The life insurance death benefit is generally tax-free in Canada. This is because most inheritances in Canada aren't taxable. There is no death tax or estate inheritance tax that beneficiaries need to pay out.
Beneficiaries don't usually have to pay income tax in Canada on life insurance proceeds they get from a life insurance policy.
Not sure if this applies to you? Make sure you consult with a qualified tax professional for advice specific to your situation. Or chat with one of our licensed Canadian advisors seven days a week.
Looking into term life insurance? PolicyMe offers some of the most competitive rates in Canada, plus a 10 per cent discount for couples who apply in their first year.
Let's look in more detail when life insurance can be taxed in Canada.
When setting up your life insurance policy, you should always name a beneficiary.
What’s the best way to avoid a tax payment when the executor of your estate files your final tax return?
Whenever your relationships and financial life change, remember to update your life insurance policy's beneficiary information.
That way your money is going exactly where you want it to go, instead of to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA).
2. You withdraw from a permanent policy's cash value
Permanent life insurance policies can accumulate a cash value that earns interest over your policy term. Usually, this cash value is invested to increase the policy's worth.
Let's say you decide to withdraw from this cash value. The cash value of your policy will be taxable if your withdrawal affects what the policy was originally worth.
Withdrawing against your cash value, also called borrowing against life insurance, isn't a sure bet, so make sure to consult with a licensed financial professional.
3. You earn dividends on a life insurance policy
When you have a permanent policy, you may shelter cash that is invested by your insurance provider so you can earn dividends.
Those dividends or earnings are subject to capital gains tax, which you must include a T5 slip with your tax return. No worries, your insurer will send you the T5 slip, and then you report it on line 12100 of your return.
4. You surrender your permanent policy
While your life insurance policy is active, any investments within are tax-sheltered.
When you cancel your policy, though, you may be taxed on any cash value that's built up.
The cash value will be taxed as income, by the way, not capital gains.
Cancelling your permanent life insurance policy is also known as surrendering your policy or cashing it out.
5. Your beneficiaries get interest earnings
Your beneficiaries may receive interest earnings from your policy, along with your death benefit. This interest can then be taxed by the CRA as income.
Income earned as interest is usually taxable by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). The growth of your cash value, while it’s still locked up in your permanent life insurance policy, is exempt from taxation.
6. You sell your permanent policy
It's possible to sell a permanent life insurance policy in Canada while you're still alive, but you can only do so in Quebec right now.
This is generally done if the policyholder needs cash, can't afford to continue paying their premiums or no longer wants the policy, for example.
But if you do sell your permanent life insurance policy, you could get taxed.
This is because earnings on the sale are considered income and you'll need to report it to the CRA.
Reminder: it's not legal to sell your permanent life insurance policy in most provinces and territories in Canada. There is a movement in Ontario to make it legal. If passed, the proposed Bill 219 would allow Ontario residents with life insurance to sell their policies.
It used to be legal to sell your life insurance policy in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Saskatchewan, but this was abolished by 2020.
How do I report a life insurance payout on my tax return?
You don't need to report a payout on your tax return unless you receive interest earnings on the death benefit, which is specific only to a permanent policy.
If a payout needs to be reported, the insurance company will automatically issue a T5 slip.
If you surrendered your permanent policy, this form would be issued to you and it will go to your beneficiary if you pass away.
Line 121 of the form will outline the interest earnings that would need to be reported, according to the Canada Revenue Agency.
Can I use life insurance to reduce tax on my final tax return?
Yes, it is possible to use life insurance to reduce tax on your final tax return in Canada. And by final tax return, we mean after you pass away.
To do so you need to:
- Name your estate as your beneficiary in your life insurance policy, instead of a person.
- Your estate isn't charged inheritance taxes by the CRA.
- The beneficiary of your estate won't have to pay taxes on it.
- You can require that your policy's death benefit is used to for any final taxes, so your estate won't have to cover them.
- Meaning your heirs won't have to use your estate to cover taxes.
Using permanent life insurance to reduce tax isn't a good bet
Using permanent life insurance to reduce tax on your final return isn't a great strategy because most Canadians don't need permanent life insurance.
In a recent study, we found that 22% of Canadian parents bought permanent life insurance.
But permanent policies aren't great because they're very expensive and if you're looking to make money from investments, it's better to max out tax-sheltered accounts like TFSAs and RRSPs first.
So why pay those sky-high permanent premiums for the rest of your life when you don’t have to?
Term life insurance is a much better value for the average Canadian family, as you can see from the price breakdown below.
|
$250,000 20-year term life insurance |
$250,000 whole life insurance |
| Male, aged 30 |
$18/month |
$135/month |
| Female, aged 30 |
$15/month |
$121/month |
| Male, aged 40 |
$28/month |
$204/month |
| Female, aged 40 |
$22/month |
$178/month |
| Male, aged 50 |
$72/month |
$327/month |
| Female, aged 50 |
$51/month |
$279/month |
PolicyMe offers some of the most competitive term life insurance rates in Canada, with an easy online life insurance quote and application process. Use our term insurance calculator now!
Is tax added to my monthly premiums?
Your beneficiary isn't the only one who doesn't have to pay tax for your life insurance. Your life insurance premiums are tax-free too.
That's one of the big advantages of buying life insurance in Canada.
When you pay your monthly premiums, you won't be charged HST. That's because, like other financial services, life insurance premiums are exempt from GST/HST.
How to make life insurance easier for your beneficiaries
Losing a loved one is hard, but know that you can make claiming your life insurance easy for loved ones by taking these simple steps:
1. Don’t forget to name your beneficiaries
Properly filing the name of your beneficiary or beneficiaries with your life insurance company can speed up the settlement process and help avoid probate, associated costs and most outstanding debts owed.
2. Let your beneficiaries know that you have them covered
Regardless of who you choose as your beneficiary, be sure to let them know. We’re sure you’ll get lots of love and gratitude in return.
What’s even more helpful? Provide them with your insurance provider's details so they can file a death claim easily without searching through your paperwork.
3. Put everything in writing and record every detail. It’s worth the extra effort
Be specific when it comes to how you want your policy's death benefit doled out.
For example, if you want your children to receive your life insurance payout, list their legal names and social security numbers rather than simply listing “children.”
If you wish to name a charitable organization as the beneficiary, outline the organization's name, address and tax ID number.
4. Name your secondary beneficiaries too. That way your death benefit will always find a tax-free home
There are two common types of beneficiaries:
- Primary
- Contingent, also referred to as secondary
A primary life insurance beneficiary is the individual who is first in line to receive your life insurance payout. Typical examples include your spouse, children or other close family members.
If your primary beneficiary passes away before or at the same time as you, a contingent (or secondary) beneficiary will receive your death benefit tax-free if you name them on your policy.
5. With every life change, update your life insurance too
Common reasons to update your life insurance beneficiary include getting married, getting divorced, having a new baby or adopting a child. To amend your policy's beneficiary information, contact your life insurance agent for help.
When you fail to keep your beneficiaries up-to-date, someone other than your intended may receive your insurance payout.
PolicyMe makes it as easy as possible for your beneficiaries to claim their payout. Your beneficiaries simply need to complete the following steps:
- Notify us by email or by completing the form of their loss
- Complete the required claim forms and provide more documents if requested
- Wait for our insurance partner Canadian Premier to review your claim, follow up about any additional information required and process your payment.
Bottom line: Life insurance payouts are usually tax-free in Canada
Whether you'll be taxed on your life insurance in Canada depends on:
Now that you have the intel to help your loved ones when they need it most, it's time to get set up with a term policy that works hard for you when it really counts.
At PolicyMe, we empower you to personalize your term life insurance policy that’s tax-free and works for your budget. And life insurance isn’t as pricey as you might think. Get a quote below and you may be surprised!
FAQ: life insurance and taxation in Canada
What type of life insurance is tax-free?
Death benefits from both term and permanent life insurance policies are not taxable in Canada, as long as a beneficiary's assigned. Any interest earnings on a permanent life insurance policy are taxable.
Is employee life insurance tax deductible?
Employee life insurance premiums are not deductible on individual employees' income tax returns. If you're a business owner who covers the cost of employee life insurance (also often referred to as group life insurance) and the premiums are listed as a reasonable business expense, they are tax-deductible.
Will I be taxed if I use my policy as collateral for a loan?
No, you won't be taxed if you get a loan by using your life insurance policy as collateral.
And in case you were wondering: it's true, you can use your permanent life insurance policy as loan collateral in Canada.
It's a way to access funds for your retirement or a kitchen renovation, if you need to, though experts caution against doing so.
Caveat: when you pass away the loan is paid off first and then the remaining funds go to your beneficiaries, which won't be taxed.
Is life insurance considered an inheritance?
When you name a beneficiary, life insurance is not part of your estate, so it is not considered an inheritance. In fact, life insurance proceeds can be used to help pay for any debts associated with your estate.
Are foreign life insurance proceeds taxable in Canada?
Foreign life insurance policies are not treated the same as Canadian policies and often are subject to taxation. If you do own a foreign policy, ask your provider if they can provide written proof that your policy qualifies in Canada.
If it doesn’t qualify, speak to a tax specialist to clear up any cobwebs about your policy and ask for advice about reducing potential taxes for your loved ones.
Are term life insurance proceeds taxable?
For the most part, term life insurance proceeds are not taxable in Canada. This means that beneficiaries will not need to report the death benefit on their tax return, as it is not considered taxable income.
In contrast, there are scenarios in which types of life insurance policies, like whole and universal, have tax implications. A few examples of this: if the cash value of the policy has been withdrawn from by the policyholder, if there is interest earned from the policy, and if the policyholder forgets to name a beneficiary.
To be sure, it’s best to consult with an accountant to discuss any potential tax implications relating to your life insurance proceeds.
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