily life.
Following these gentle steps can help ground you financially and take you closer to your money-saving goals in Canada.
Finding ways to save money is hard, but not impossible! With this post, we gave you some easy guidelines to follow if you want to save some extra cash on the side.
Remember that even following one step is great. You don’t need to do everything we mentioned here (and there are many more ways to save money than discussed in this post!). What’s important is getting started and slowly learning to manage your finances better.
At Insurance Supermarket, we’re all about making smart financial choices.
Changing your coffee drinking habit saves you about $30 a month, and that might seem small. But just that one bit of saving could be enough to get you a life insurance plan!
With our vast array of policy choices, we can guarantee we have the right kind of life insurance for you.
Are you considering the benefits of a Final Expense plan for your family's financial future? If so, you're certainly heading in the right direction. Moreover, it's important to know that this doesn't have to be an overwhelming process. Getting final expense insurance quotes, in fact, is simpler than you might imagine. Particularly, this becomes a breeze when you're working with the skilled experts from ISI.
In this blog post, you'll find a simple, step-by-step guide on how to get accurate final expense insurance quotes directly from ISI's online platform. Plus, find out what sets us apart in the insurance market, ensuring you're making an informed decision every time.
Every journey towards financial protection begins with understanding your needs. Factors such as your age, health, lifestyle, financial obligations, dependents, and final wishes all play a role in determining the coverage you need from your final expense insurance plan. Carefully considering these factors ensures you select the coverage that aligns best with your personal circumstances and protects your loved ones from any financial burdens.
Examining these factors allows you to have a solid grasp of your final expense needs and helps set the right expectations when procuring final expense insurance quotes.
To further facilitate your understanding of the coverage you need, we provide a handy online tool – ISI's Insurance simple insurance coverage Calculator. This easy-to-use calculator factors into account your income, expenses, savings, and future financial obligations to help you estimate the coverage amount necessary for your unique situation. It's a simple and effective way to start your journey towards financial security.
In short, it's important to invest the time to truly understand your insurance needs. By doing so, you ensure your final expense insurance quote is personalized to your lifestyle. And in turn, you offer your loved ones the financial protection they deserve with no extra costs.
At ISI, we appreciate how crucial ease and speed are in the decision-making process. So, we ensure that our clients can retrieve their final expense insurance quotes without any unnecessary hassle. To achieve this, we've refined our procedure to three straightforward steps.
Here's a detailed step-by-step walkthrough of our simplified procedure:
To start things off, our online platform presents you with a fuss-free questionnaire. Here, we gather necessary details about your lifestyle and life stage. These include factors like your gender, date of birth, smoking status, and residency status.
Providing accurate and honest responses is vital at this stage as your inputs have a direct influence on the terms and cost of your potential insurance policy.
Next, one of our advisors will get in touch with you. These dedicated teams of professionals are the heart of ISI and contribute significantly to the simplicity of our process. Over a brief, friendly conversation, you'll answer a few simple questions relevant to your insurance needs and preferences.
Via this dialogue, our advisors can guide you to the most suited policy options for your requirements—ensuring your policy is tailored perfectly to you.
Having concluded the consultation, our team promptly begins the underwriting process. We understand the time-sensitivity of financial security and strive to deliver at unprecedented speeds. As such, you'll typically receive your policy within 48 hours of finalizing your quote.
In exceptional situations, the processing time may be slightly more extended. However, rest assured that we diligently adhere to our timelines and will always endeavour to ensure your policy is delivered as efficiently as possible.
In essence, navigating insurance doesn't need to be complicated or time-consuming. With ISI, your journey to securing final expense insurance is as straightforward as one-two-three.
Once you have your insurance quote from ISI, you will notice the difference. Equipped with accurate, personalised insurance quotes and unparalleled customer support, you'll be ready to make informed decisions regarding your family's financial future promptly.
In the end, obtaining an insurance quote with ISI couldn't be easier. With our fast, convenient online tool that doesn't require tedious paperwork, and our online coverage calculator, we made the complex task of securing life insurance incredibly straightforward.
Ease your way into the insurance decision-making process with ISI's online Final Expense insurance quote. Receive all the information you need and ensure that you are making an informed decision tailored to your unique situation.
Secure your family’s financial future with a simple click. Reach out to us today and experience the ease of getting an insurance quote online with ISI!
When you want to solidify your financial future against unanticipated events like serious accidents or illnesses, combining life and disability insurance under one umbrella is a smart move. Navigating the Canadian disability insurance landscape can seem overwhelming with so many options and terms to understand. However, with Insurance Supermarket International, we ease this process, helping to protect your future without the worries and complications.
This article will assist you through the nitty-gritties of disability insurance in Canada and provide valuable insights on securing a combined and more affordable quote. With us, you'll be well protected against financial instability if you're rendered unable to work due to a temporary or permanent disability.
Ready to learn more? Let's jump right in!
Disability insurance, also known as Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance, offers financial assurance if you're unable to work due to an injury or illness. It's a reliable backup to support you and your family during trying times.
Insurance Supermarket provides disability insurance in Canada that's straightforward, comprehensive, and affordably priced — especially when added as a rider to a life insurance policy. Our tailored solutions give you financial peace of mind when you need it the most.
Your journey towards the right disability insurance quotes in Canada starts with understanding your unique needs. Settle on the amount of coverage you'd need to take care of expenses and financial responsibilities.
Ponder your lifestyle, family dependents, potential health costs, and future financial responsibilities. Also, keep your budget in mind so you don't stretch yourself too thin.
Instead of spending time sifting through multiple different quotes, we've simplified the process for you. You can try our user-friendly insurance coverage needs calculator to assist you in determining how much coverage you may require.
This straightforward tool takes into account various factors, from ongoing expenses to your family's future needs, to suggest an appropriate coverage amount for you. Quick and easy to use, it empowers you to make an informed decision with confidence.
Remember, a proper understanding of your requirement won't just get you a better quote, but also the right coverage, providing peace of mind for you and your family.
Insurance Supermarket International uncomplicates the task of protecting your financial future. By prioritizing simplicity and affordability, we stand out from other insurance providers. Our disability insurance plans are flexible, allowing for easy customization to suit your individual needs and financial circumstances. However, when considering our Term Life Plan as your primary plan, adding AD&D becomes a more cost-effective option.
Planning for unexpected events is key to managing your financial health. With disability coverage added as a rider to our Term Life plan, your insurance package becomes more comprehensive. In tough times, your focus can remain on your recovery while we handle the financial burden.
Our goal is to shield your financial future by providing cost-friendly insurance options. Whether it's helping you find the most advantages life and disability insurance quote or explaining complex policies, we're here for you every step of the way.
Are you prepared to secure your financial future with combined life and disability insurance? At ISI, we're committed to offering comprehensive, pocket-friendly insurance solutions. Our specialists guide you through every step of the process, helping you choose an optimal plan catering to your specific needs.
Let's walk together towards a secure, protected future today. At ISI, our focus is always on providing the necessary coverage when you and your family need it most.
Ready to Get Started? Hit the Button Below!
Life insurance provides financial protection to your loved ones in the event of your passing. It's an essential tool to secure your family's future and provide them with the necessary funds to cover expenses, such as mortgages, debts, and daily living costs. But is life insurance taxable in Canada?
In this article we'll be answering this question for you. Let's dive into this topic and explore how life insurance is treated under Canadian tax laws.
In Canada, the general rule is that the death benefit paid out by a life insurance policy is tax-free. This means that the money received by the beneficiaries is not subject to income tax. Whether it's a term life insurance policy or a permanent life insurance policy, the death benefit remains tax-free.
This tax-exempt status applies to both individual life insurance policies and group life insurance policies (employer-provided life insurance).
While your death benefit will generally be tax-free, there are some exceptions and considerations that you should be aware of. Let's explore these scenarios:
We covered the exceptional cases in which your life insurance may be subject to taxation. With that said, there are still a few things you should know about indirect forms of taxation:
If you purchase a life insurance policy to replace your income in the event of your passing, the beneficiaries' use of the death benefit may be subject to income tax. For example, if the beneficiaries invest the money and earn income from those investments, they may need to report that income and pay taxes on it. Consulting with a financial advisor can help you plan for income tax considerations.
If you have an investment-linked life insurance policy and the investments within the policy generate capital gains, those gains may be subject to capital gains tax. However, keep in mind that the death benefit portion of the policy remains tax-free.
It's essential to consult with a tax professional or a financial advisor who specializes in life insurance and taxation to understand your specific situation. They can provide guidance tailored to your needs and help you navigate through the complexities of taxation.
Life insurance can play a vital role in your financial plan, and understanding the tax implications ensures that you are making informed decisions to protect your loved ones.
So, is life insurance taxable in Canada? In Canada, life insurance benefits are generally tax-free. The death benefit received by the beneficiaries is not subject to income tax, making life insurance an attractive tool to secure your family's financial future.
However, there are exceptions and special circumstances where tax implications may arise. It's important to seek professional advice to understand the specific tax rules that apply to your life insurance policy.
Remember, life insurance provides financial protection, peace of mind, and a legacy for your loved ones. By comprehending the tax aspects, you can maximize the benefits of life insurance while planning for your family's future.
If you're considering life insurance or have any questions about your existing policy, Insurance Supermarket is here to help. Our team of experienced advisors can guide you through the process, ensuring that you find the right policy that meets your unique needs.
Life is expensive. And as more people are coming to realize, death is often expensive, too. And while things such as inflation and funeral expenses are often out of your control, what IS within your control is your preparedness to handle these matters. That's why understanding funeral costs has never been more important than now.
In this article, we delve into the matter of funeral costs in 2023, reveal how they could impact your family, and show you how effective life insurance solutions can mitigate these potential future burdens.
Let's begin!
Compared to a decade ago, the costs of ordinary life events, including funerals, have seen a significant increase. With rising inflation and cost of living, the average cost of a funeral in Canada today starts between $5,000 and $15,000.
However, this is just the basic cost. Add in extras like flowers, obituaries, venue rental, and catering for a reception and you could be looking at costs in excess of $20,000. And these costs are only set to rise each year.
But this is just for traditional burials. With how the costs of funerals are rising, more and more Canadians are turning to cremation instead of burials. Cremations are, on average, half as expensive as burials.
If you already know whether you want to be buried or cremated, that’ll help you figure out a big part of how much coverage you’ll need from your life insurance plan.
While covering funeral costs may not seem a significant burden when we're alive and earning, it can become a heavy financial load on the loved ones we leave behind when the time comes.
It’s also important to remember that funeral costs aren’t the only final expenses you may leave behind. Nursing home costs, privates nurses/PSWs, and personal debt are some common expenses associated with one’s end-of-life. Planning for these inevitable expenses early can help ease this potential future stress.
Luckily, there are solutions designed to do just that.
A Final Expense Plan is designed to cover these types of costs, so you don’t have to worry about burdening your family with them. It's an affordable, practical solution that offers a lump sum, non-taxable death benefit up to $50,000 to cover funeral and other final expenses.
If you’re not passing down a significant amount of inheritance to your family, a Canadian Final Expense Plan can be a useful alternative to ensure your family members are left with something to take care of your last expenses and more…without breaking the bank!
Life is unpredictable, but with a solid life insurance plan in place, the future doesn't have to be. A well-thought-out insurance strategy can provide the assurance of a secure financial future for you and comfort for those you leave behind.
Funerals are an inevitable aspect of life. Understanding funeral costs and planning for them now means less financial stress for your loved ones later. It’s best to get ahead of things, especially with how unpredictable funeral costs can be!
At Insurance Supermarket, we provide comprehensive life insurance solutions. Our Final Expense Plans that are tailored to your individual needs, providing you with peace of mind.
Are you ready to build a secure future? Discover our carefully designed Final Expense Plans and Term Life Insurance policies. Ensure your hard-earned money is there when your family needs it the most. Start planning your secure future with Insurance Supermarket today!
Let's Begin Your Journey. Get a quote Today!
Many Canadians enjoy the benefits of life insurance through their jobs. But is your employer’s life insurance enough for you? Should you rely on the coverage you get from your work to protect your family’s financial stability?
In this article, we’ll focus on answering these questions. First, we’ll start by explaining what kind of life insurance your employer is providing you with. Then, we’ll go over some of the strengths and weaknesses of employer-provided life insurance. Finally, we’ll show what an individual life insurance plan does better, and how you could use an individual plan to supplement your job’s life insurance policy.
The kind of life insurance that an employer provides to its employees is called Group Life insurance. As the name implies, group life insurance is a policy that covers a group of people, in this case employees of a company.
With a group life plan, the policyholder is not the same as the insured party. The policyholder is the company, whereas the insured party is the group of employees like you. The big advantage of this is that the company is responsible for paying all or a majority of the policy’s premiums. This leaves you, the employee, with very little responsibility and all the benefits of your group life insurance!
There are two conventional ways for determining your group life insurance’s coverage amount. The first is a fixed amount that is identical for all insured persons under the policy. The second is a multiple of the insured employee’s salary, typically 2 or 3 years worth.
While we believe you shouldn’t rely too much on your employer’s life insurance, there are still great sides to it. It’s important to know what good comes from a Group Life plan to see where it falls short later on.
So let’s look at the upsides of a Group Life policy:
Accessibility: If your employer offers life insurance, you are guaranteed to be eligible for it upon being hired. And since it’s part of your benefits package, most of the administrative work will be done by your employer.
Cost: Your employer will either pay a majority or all of your policy’s premiums. Because of this, Group Life plans can be extremely cheap, if not free, for you.
Early coverage: If you’re still early in your career, you’re probably not thinking about life insurance. Or, you might not be able to afford it. Employer life insurance ignores these obstacles and just gives you coverage automatically.
Customizability: Despite being group policies, you will generally have some level of flexibility with what you get out of your life insurance package. This is especially true for employees who have spent a long time with a company and their life circumstances have changed.
Despite being a great (and guaranteed!) source of financial protection, there are some big issues with Group Life policies. It’s crucial to know exactly where your employer’s life insurance policy falls short.
Limited mobility & security: The thing about your job’s life insurance is that… it’s tied to your job. This means that your life insurance plan won’t be portable. If you are laid off, change jobs, retire, quit, or your employer goes out of business or sells, chances are, your current protection won’t carry over with you. Unlike a personal policy, life insurance that’s tied to a group policy has no guarantee of being in effect if and when you actually need it.
Not enough coverage: A Group Life policy will usually provide a coverage of around 2 or 3 times your salary. With the average Canadian salary floating around 50 and 60,000 dollars per year, that amounts to $100,000–$180,000 of coverage. While this is more than enough coverage for your 20 year old single coworker with no children, for example, it won’t be nearly enough if you have a family or dependants. If you have dependents, adequate coverage is generally considered to be a policy worth 10-15 times your annual income. Chances are, your group benefits aren’t nearly enough!
Personalization: An individual policy is made just for you. It’s not a general policy that is one-size-fits-all (which is in reality all too commonly one-size-fits-none). It’s a plan that you build together with your provider, going over the exact details so that it perfectly suits your needs. This is where nothing can beat having your own bespoke policy.
Take advantage of your age: No matter how old you are, now is the youngest you’ll ever be. Since life insurance premiums are dependent on age, locking in a personal policy today allows you to keep your rates lower than waiting. Don’t make the common mistake of waiting until your group plan lapses or until a health scare comes up to realize your coverage may not be enough.
Reliability: There’s no middleman with individual plans. It’s just you and your insurance provider. Your death benefit won’t be dependent on your job and employer, and you won’t lose it if you decide to move to another job or retire. As long as you pay your premiums, your coverage isn’t going anywhere, regardless of what happens with your career!
Coverage amount: An individual plan will allow you to get a much bigger coverage than most Group Life policies. According to Investopedia, it’s best to aim for a coverage of about 10 times your current salary. It’s very unlikely that your employer’s plan will be able to cover you for that amount.
Add-ons and riders: An individual plan allows you to take advantage of the variety of extra features, such as riders, that they offer. You can additionally cover specific cases such as accidental death or injury, or certain serious diseases. Due to employers wanting to keep overhead costs low, most group plans don’t offer additional coverage that would otherwise be beneficial.
Adaptability: Your individual plan can evolve with your situation. If you want to use your individual plan to simply supplement your employer’s life insurance and cover its weaknesses, that’s an option. Later on, if you lose your employer’s coverage, you can renegotiate your individual plan and expand it as needed.
If you’re looking into getting an individual plan, there are a few options to choose from. Here’s a quick rundown of the two most common types of life insurance plans that are available to you.
Term Life Insurance is the most basic and affordable type of life insurance. It provides coverage for a fixed period called “term”, usually ranging from 5 to 30 years. If you die during this period, your beneficiaries will receive your death benefit. But once your term ends, your policy expires. It’s a great choice for people looking to protect the financial stability of their families through a specific period at an affordable rate.
Permanent Life Insurance is the more sophisticated type of life insurance. It has no expiry date, so as long as you’re paying premiums, you’ll stay protected forever. Permanent Life Insurance has more advanced things you can do with your plan, like borrowing against it or using it for estate planning. The added usability and reliability of permanent life insurance comes with a higher price tag.
Want to learn more about Term Life and Permanent Life insurance? Check out our Life Insurance 101 blog for a more detailed explanation!
When a job offers life insurance as a benefit, it’s always a blessing. With little premiums to pay, it’s a great bonus for employees of a company. What we tried to show in this blog post is that it’s best to think of your Group Life policy as just that: a bonus.
Because of the nature of Group Life policies, they end up being too generalist in their approach and too rigid to be relied upon by individuals. While we believe everyone should take advantage of whatever benefits their job offers, we also think it can be risky to rely on these benefits too heavily.
If you have an employer-provided life insurance policy, the best thing you can do is to supplement it with an individual policy of your own. This way, you’ll cover up any weaknesses that your Group Life policy has, and you’ll have a financial safety net that won’t go away if your job does. (And, you’ll be surprised to learn how affordable insurance can actually be, potentially starting at just a dollar a day.)
A problem with employer-provided life insurance is that it makes people forget how important having your own plan is. And the earlier you start, the cheaper your premiums will be. So there’s no better time than now to get the best plan for your needs!
With our group of experienced advisors, we’ll be able to help you figure out what you need to supplement your work’s life insurance plan. We’ll help you get started today - it’s easier than you think!
