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Extending premium relief for Dental and Extended Health Care benefits
We know this continues to be a challenging time for Canadian employers and we remain committed to looking for ways to help your clients manage while still supporting their employees.
Although many health practitioners have re-opened as pandemic restrictions are lifted, plan member use of dental benefits and some health benefits still remains lower than normal in June.
We are pleased to announce that we are extending premium relief for all Traditional and myFlex insured non-refund customers for Health and Dental benefits for the month of June, as follows:
- A 25% reduction on Dental premiums; and
- A 5% reduction on Extended Health Care premiums.
These reductions are effective for June 2020 and will appear as a credit on the July bill, or against the next available billing. We will assess the situation monthly and will continue with monthly refunds for as long as the current crisis period continues. The size of the credit may change over time as dentists and other health practitioners gradually reopen their offices. We will confirm premium credits for July (if any) at a later date. Credits for subsequent months will be communicated on a month-by-month basis.
In order to be eligible for the monthly credit calculation and payout, a policy must be in force on the first of the month and remain in force thereafter. The monthly credit calculation is based on employees in force on the June bill. If employees experienced layoffs during the month, that would not affect eligibility for a premium credit as long as the benefit itself is not terminated.
We expect that claims experience and premiums will return to normal once the current pandemic restrictions are lifted.
In the meantime, plan members will continue to have full access to their benefits coverage throughout the pandemic. In many cases, dental offices have remained open for emergency services, and a variety of healthcare providers are available virtually.
Commissions
We know the pandemic has put financial strain on your business as well, so we will continue to pay full compensation. Although your overall commission will be unaffected by these premium reduction adjustments, you may see a temporary reduction in your commission payments if you are on a pay-as-earned basis.
Communication
We will be communicating this premium relief program to your clients later this week.
Questions?
If you have any questions, please contact your Group Account Executive or myFlex Sales Manager. You can also refer to our online COVID-19 Group Benefits FAQ.
- [pdf] Facts & Figures
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IMPORTANT NOTICE: FUNDS WITH DEFERRED SALES CHARGE OPTIONS
The Canadian Council of Insurance Regulators require all insurance companies to discontinue the sale of segregated funds with Deferred Sales Charge (DSC) effective June 1, 2023*.
PIVOTAL SELECT™ SEGREGATED FUND PRODUCTS
On May 29, 2023, funds with a DSC or Low Load (LL) sales charge option will be allocated to the No Load (NL) sales charge option of the funds available within the policy.
- Any existing amounts held in DSC or LL funds will retain the existing DSC schedule, outlined in the client’s contract. The annual 10% available (20% for RIF policies) for withdrawal without fees continues to apply through to the expiry of the fee schedule.
- If the default deposit instructions and/or pre-authorized scheduled deposits the client previously provided include funds with DSC or LL, these instructions will automatically update to NL of the same fund for all future deposits.
In alignment with Equitable's current administrative rules, if the client has DSC or LL funds, the client will not be able to deposit No Load Chargeback funds (NL-CB and NL-CB5) within the same policy.
For more information, please click here.LEGACY SEGREGATED FUND PRODUCTS
Ongoing deposits to DSC funds continue when a segregated fund product does not have an alternative sales charge option available within the contract. This applies to the following products:
- Personal Investment Portfolio
- Pivotal Solutions II
- Pivotal Solutions DSC
Clients may continue to make new deposits to the DSC funds within the policy. Any new segregated fund deposits, as well as any existing segregated fund amounts within the policy, will retain the DSC schedule outlined in the contract.
For more information, please click here.
Equitable's Advisor Services Team is available Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m. ET at 1.866.884.7427 or by email at savingsretirement@equitable.ca. You can also contact your Regional Investment Sales Manager.
*Draft regulation in Quebec is currently under review which may affect Equitable Life’s approach for clients in the Province of Quebec with legacy segregated fund products. We will continue to monitor provincial regulatory developments.
™ or ® denote registered trademarks of The Equitable Life Insurance Company of Canada.
Date posted: May 4, 2023
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2026/2027 Dividend scale announcement, plus new Performance and perspective par fund report
Good news! Equitable’s Board of Directors has approved maintaining our current dividend scale, including the dividend scale interest rate of 6.40%, effective July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027.*
These factors are also staying the same:
• The interest rate* used to decide the dividend scale is unchanged at 6.40%.
• The interest rate for policies with dividends on deposit stays at 3.50%.
• The interest rate for most policy loans continues to be 6.50%. **
A stable dividend scale reflects strong, long‑term management of the participating fund.
Find out what’s new with Equitable Individual Insurance and hear the 2026 Dividend Scale announcement
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New! Performance and perspective participating fund report
You now have a powerful new resource, Performance and perspective, to support your client conversations about Equitable’s participating fund. It’s designed to give you a transparent view of 2025 participating fund performance to help you explain long‑term value simply, and position Equimax® participating whole life as a long‑term solution, not just a product.
View the Performance and perspective report: English, French, Chinese
Reasons to use Performance and perspective
• It strengthens your conversations and builds client confidence by showing the participating fund asset mix, historical performance and long‑term approach all in one place.
• It helps you explain with clear visuals how the participating account is managed, not just how it performed.
Why this matters to clients
• They get transparency into where their money is invested.
• They can see how participating solutions are managed over time, not year to year.
• They gain confidence in long‑term planning decisions, supported by facts.
Need more information?
• Dividend Information Page
• 2026 Advisor Dividend Scale Notice
• 2026 Client Dividend Scale Notice
*Dividends are not guaranteed and are paid at the sole discretion of the Board of Directors.
**Applies to new and existing policy loans and automatic premium loans, specifically Equimax® policies with 9-digit policy numbers beginning with 3 or 8. Older policies may have different loan rates as they reflect the prime interest rate.
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December 2023 eNews
Insights on EZBenefits from our Executive Vice-President, Group Insurance
When it comes to advising small business owners, it can be tough to find the right group benefits solution. Offering a competitive benefits plan is more important than ever to help small business owners attract and retain talent. They need an affordable solution that’s easy to implement, renew and maintain.
That’s why we launched EZBenefits for small business earlier this year. It’s a unique group benefits solution designed with you and your small business clients in mind.Marc Avaria, Executive Vice-President, Group Insurance, explains:
Find out more
Visit info.equitable.ca/EZBenefits for more details or to request a quote. If you have questions, contact your Equitable Group Account Executive.
Now that cold and flu season is here, many Canadians will start calling in sick or missing work to visit their doctor – if they can get an appointment. Now’s the time to remind your clients that Equitable offers Dialogue Virtual Healthcare. It can be added to any Equitable plan for an additional cost.
Supporting plan members through cold and flu season with Dialogue Virtual Healthcare*
Eligible plan members and dependants receive fast, on-demand access to virtual primary medical care—24/7, 365 days a year. Available for a variety of non-urgent health concerns, Dialogue Virtual Healthcare can make it easier to navigate cold and flu season by providing:- Access to the largest, most experienced bilingual medical team in Canada,
- In-app prescription renewals and refills,
- Personalized follow-ups after each consultation, and
- An all-in-one patient journey to address health issues. This reduces long waits and means less time away for doctor appointments.
Benefits of Virtual Healthcare for plan sponsors
When your clients provide Virtual Healthcare for their plan members, they can help:- 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.
Learn how it works
Adding Dialogue Virtual Healthcare to your clients' plans
To learn more about adding Virtual Healthcare to your clients’ benefits plans, contact your Group Account Executive or myFlex® Account Executive. You can also share this resource from Dialogue on managing cold and flu season.
The Canada Employment Insurance Commission and Canada Revenue Agency have announced the 2024 changes to Maximum Insurable Earnings, and premiums for employment insurance. The following changes to Employment Insurance (EI) will take effect January 1, 2024:
Changes to Short-Term Disability benefits calculations*
How does this affect your clients?
To comply with client policy provisions, Equitable will revise Short-Term Disability (STD) benefits with the updated maximums based on the percentage of EI Maximum Weekly Insurance Earnings for policies that meet these conditions:- Policies that include a STD benefit that is tied to the EI Maximum Weekly Insurable Earnings, and
- Policies with a classification of employees that has less than a $668 maximum.
- The additional premium for any increase from their previous STD amounts and new STD amounts will be shown on your clients’ January 2024 Group Insurance Billings (as applicable).
If your clients wish to provide direction regarding revising their STD maximum, or have questions about the process, they can email Kari Gough, Manager, Group Issue and Special Projects.
*Indicates content that will be shared with your clients. - About
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Equitable Life Savings & Retirement Webinar Series features Global Equity Investing Using a First Pr
In 2022, Equitable Life’s® S&R team will continue to spotlight various aspects of our competitive fund lineup and product offerings. Each webinar in the series features a new topic. This series gives 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 welcomes Michael Hatcher, CFA, Head of Global Equities and Director of Research for the Invesco Canada Equity team. Join your host Taylor Stavenjord, Regional Vice President and Invesco Canada.
Equitable Life is pleased to highlight access to Invesco Global Companies Fund, Invesco International Companies Fund, and Invesco Europlus Fund in the Pivotal Select™ segregated fund lineup.
Learn more
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. -
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
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 -
Equitable Life Group Benefits Bulletin - October 2022
Introducing new Gender Affirmation Coverage for group benefits plans
Providing an inclusive benefits plan can play a critical role in fostering a workplace culture that welcomes diversity and helps employees thrive. While most provinces cover the cost of gender-affirming surgery, each person has unique needs. Some may require procedures that are not publicly covered.
That’s why we’re pleased to introduce a new coverage option for gender affirmation surgical procedures that are not covered by provincial health plans. Gender Affirmation Coverage helps plan sponsors to close the gap where provincial health coverage ends.Coverage details and eligibility
Gender Affirmation Coverage can be added to any Equitable Life plan with an in-force Extended Health Care plan. It provides coverage for gender-affirming procedures that are not covered by provincial health plans. This might include tracheal (Adam’s apple) shaving and voice surgery. It will also cover some additional procedures to further align the plan member’s features to the transitioned gender, such as facial bone reduction and cheek augmentation. This makes a wider variety of gender-affirming surgeries accessible to plan members and helps minimize their out-of-pocket costs.
Plan members are eligible for coverage with a diagnosis of gender dysphoria from a qualified health care professional.Offering a more inclusive benefits plan
The coverage provides one more way for your clients to offer more inclusive coverage and to offer holistic support to their plan members undergoing a gender transition. We have developed this coverage as a complement to our existing coverage options, including Health Care Spending Accounts (HCSAs), Taxable Spending Accounts (TSAs), Extended Health Care and drug coverage, and Employee and Family Assistance Programs, all of which can provide support to plan members undergoing gender affirmation.
We regularly review our products to ensure that they’re meeting your clients’ needs, and we’re committed to offering products that support diversity, equity and inclusion.
We also continue to review our forms, documents and processes to make them more inclusive. This includes reviewing our online plan member enrolment (OPME) tool to allow for more flexibility with the way plan members identify their gender.Gender affirmation and mental well-being
Gender affirmation procedures can lead to improved mental health outcomes for those with gender dysphoria, as most report an improvement in their quality of life following the procedures. Gender dysphoria may occur when a person’s assigned sex at birth does not match their identity, and people experiencing gender dysphoria typically report psychological and emotional distress, including symptoms of depression or anxiety. By offering coverage where provincial health coverage ends, your clients can support plan members as they seek procedures that align their body presentation with their self-identified gender.
Advantages at a glance
Advantages for plan members include:- Reimbursement for some procedures and expenses, leading to fewer out-of-pocket costs
- May experience improved mental health outcomes after surgery
- A benefits plan that promotes a culture of diversity, equity and inclusion, which may build employee loyalty
- Support for plan member mental health to help those with gender dysphoria thrive
The Benefits Canada 2022 Health Care Survey results are in!
Equitable Life is proud to be a Platinum sponsor for The Benefits Canada 2022 Health Care Survey, Canada’s leading survey on workplace benefits plans. This year’s survey report highlights many fascinating insights across a wide variety of benefits topics, including:- A focus on mental health for both plan sponsors and plan members
- The repercussions of the "shadow" pandemic due to health care delays
- Trends in plan members' overall perceptions of their health benefits plans
- The types of benefits getting more attention from plan members
- The role of remote work in plan member satisfaction
We’re committed to helping you and your clients navigate the evolving landscape of employee benefits in Canada by contributing to this vibrant industry community. To read the full report, visit Benefits Canada.
HCSA and TSA manual allocation reminder
If your clients’ Health Care Spending Account (HCSA) and/or Taxable Spending Account (TSA) have manual allocations, they need to allocate these amounts to plan members each year. Clients should review their plan members’ profiles on EquitableHealth.ca to ensure they have received their allocation(s) for the current benefit year. Your clients may also order HCSA and TSA forfeiture reports on EquitableHealth.ca.
If your clients have Plan Administrator update access on EquitableHealth.ca, they can update these amounts online by doing the following:- Select View certificate
- Select Health Care Spending Account or Taxable Spending Account
- Select Update Allocation in Task Center
- Enter amount in Revised Allocation Amount
- Override Reason – Plan Administrator Request
- Select Save
- Select Reports
- Select New
- Select Next
- Select HCSA or TSA Totals by Plan Member
- Select Next
- Enter end date of 12/31/2022
- Select Next
- Select Finish
- View Report