Best Life Insurance for Cancer in Canada (Patients & Survivors)

The best type of life insurance for cancer patients is usually a guaranteed issue policy. Insurers will approve this type of policy without any of your medical information.

But this comes at a cost because life insurance companies treat these applicants like they're all equally risky to cover.

Life life insurance advisor, Tobin Tuff says,

“Guaranteed issue policies are more expensive than a traditional life insurance policy, with smaller payout options.”

‍“And, like with most life insurance, there is a two-year waiting period. So if you pass before then, your loved ones will only get a return of premiums, not a payout.”

Here’s what Tobin says about other life insurance options if you have cancer:

• No medical life insurance (also known as simplified issue life insurance) will not be a good option here because there is still a medical questionnaire as a part of the application
• Generally, you need to be cancer-free for three years to apply for a "regular" term life insurance policy
• There are some rare exceptions to this, for example, with malignant melanoma, where you can apply for a (more affordable!) term policy immediately after having it removed

‍Here is a breakdown of how these types of life insurance compare:

The best type of life insurance for cancer survivors depends on how recently you went into remission.

Three in four Canadians diagnosed with cancer are expected to recover, says the Canadian Cancer Society. So if you waited to get life insurance, you still have options!

Here are some life insurance options for you, as a cancer survivor:

• If you just recently went into remission, you may still only qualify for guaranteed issue life insurance.
• You may qualify for no medical life insurance as well, but note that they will likely still ask you questions about your health history and premiums will be high
• You may qualify for a traditional term life insurance or permanent life insurance policy if you’ve been in remission for a few years or more. The number of years you’ve been in remission depends on each company’s policy rules

‍Have you been in remission for three or more years? You can qualify for some of the most cost-effective term life insurance on the market with PolicyMe.

The best life insurance companies for cancer patients are Canada Protection Plan, Assumption Life and CIBC Life Insurance.

‍We review companies that offer guaranteed issue policies, which is a type of life insurance that doesn't require without a medical questionnaire or exam.

But don't forget: these policies are pricey, have smaller payouts and are only for very specific life situations. Each option offers different coverage amounts.

If you’re not sure how much coverage you need, you can use our life insurance calculator. Or you can explore our reviews of the best life insurance in Canada for other policy types.

‍Canada Protection Plan offers a life insurance policy called Guaranteed Acceptance Life. No matter your current health condition, you will be accepted.

Coverage: Up to $50K

Eligibility: Ages 18–75

Pros:

• Includes terminal illness benefit; if you’re diagnosed with a terminal illness, this pays up to 75% of the death benefit (maximum $250K) to the policy owner
• Includes transportation benefit; this helps with the cost of transportation if you (the policyholder) pass away more than 200km from your principal residence
• Optional accidental death benefit of up to 5x your death benefit; eligibility depends on age. But note that this will increase your monthly premiums
• In the fifth policy year, it will start to accumulate a cash value; if you cancel your policy, you (the policy owner) will get any cash value back

Cons

• Two-year waiting period and if you pass away before then by non-accidental means, your beneficiaries only get a refund of premiums

Assumption Life offers term life and permanent life insurance options with fewer medical requirements. Their guaranteed issue life insurance is called Bronze Protection. Below are more details about it.

Coverage: Up to $50K

Eligibility: Ages 18–80

Pros:

• Includes living benefit of 50% of coverage amount if you’re diagnosed with a terminal illness
• Includes transportation benefit of up to $2K if you pass away 200km away from your home
• Includes accidental death benefit
• After the fifth policy year, you can get cash values
• After the fifth policy year, you can get reduced paid-up. The Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association explains that this means you don’t pay any more premiums and your policy will continue but for a reduced coverage amount

Cons

• No death benefit if you pass away in the first two years of the policy
• Coverage for ages 71–80 is less (between $2,500 and $25,000)

CIBC’s Guaranteed Acceptance Life Insurance product is not as robust as other companies but it can be a good last resort option. You can still get some coverage with it to help cover funeral and other expenses after your passing.

Coverage: Increments of $5K, up to $25K

Eligibility: Canadian resident aged 40–74

Pros:

• Locked in premiums if your smoker status stays the same
• Lower rates for non-smokers
• You can get coverage for your spouse as well
• Accidental death coverage of up to 5x your coverage, if you pass away before age 80 (maximum $125K)
• Optional living benefit if after two years you’re diagnosed with a terminal illness and have two years or less to live. You can receive up to 50% of your coverage amount
• 30-day review period where you can cancel your policy and get a full refund

Cons

• If you pass away before two years, no death benefit; only your premiums will be returned
• After your policy becomes active, you cannot add a spouse to it
• You can’t change the coverage amount of your policy; if you want to increase coverage, you need to buy a new policy

To get a life insurance quote for cancer patients, many companies have an online tool you can use to get an estimate.

But you can be eligible for a few different types of policies depending on your unique situation and type of cancer; so it might be a good idea to contact an insurance advisor at the company.

They can give you a quote and help answer your questions in more detail.

But tread carefully: many life insurance advisors are commissioned and incentivized to sell customers more coverage than they might require.

If you’ve been cancer-free for three years, you can get a life insurance quote with PolicyMe in just a few clicks. No commitment necessary.

1. Know that you absolutely do have options for keeping your family financially secure if you pass away.
2. Keep in mind that guaranteed issue life insurance is much more expensive than traditional types of coverage. And the payout amounts are much smaller too.
3. You can get life insurance quotes online to start shopping around for rates.
4. If you’re a cancer survivor, you can shop around for other options like term life insurance, which is considerably more affordable and for much bigger payouts.
5. Caution: there is a two-year waiting period for most life insurance in Canada. If you pass away before then, your beneficiaries just get your premiums paid back, not the full payout.

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