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  1. Get Client Focused: Turning Compliance into Your Advantage

    Join Equitable Life and guest speaker, April-Lynn Levitt, CFP,  Business Coach, The Personal Coach, to learn how to be compliant in today’s environment and create client-focused review meetings:

    •   Understand the new requirements and the best practices for implementing the new requirements into your practice.

    •   Go beyond “ticking the boxes” to build an exceptional client experience.

    •   Learn to use your review process to stimulate referrals and update compliance documents seamlessly.

    We are pleased to provide you with a recorded version of April-Lynn Levitt’s presentation, “Get Client Focused: Turning Compliance into Your Advantage” click here

    This webinar is available in English only.

    ® denote trademarks of The Equitable Life Insurance Company of Canada.

    Posted June 6, 2023
     
  2. Policy contract changes for residents of Quebec Starting June 1, 2023, there will be new language rules for any “contracts of adhesion”, including insurance policy contracts, in Quebec. These changes are part of Bill 96, which is about respecting French as the official and common language of Quebec.

    At Equitable Life, we have made some changes to our contract processes to support this new requirement.
    Starting after May 23, 2023, clients who live in Quebec will always get a copy of their insurance policy contract in French, regardless of language preference.
    - We will only send the English copy to the policy owner if they specifically ask for it. In that case, we would also send a French copy.
    - For clients who request a copy of their policy contract in French, there is no change. We pride ourselves in respecting the needs of our clients.

    If you want to learn more about these language changes, visit Assemblee nationale du Quebec - Bill 96. You may also contact your wholesaler.
  3. Equitable Life Webcast Series featuring Equitable Life Dynamic Asia Pacific Equity Fund Select


    Benjamin Zhan and Bruce Zhang will discuss the Equitable Life Dynamic Asia Pacific Equity Fund Select along with the fund's people, philosophy, process and performance. 

    Equitable Life® continues to spotlight various aspects of our competitive fund lineup and product offerings. This series gives advisors an opportunity to:
    •  learn more about products and product features,
    •  hear from industry professionals,
    •  learn about investment strategies; and so much more.

    Join your host, Joseph Trozzo, Investment Sales Vice President, MGA, Equitable Life of Canada along with Dynamic Funds. 

     

    Learn More

    speakers.jpg



    Continuing Education Credits
    This webinar has been submitted for continuing education (CE) approval with the Insurance Council of Manitoba and Alberta Insurance Council for all provinces excluding Quebec. Upon approval, you will be sent an email notification to come back to the webinar presentation console to download your personalized certificate from the tool bar. To be eligible for CE credits, you must register individually, watch the webcast in full and complete a short quiz. This webcast is available in English only.

    ® denote a registered trademark of The Equitable Life Insurance Company of Canada
    Posted May 31, 2023
  4. Special 5% rate for clients until Pivotal Select FHSA is available  

    Great news for clients saving for their first home! For a limited time, clients who intend on setting up a First Home Savings Account (FHSA) with Equitable Life® can deposit money to a Guaranteed Interest Account (GIA) now and enjoy a special rate of 5.00%.1 
     
    The special rate applies only if the client transfers the funds to an FHSA by December 28, 2023; otherwise, the standard Daily Interest Account (DIA) rate will be applied to those funds.
     
    Here’s how to take advantage of this special rate:
     
    For New Clients:

    • Complete an application for a non-registered GIA. On the application select “Daily Interest Account” as the investment instructions and write the amount to be deposited (minimum $500, maximum $8,000).
    • In the Special Instructions section of the application, write “FHSA”.
    • The GIA application form (799) can be found here
     

    For Existing Clients - must have a GIA (Compound Interest Only) policy:
    • Submit a letter of direction or complete the Investment Direction form requesting to deposit funds to the DIA for the FHSA promotion (minimum $500, maximum $8,000)
    • Complete sections 1, 3, 4, 12 and 13 of the Investment Direction form, and in the Special Instructions area, write “FHSA”.
    • The Investment Direction form (693ANN) can be found here
     Although DIA is selected, the funds will be deposited to and displayed in EquiNet® and Equitable Client Access® as a special 1-year Guaranteed Deposit Account (GDA). Only new lump sum deposits are eligible for the special rate of 5.00%.1
     
    The GDA will be a non-registered account and any interest earned will be taxable.
     
    Once the Equitable Life FHSA is available:
    • Submit a Pivotal Select™ FHSA application, and request to transfer the funds from the GDA to the Pivotal Select policy.2 No Market Value Adjustment fees will be charged.
    • In the Special Instructions section, indicate the source of funds to be “FHSA promotion funds” and provide instructions on where to direct any excess funds in the GIA if applicable.
    • The funds will be transferred to the FHSA.3
    • Any excess funds over $8,000 will be returned to the client as a direct deposit, a cheque, or the client can keep the GIA open.
    Additional information about this promotion
    This is a great opportunity for clients to start saving for their first home today while earning an excellent rate. The advisor receives a reduced upfront commission4 for the pre-FHSA deposit to the GDA, in addition to the commission that will be earned by moving the funds to the Pivotal Select FHSA.
     
    This special savings rate promotion is available until the launch date of Equitable Life’s FHSA unless the promotion is ended on an earlier date at Equitable Life’s discretion. The maximum amount on which a client can receive the special savings rate is $8,000.
     
    Clients who do not transfer funds to the FHSA on or before December 28, 2023 will not receive the promotional rate. We will transfer the funds from the special GDA to the DIA account effective as of the date of deposit. As a result, the interest received by the client from the date of deposit to December 28, 2023 will be the DIA rate rather than the promotional rate.

    Questions? Please see our FAQ

    For more information, please contact your Regional Investment Sales Manager. Additional details about the FHSA can be found on the Government of Canada’s website.

     
    ® denotes a trademark of The Equitable Life Insurance Company of Canada.
     
    1 The pre-FHSA special saving rate of 5.00% per year compounds daily and takes effect from the date Equitable Life receives the deposit and will end on the date the FHSA Pivotal Select segregated fund product is launched later this year (December 28, 2023 at the latest). In the unlikely event Equitable Life’s Pivotal Select FHSA is unavailable in 2023, the funds subject to the promotion will earn the 5.00% rate for 1 year from the date of deposit through maturity in 2024.
     
    2 The FHSA promotion will only be available as a Pivotal Select Segregated Fund policy. Clients can open a FHSA only if they meet the eligibility criteria when they sign the application.
     
    3The funds in the Guaranteed Interest Account will be transferred to the FHSA in the form of a contribution of up to $8,000 on or after the date the client signs the FHSA application form. Clients must open a FHSA to receive the special bonus interest.
     
    4 Commission of 0.20% paid upfront for money received and deposited to the policy by September 29, 2023. 0.05% paid upfront for money received and deposited after September 29, 2023, and the earlier of the promotion termination or December 28, 2023.  Commissions are paid through an adjustment to our current 40bps commission on our one-year GDA by way of a chargeback reducing the commission to the rate stated in this note.

    Posted June 1, 2023
  5. Path to Success modules now available on EquiNet!
    The Path to Success Critical Illness course module PDFs and videos are now available on the Critical Illness EquiNet page. The Path to Success program gives you access to specialized topics about Critical Illness Insurance, why it matters for your clients, and how to make an effective sale.

    Learn about:
    - Overcoming objections to Critical Illness Insurance
    - Pivoting from other products to Critical Illness Insurance
    - How to position and design the Critical Illness solution
    …and more!

    We have made the expert information from Path to Success available to you to review at anytime. However, if you wish to earn CE credits, you may continue to access the course through our Path to Success program website.

    Questions about the program? Visit the Critical Illness page on EquiNet or contact your local wholesaler.
  6. Dialogue Virtual Healthcare now available to add to Equitable Life benefits plans

    We’re pleased to announce we are partnering with Dialogue, Canada’s leading virtual health provider, to offer unlimited and on-demand virtual access to primary healthcare practitioners.
     
    Virtual Healthcare is the latest addition to our HealthConnector suite of health and wellness services. It is available to add to all Equitable Life benefits plans for an additional cost as of July 1, 2023.

    Features of Dialogue Virtual Healthcare
    Available 24/7, 365 days a year, Dialogue Virtual Healthcare provides access to unlimited non-urgent medical care for a wide range of health concerns. Plan members get fast access to the largest, most experienced and bilingual medical team in Canada for non-urgent medical issues. They also benefit from in-app prescription renewals and refills, personalized follow-ups after every consultation, and concierge-level navigation support for all referrals to in-person specialists when needed.

    Dialogue’s industry-leading platform provides an all-in-one patient journey to address health issues, reducing long wait times and time away for doctor appointments. Plan members and their families can access Dialogue Virtual Healthcare through the secure web portal or mobile app. The Dialogue medical team includes doctors, nurse practitioners and nurses. Plan members can use the service even if they’re already receiving care from a family doctor.


    Benefits of Virtual Healthcare

    For your clients
    By providing access to Virtual Healthcare, plan sponsors can help to:

    • Drive employee engagement;

    • Reduce absenteeism related to in-person medical appointments;

    • Manage chronic health issues;

    • Attract and retain top talent; and

    • Build a healthier workforce.

    For their plan members
    By providing easier access to primary healthcare practitioners, Virtual Healthcare can offer extra health and wellness support for plan members. It also supports members that may experience barriers to accessing in-person healthcare, such as:

    • Living in a remote location;

    • Work or family obligations during standard medical clinic hours;

    • Mobility challenges related to a disability; and

    • Transportation challenges.

    Learn more about bringing Dialogue Virtual Healthcare to your clients
    Click the link to learn more about Dialogue Virtual Healthcare : Welcome to Dialogue!

    Questions?
    To learn more about how your clients can add Virtual Healthcare to their benefits plan, please contact your Group Account Executive or myFlex Sales Manager.
  7. What you should know about Equitable Generations Universal Life

    Here are five things you need to know about Equitable Generations™ Universal Life

    1. Affordability

    Because Equitable Life is owned by its policyholders, we don’t have to worry about paying shareholders. That means we can focus on offering competitive pricing!

    2. Investments

    Equitable Generations Universal Life is built for the 21st century with investment options that matter to today’s buyer including Target date, Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) funds for sustainable investing.

    3. Fees

    Equitable Generations has eliminated most universal life fund administration fees as well as the policy administration fee.

    4. KIND™

    Equitable Generations has a suite of contractual and non-contractual claims features we call KIND, designed to help your family navigate the claims process with ease.

    5. Flexibility

    With such competitive pricing, fantastic investment options and minimal fees. Equitable Generations Universal Life provides a level of flexibility rarely seen in the Universal Life space.

    View our video on Vimeo or YouTube!

    See Equitable Generations Universal Life for yourself within one minute - try the EZStart quick quote software for advisors, available on EquiNet!

    Please contact your local wholesaler for more information. 



    TM and ® denote trademarks of The Equitable Life Insurance Company of Canada. 

     

  8. Clarification: Dialogue Virtual Healthcare available to add to your clients' benefits plans We recently announced that we are partnering with Dialogue to offer unlimited and on-demand virtual access to primary healthcare practitioners.
     
    The announcement indicated that Virtual Healthcare is the latest addition to our HealthConnector suite of health and wellness services and is available to add to all Equitable Life benefits plans as of July 1, 2023.
     
    Please note that there is an additional fee to add the service to your clients’ benefits plans. Our original announcement was not clear enough about this.
     
    We apologize for any confusion this may have caused.
     
    If you have questions about Virtual Healthcare, of if you would like to add the service to a client’s plan, please contact your Group Account Executive or myFlex Sales Manager.
  9. Equimax® Participating Whole Life – A whole life solution for everyone Recently, we made some exciting changes for Equimax Estate Builder® and Equimax Wealth Accumulator®.

    These enhancements, launched in February, make Equimax the preferred solution for clients and their families. In particular, buying a whole life solution for children gives them a head start for tomorrow. Life insurance on a child gives them:
    - Permanent insurance at children’s rates
    - A stable tax-advantaged investment option
    - A boost in financial planning














    Watch our new Equimax for Children video to learn more. View on Vimeo or YouTube.

    Plus, visit our Equimax product page on EquiNet®, then click on the Marketing Materials tab for the latest Equimax marketing materials.

    Need more information? Please contact your local wholesaler.
     

    ® denotes trademarks of The Equitable Life Insurance Company of Canada.

  10. Responding to Ontario’s biosimilar switch initiative

    We are changing coverage for some biologic drugs in Ontario in response to the province’s biosimilar initiative. These changes will help protect your clients’ plans from additional drug costs that may result from this government policy while providing access to equally safe and effective lower-cost biosimilars.

    Ontario’s provincial biosimilar initiative
    Announced in December 2022, Ontario’s biosimilar switch program ends coverage of eight biologic drugs for Ontario residents covered by the Ontario Drug Benefit (ODB). The transition to biosimilar versions of these drugs began on March 31, 2023. ODB recipients using these drugs will be required to switch to biosimilar versions of these drugs by December 29, 2023, to maintain their provincial coverage

    Equitable Life’s response
    To ensure this provincial change doesn’t result in your clients paying additional and avoidable drug costs, we are changing coverage in Ontario for most biologic drugs included in the provincial initiative.

    Beginning October 1, 2023, plan members in Ontario will no longer be eligible for most originator biologic drugs if they have a condition for which Health Canada has approved a lower cost biosimilar version of the drug.** These plan members will be required to switch to a biosimilar version of the drug to maintain coverage under their Equitable Life plan. 

    Communicating this change to plan members
    We will inform any affected plan members in early August of the need to switch their medications so that they have ample time to change their prescriptions and avoid any interruptions in treatment or coverage. 

    Will this change impact my clients’ rates?
    Any cost savings associated with the change will be factored in at renewal.

    What is the difference between biologics and biosimilars?
    Biologics are drugs that are engineered using living organisms like yeast and bacteria. The first version of a biologic developed is known as the “originator” biologic. Biosimilars are highly similar to the drugs they are based on and Health Canada considers them to be equally safe and effective for approved conditions

    Questions?
    If you have any questions about this change, please contact your Group Account Executive or myFlex Sales Manager.

    ** The list of affected drugs is dynamic and will change as Ontario includes more biologic drugs in its biosimilar initiative, as new biosimilars come onto the market, and as we make changes in drug eligibility.