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  1. REMINDER that paper applications with a version date prior to 2021/04/02 are set to expire July 1, 2

    To comply with the Government of Canada’s anti-money laundering legislation and FATCA/CRS changes, Equitable Life® has updated its Savings and Retirement and Life Insurance applications.

    If you currently have applications with a version date before 2021/04/02, please destroy them and use our online pdf applications or order new applications from our Supply Team. Paper applications with a version date prior to 2021/04/02 (located on the back page and in the bottom right-hand corner of the application) will no longer be accepted after July 1, 2021 for:

               ● Savings and Retirement (Form #1383, #1384, #799, #355), and
               ● Life Insurance (Form #350)


    Want to be sure you always have the most up-to-date application? Try our EZcomplete® online platform for Individual Life, Critical Illness and Segregated fund applications.
     
    For a complete list of all forms and applications affected by the anti-money laundering legislation, refer to the following links:

    ● Savings and Retirement Anti-money Laundering Legislation Requirements Summary.
    ● Life Insurance Anti-money laundering Legislation Requirements Summary.

    To learn more about the Government of Canada’s anti-money laundering legislation and FATCA/CRS review the following links:
    ● Government of Canada - Guidance on the Common Reporting Standard
    ● Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada
     
    If you have any other questions, contact your Regional Sales Manager or Equitable Life’s Advisor Services Team
     
    ® denotes a registered trademark of The Equitable Life Insurance Company of Canada.
     
  2. Going digital with Pivotal Select Fund Facts
    Did you know, with every new policy, your client should receive a copy of Equitable Life’s Pivotal Select™ Fund Facts (Form #1366)? Did you know you can send it electronically?
     
    Over the last year, more and more advisors are opting out of traditional paper. Instead, advisors are going digital. Here are the top three reasons why.
     
    1. Clients receive the information quickly and conveniently.
    2. Advisors are confident clients are receiving the most current version available.
    3. Advisors can easily adhere to regulations. When providing the client with a link to the electronic Contract and Information Folder (Form #1403), it is easy to also provide a link to the Pivotal Select Fund Facts.
     
    Make it easy and convenient by getting in the habit of going digital.
        
    Does your client prefer a PDF brochure with Fund Facts for all the available funds? Download your copy by logging on to EquiNet®. For more information contact your Regional Investment Sales Manager.

    ® and TM denote trademarks of The Equitable Life Insurance Company of Canada.
  3. Make room for more EDO room

    Effective June 26, 2021, a term rider added to an Equimax Estate Builder® or Equimax Wealth Accumulator® policy may allow for an increase to the maximum Excelerator Deposit Option (EDO) payment limit.
     
    Highlights:

    ● This enhancement will apply to adult single life Equimax Estate Builder and Wealth Accumulator policies where the Owner Signature Date on the application for insurance is June 26, 2021 or after.
    ● For the term rider to increase the EDO payment limit, it must be issued at the same time as the Equimax coverage.
    ● Term rider EDO payment limit assumes the term rider is held at least 10 years.
    ● The illustration system and EZcomplete application will calculate the maximum EDO payment including any increase from a term rider.
    ● Policies already issued do not qualify.  

    Full details about the changes can be found in the transition rules.
     
    Who can benefit from this product enhancement?
    Your clients who have a temporary insurance need and add a term rider to their Equimax plan may be able to take advantage of the additional exempt room and higher EDO payment limits to build the policy values. Make Equimax® your first choice for your clients’ whole life insurance needs.
     
    New Illustration software is now available
    The updated illustration software will be available for download after 9 a.m. ET on Friday, June 25, 2021. 
     
    Want more information?

    ● Learn more about the changes and transition rules
    ● Contact your Regional Sales Manager for more information on these changes and other sales ideas  


    ® denotes a registered trademark of The Equitable Life Insurance Company of Canada.

  4. Deposits to the Fidelity Special Situations mutual fund are being limited but the segregated fund is
    Fidelity Investments® recently said they would no longer accept deposits from new investors into the Fidelity® Special Situations Fund. This notice however does not affect Equitable Life® clients.

    The Special Situations Fund will continue to be open to new and existing Equitable Life clients. This includes clients with Pivotal Select™, Pivotal Solutions* or Personal Investment Portfolio segregated funds contracts.

    Why is Fidelity limiting access to the mutual fund?
    This award-winning mutual fund has grown significantly and now has $3.6 billion of managed assets. To preserve the integrity of the fund’s investment strategy, Fidelity® decided to limit inflows to the fund. Limiting the amount of managed assets held within the fund allows the fund’s portfolio manager to focus on what he does best - finding special situation investment opportunities and capitalizing on positive change within companies and industries across Canada and around the world.

    If you like the Special Situations mutual fund, you will value the Equitable Life Fidelity® Special Situations segregated fund. Segregated funds are similar to mutual funds but offer different features and guarantees. To learn about these features, check out the Investment Advantage. To learn more about the Special Situations segregated fund, click here.


    For more information about Equitable Life’s segregated funds, speak to your Regional Investment Sales Manager or visit our segregated funds page on EquiNet®.
     
    References:
    Fidelity’s press release announcing the limited fund closure
    Fidelity® Special Situations portfolio management strategy, webinar featuring Mark Schmehl, Portfolio Manager.


    *No Load, Deferred Sales Charge, Pivotal Solutions II
    ® or ™ denotes a trademark of The Equitable Life Insurance Company of Canada, except as noted below.
    Fidelity and Fidelity Investments are registered trademarks of 483A Bay Street Holdings LP. Used with permission.
  5. Equitable Life Group Benefits Bulletin - July 2021

    In this issue:

    *Indicates content that will be shared with your clients
     

    Fabien Jeudy takes over as President and CEO*

    In March, we announced that Fabien Jeudy was appointed as Equitable Life’s next President and CEO. Jeudy officially took over on July 5th, succeeding Ronald Beettam, who is retiring after 16 years with the company.

    Jeudy is a collaborative leader with more than 30 years of experience in the insurance industry, leading actuarial, finance, risk management, distribution, marketing teams and operational teams in the Life & Health Insurance, Wealth Management and Group Benefits markets in Canada, the US, and Asia.

    Reminder: Equitable Life’s Guide to Accessing Virtual Healthcare*

    The demand for virtual healthcare services has increased as the pandemic is driving more people to access their health care providers from home.
     
    Thankfully, many virtual healthcare services are available for free to Canadians with provincial health care coverage. We have created a Guide to Accessing Virtual Healthcare for plan members to easily access a variety of virtual healthcare services. Our guide includes information and links to both free and paid virtual medical care options, including video appointments, health advice over the phone, emergency dental services, and more.
     
    You can find the guide on our website. It’s also available on our plan member website at EquitableHealth.ca.

    Mental health resources for plan members*

    Many Canadians have been experiencing increased levels of stress, anxiety, and depression since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Through our partnership with Homewood Health®, all of our clients and their plan members have access to a number of health and wellness resources designed to provide guidance and support.
     
    Homewood’s Online Cognitive Behavioural Therapy tool, i-Volve, can help plan members identify, challenge and overcome anxious thoughts, behaviours and emotions. Learn more about Online CBT or access i-Volve at Homeweb.ca/Equitable.
     
    As well, Homewood has a number of resources available to help support plan members dealing with increased anxiety during these uncertain times: Please encourage your clients to share these resources with their plan members. They are also available on our plan member website at EquitableHealth.ca.

    Recall of Philips CPAP machines*

    Last month, electronics company, Philips, issued a recall with Health Canada of some of its Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP), BiLevel Positive Airway Pressure (BiLevel PAP) devices and Mechanical Ventilators. The recall was issued due to a foam abatement within the machines that can become loose and cause potential health risks.

    To qualify for repair or replacement of these devices, users must register their machine on the Philips website. 
     
    CPAP, BiLevel PAP devices and Mechanical Ventilators are eligible for coverage under an HCSA and under some Extended Health Care plans. Plan administrators may want to inform plan members of this recall if the devices are eligible for coverage under their plan. 
     
  6. Fabien Jeudy takes over as President and CEO In March, we announced that Fabien Jeudy was appointed as Equitable Life’s next President and CEO. Jeudy officially took over on July 5th, succeeding Ronald Beettam, who is retiring after 16 years with the company.

    Jeudy is a collaborative leader with more than 30 years of experience in the insurance industry, leading actuarial, finance, risk management, distribution, marketing teams and operational teams in the Life & Health Insurance, Wealth Management and Group Benefits markets in Canada, the US, and Asia.

    “His proven success developing and managing high-performance teams, building long-term relationships with stakeholders and regulators, growing and innovating the insurance business, and making long-term decisions with the policyholder in mind make him the perfect choice to lead Equitable Life into its next 100 years in business,” said Board Chair Douglas Alexander.

    Learn more about our new President and CEO
     
  7. Changes to coverage of Humira in BC BC Pharmacare recently announced it is adding Humira to the list of drugs included in its ongoing initiative to switch patients to biosimilar versions of high-cost biologics. Patients taking Humira for most conditions will be required to switch to a biosimilar version of the drug by Oct. 7, 2021 to maintain coverage under the public plan.
     
    Biologics are drugs that are engineered using living organisms like yeast and bacteria. The first version of a biologic developed is also known as the “originator” biologic. Biosimilars are also biologics. They are highly similar to the originator biologic drugs they are based on, and Health Canada considers them to be equally safe and effective for approved conditions. 
     
    How we are responding to protect our clients
    To help prevent this change from resulting in additional costs for our clients’ drug plans, while still providing plan members with access to safe and effective medications, we will no longer cover Humira for plan members in BC. Effective Oct. 7, 2021, claimants currently taking Humira will be required to switch to a biosimilar version of the drug to maintain coverage under their Equitable Life plan.
     
    We will be communicating this change to plan administrators later this week. And we will be communicating with affected claimants in early August to allow ample time to change their prescription and avoid any interruptions in their treatment or their coverage.
     
    If you have any questions about this change, please contact your Group Account Executive or myFlex Sales Manager.
     
  8. Welcome EZtransact from Equitable Life
    On July 28, 2021, Savings & Retirement is launching online transactions for segregated funds. A new way to make managing your client’s policies quick and convenient. With a growing need for digital solutions, Equitable Life’s new EZtransact eliminates the hassle of filling out forms, facilitating signatures yourself, submitting copies to your MGA and being tied down to business hours for submitting transactions.

    Available on EquiNet's secure website, EZtransact’s first service will allow advisors to setup a one-time or recurring deposit or edit an existing pre-authorized debit already in place. In just five simple steps, EZtransact:
    1. Collects the deposit details,
    2. Pre-populates pre-existing relevant details,
    3. Alerts you to any missing information,
    4. Facilitates the signing process and
    5. Sends a copy of the transaction to your MGA, eliminating any need for duplicate copies, or additional steps.

    “We are excited to be able to launch a new digital solution for our advisors”, said Vice-President, Savings and Retirement, Judy Williams. “We feel this new application complements our existing highly rated EZcomplete® online application process. With both solutions available to advisors, we are making it even easier to do business with Equitable Life”.

    If you are already registered with EquiNet, go online today, and give EZtransact a try. If you are not registered, contact your local Regional Investment Sales Manager or, call our Advisor Services Team to have a Regional Investment Sales Manager in your area contact you.
     

    To learn more, click here. 


    ® and TM denote trademarks of The Equitable Life Insurance Company of Canada
  9. Equitable Insights: EZcomplete Makes Submission to Commission Easy

    Welcome to the fourth video in our Equitable Insights series. “EZcomplete Makes Submission to Commission Easy” features Chris Marrese, Individual Operations Vice-President, Equitable Life. 

    View the video on YouTube or Vimeo

  10. Equitable Life Savings & Retirement Webinar Series features EZtransact

    In 2021, Equitable Life’s S&R team will spotlight various aspects of our competitive fund line up and product offerings. Each webinar in the series will feature a new topic. The series will also give advisors an opportunity to:

    • learn more about various products and product features,

    • hear from industry professionals,

    • learn about investment strategies; and so much more.

    This month, Equitable Life is featuring EZtransact™, a new online tool that allows advisors to submit transactions and collect signatures electronically. With a growing need for digital solutions, Equitable Life’s new EZtransact eliminates the hassle of filling out forms, collecting signatures, submitting copies to your MGA, and being tied down to business hours for submitting transactions. This new online tool complements our existing and highly rated online application tool, EZcomplete.  
     
    Join your host, Joseph Trozzo, Investment Sales Vice President as he welcomes Nicole Lemon, Product Manager, Savings and Retirement, Equitable Life of Canada to discuss Equitable Life’s electronic capabilities and to experience a demo for EZtransact. 

    This webinar is not approved for continuing education credits. This webcast is available in English only.
     

    Learn More