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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. -
Making it easier to claim for Loss of Independent Existence for EquiLiving Critical Illness insuranc
We have recently changed the definition of Loss of Independent Existence (LOIE). As a result, the Critical Illness claim criteria has also changed. Before, EquiLiving® Critical Illness insurance coverage was issued with a definition of LOIE that required clients to have the total inability to do 3 of 6 Activities of Daily Living (ADLs). Now, clients will only need to give us proof of the total inability to do 2 of 6 Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) to submit a claim for LOIE.
This change makes it easier for clients to claim for this covered critical illness. This change is retroactive to February 2022.
Clients will be sent a notice from us with a personalized endorsement from Equitable Life. This applies to their policy and forms part of their contract. We will approve claims for LOIE as outlined in the endorsement.
LOIE is one of the 26 conditions named as a covered critical illness in an EquiLiving policy or Critical Illness insurance rider on an Equitable Life insurance policy. With a loss of independent existence, some activities of daily living can no longer be done on one’s own. This can happen because of a disease or an injury.
Want to learn more? See the marketing piece: Understanding the Covered Conditions (1248).
For more information, reach out to your local wholesaler.
® denotes a trademark of The Equitable Life Insurance Company of Canada. -
Equitable 2024 dividend scale!
Equitable’s Board of Directors has approved a new dividend scale for the period of July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2025.
● The interest rate* we use for the dividend scale will change. It will go from 6.25% to 6.40% on July 1, 2024.
● Other factors used to decide the dividend scale will remain the same.
● The interest rate for policies with dividends on deposit will change. It will go from 2.25% to 3.50% on July 1, 2024.
● The interest rate for most policy loans will remain at 6.50%. This applies to both new and existing policy loans, and automatic premium loans. It specifically applies to Equimax® policies with a 9-digit policy number that starts with either "3" or "8". Older policies may have different loan rates as they are based on the prime interest rate.
Learn more:
● 2024 Advisor Dividend Scale Notice
● 2024 Client Dividend Scale Notice
● Dividend Information Page
Did you miss our Spring update & 2024 Dividend Scale announcement? Watch it now:
(*The French and Chinese events will be partially in English, with sub-titles on screen).
*The dividend scale interest rate (DSIR) is different from the participating account (PAR) rate of return. The PAR rate of return is the return on the investments in the participating account over the calendar year. The DSIR smooths out the ups and downs of the participating account experience. -
New! Evidence of Insurability Schedule
We are pleased to announce Equitable’s new Evidence of Insurability Schedule. The new schedule applies to all life and critical illness insurance applications signed on or after October 5, 2024.
Here are the benefits to you:
● New chart is easier to read with more clarity and transparency.
● ECG and TST are no longer routinely required for Life applicants.
● Blood and urine requirement is streamlined for Life applicants.
● Detailed underwriting requirements for higher coverage amounts and mature applicants.
Please refer to the new Evidence of Insurability schedule (Form #1343) for full details.
Equitable® has the right to ask for more evidence of insurability. We will do this if we feel it is needed to assess the risk.
Key changes – Age and amount requirements
Life applicants:
● Resting ECG: No longer a routine age and amount requirement. This may still be requested at our underwriter’s discretion.
● Treadmill ECG: No longer required at any age or amount.
● Standalone Urine: Standalone urine changed to blood and urine at $100,001 and $500,000 coverage amounts for clients over age 55.
● Mature Age Focus Interview (MAFI): New for clients aged 75+. As part of the paramedical, we will assess the applicant’s Activities of Daily Living, social activities, and word recall ability.
Life and Critical Illness applicants:
● For clients aged 70+, evidence is now valid (recent) if completed within the past 6 months. For all other applicants (ages 18-69), there is no change – evidence is valid if completed within the past 12 months.
Financial/Third-party verification
Reminder – this is required for life insurance amounts over $5M. Our underwriting team will be pleased to assist you with this step.
Questions? Please contact your Equitable wholesaler or reach out to our underwriting team.
® or TM denotes a trademark of the Equitable Life Insurance Company of Canada. -
Making it easier to do business with us
At Equitable® we are always looking for ways to improve your experience with us. We’ve made the following enhancements to make it easier for you to put your business with us.
New and Improved UL Fund Performance page
Access more fund performance information faster and easier on our new and improved Fund Overview & Performance website for funds held within Equitable universal life policies.
We partnered with Fundata to build a central location for fund performance, fund information (available in web and PDF) and Management Expense Ratios (MERs). This fund reporting will be available for all our universal life business (both legacy products and products currently being sold).
Highlights include:
● Save your favourite funds for easy access.
● Fund search and tools to filter by product, asset class and sustainability.
● Share feature allows you to easily share fund information with clients.
● Ability to compare fund performance.
Check out the new Fund Overview & Performance website today. See how Equitable is making fund information faster and easier to access.
New “Update Payment” feature for banking changes has launched!
Great news! We have launched a new self-serve "Update Payment" feature in Client Access and on EquiNet®. This new online capability enables clients and advisors to easily submit key banking change requests for eligible insurance policies*, with no need to complete a physical form.
*The Update Payment transactions are only available for eligible policies: those that have not lapsed, are not on Automatic Premium Loan, and are not owned by a corporation or other entity.
What’s new? Clients and advisors can now submit banking changes via EquiNet under Policy Inquiry. It allows them to easily submit requests for the following: stop and resume pre-authorized payments or change banks. Learn more.
Speak to your individual life wholesaler to learn more about these great enhancements!
® or TM denotes a trademark of The Equitable Life Insurance Company of Canada -
Sharpen your skills with Equitable’s Path to Invest summer learning modules
Want to stay ahead, bring more value to clients, and earn Continuing Education (CE) credits?
Equitable® now offers new online summer modules to help you grow your financial knowledge. These self-paced Path to Invest modules are available on our ON24 platform. You can learn on your own schedule and earn CE credits with ease.
Whether you want to boost your investment skills or have better client conversations, these courses are here to support your growth.
The first module, Index Investing, explores the basics of index investing, how it compares to active management, and how using indexes can help diversify client portfolios.
The second module, Saving for a Home with Equitable, equips you with strategies and tools to guide clients through the homebuying journey, including insights on savings vehicles, intergenerational wealth transfers, and mortgage planning.
Each course is approved by the Alberta Insurance Council and the Insurance Council of Manitoba. You will earn 1 CE credit for each course after passing the quiz.
Start learning today! Visit our Learning Centre to begin.
If you have any questions, reach out to your Director, Investment Sales. When we work together, success is mutual.
Continuing Education Credits
To be eligible for CE credits, you must register individually, watch the webcast in full and complete a short quiz. These webcasts are available in English only. It is the advisor's responsibility to ensure Continuing Education credits being offered are accepted by the licensing body. Alberta Insurance Council (AIC) credits are valid in Yukon, British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia. Insurance Council of Manitoba (ICM) credits are valid in Manitoba only.
Date posted: July 17, 2025 -
Equitable Life Group Benefits Bulletin – February 2022
In this issue:
- Update: Alberta biosimilar coverage changes*
- Preferred Biosimilar Program*
- Responding to Quebec’s biosimilar policy*
- Dental fee guide updates*
- Reminder: Review manual allocations for HCSAs and/or TSAs*
- Mental health resources for plan members*
Update: Alberta biosimilar coverage changes*
In 2022, Alberta’s provincial drug plan is adding four originator biologics to its Biosimilar Initiative. It has ended or will end provincial coverage of these drugs for some or all conditions, as follows:
Four originator biologics added to Alberta Biosimilar Initiative- Lovenox: Jan. 10, 2022
- Humalog: Feb. 1, 2022
- NovoRapid: April 1, 2022
- Humira: May 1, 2022
Patients 18 and over who are using these drugs for the affected conditions will be required to switch to biosimilar versions of the drugs to maintain coverage under the province’s government drug plan.
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 these originator biologic drugs for plan members in Alberta.
Effective May 1, 2022, claimants currently taking these drugs will be required to switch to a biosimilar version of the drug to maintain coverage under their Equitable Life plan.
This is a continuation of the Alberta biosimilar switch program we launched last March, when the province first introduced its Biosimilar Initiative.
Do my clients need to take any action?
No action is required by plan sponsors. Plan members taking these targeted originator biologics will be contacted directly to allow them ample time to transition to a biosimilar. Any cost savings associated with the change will be factored in at renewal.
Groups that opted out of the biologic coverage changes we made last March will automatically be opted out of these coverage changes, as well as any future changes to our Alberta biosimilar switch program. This means that their drug plans will continue to provide coverage to existing claimants for any originator biologics we stop covering as part of our biosimilar program.
Advisors with clients who wish to opt out of our Alberta biosimilar program, or who previously opted out and want to opt back in, should speak to their Group Account Executive or myFlex Sales Manager.
Communication to plan members
We will be communicating these coverage changes with affected claimants in early March to allow them ample time to change their prescriptions and avoid any interruptions in their treatment or their coverage. Thus far, the transition to biosimilars, has been smooth and continues to be successful.
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 also biologics. 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.Preferred Biosimilar Program*
As part of our ongoing efforts to help ensure the sustainability of your clients’ drug plans, we continue to engage in strategic partnerships with pharmaceutical manufacturers.
We are pleased to announce a partnership to make Hyrimoz our preferred biosimilar for Humira. This partnership will generate additional savings for plan sponsors.
Plan members will still have the choice to use Humira biosimilars other than Hyrimoz. However, in the absence of alternative sources of reimbursement, this may increase their out-of-pocket amount.
The Preferred Biosimilar Program will take effect March 1, 2022 for all new claimants across Canada who start using a Humira biosimilar. It will take effect May 1 for existing claimants in Alberta who switch to a Humira biosimilar, to align with changes to the provincial plan.
Questions?
If you have any questions about this change, please contact your Group Account Executive or myFlex Sales Manager.Responding to Quebec’s biosimilar policy
Last year, the Quebec government announced it is phasing out coverage of biologic drugs. Beginning April 13, 2022, patients in Quebec using originator biologics will be required to switch to the corresponding biosimilar covered on the province’s public plan in order to maintain coverage.
The following populations are excepted from this new policy:- Pregnant women, who should be transitioned to biosimilars in the 12 months after childbirth.
- Pediatric patients, who should be transitioned to biosimilars in the 12 months after their 18th birthdays.
- Patients who have experienced two or more therapeutic failures while being treated with a biologic drug for the same chronic disease.
We are actively investigating the impact of this new policy on private drug plans in Quebec. We plan to implement further enhancements to our biosimilar programs in Quebec later this year to help prevent this change from resulting in additional costs for our clients’ drug plans. We will provide more details in the coming months.Dental fee guide updates
Each year, Provincial and Territorial Dental Associations publish fee guides. Equitable Life uses these guides to help determine the reimbursement limits for dental procedures. For your reference, below is the list of the average dental fee increases for general practitioners that will be used by Equitable Life for 2022.*
Dental fee guide increases over 2021*
*Data for all provinces and territories was not available at the time of publication. This chart will be updated on EquitableHealth.ca as more information becomes available.Province/Territory Average Fee Increase Alberta 3.9% British Columbia 7.35% Manitoba 5.79% New Brunswick 5.9% Newfoundland and Labrador 5% Nova Scotia 7.05% Northwest Territories 3% Nunavut 3.1% Ontario 4.75% Prince Edward Island 4.75% Quebec 5% Saskatchewan 5.99%
Reminder: Review manual allocations for HCSAs and/or TSAs*
If your client’s Health Care Spending Account (HCSA) and/or Taxable Spending Account (TSA) has manual allocations, they need to allocate these amounts to plan members each year. Please review all your plan members’ profiles on EquitableHealth.ca to ensure they have received their allocation(s) for the current benefit year.
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 “12/31/2020”
- Select “Next”
- Select “Finish”
- View “Report”
Mental health resources for plan members*
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve, many Canadians are experiencing increased levels of stress, anxiety, and depression. 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. These resources include a number of webinars which discuss various COVID-19 and mental health-related topics. The webinars are pre-recorded so plan members can stream them at their convenience.
Understanding the Impact of COVID-19 on Your Mental Health
English webinar
French webinar
COVID-19: Loneliness & Isolation Fatigue - Self-Care Strategies
English webinar
French webinar
COVID-19: Dealing with Seasonal Affective Disorder
English webinar
French webinar
Reducing Anxiety & Managing the Transition Back to the Classroom - for Teachers
English webinar
French webinar
COVID-19: Specialized Mental Health Support for Health Care Professionals
English webinar
French webinar
COVID-19: Supporting Children’s Mental Health
English webinar
French webinar
Additional resources, including articles, tools, videos and podcasts, are available at Homeweb.ca/Equitable. Please encourage your clients to share these resources with their plan members.
- [pdf] Health Care Spending Account - Plan members
- Frequently Asked Questions