Insurance

Guaranteed products not interchangeable

(February 2006) With the proliferation of principal protected notes and market-linked GICs grabbing the headlines these days, segregated funds may not be top of mind for many clients. And while they serve different purposes from the new generation of guaranteed products, they could face a challenge from these upstarts within the next couple of years. […]

By Steven Lamb |February 21, 2006

4 min read

Living Benefits

Funding Disability: Clawbacks discourage private savings

(February 2006) Ask any family who has a relative with a disability what their major concern is and they will answer “what happens to our family member when we die?” But another common question is “how do we cope financially when we are retired and still caring for them as well as trying to cope […]

By Janet Freedman |February 9, 2006

4 min read

Life

Trust specifics

Using a life insurance testamentary trust to receive the proceeds of a life insurance policy has many advantages for estate planning, including control and management of the distribution of the funds; tax advantages from the graduated rates; and the avoidance of probate fees. Once a decision is made to create a trust, it becomes the […]

By David Wm. Brown |November 10, 2005

5 min read

Living Benefits

Hedge funds could benefit from transparency: author

Any attempt to regulate the hedge fund industry should focus strictly on sales practices and transparency, rather than tying the hands of the funds’ managers, and the industry should welcome it, according to one well-known author in the field. “I think there will be more transparency on funds and how they can be moved, so […]

By Steven Lamb |October 14, 2005

3 min read

What is your underwriter thinking?

(September 2005) Ever wonder what your underwriter might be thinking? Although many companies are working to adopt, cultivate and encourage a more cooperative approach between advisors and underwriters in an effort to put business on the books, the two groups have very different objectives to consider when processing a client’s application. Compared to the old […]

4 min read

Canadians overlook costs of long-term care

(January 21, 2005) Canadians are concerned they will become a burden to their loved ones when they get older, but few are aware of insurance products aimed at minimizing the costs, according to an Ipsos-Reid survey for RBC Insurance. “The sale of long-term-care insurance, which one would argue is probably the most effective way to […]

By Steven Lamb |January 21, 2005

3 min read

Not getting any younger: A look at long term care insurance in Canada

Not getting any younger: A look at long term care insurance in Canada Inside the underwriter’s brain: Four CI case studies whose outcomes may surprise you Timely template letter: Critical information on critical illness insurance Taking what you can get: Advice on handling the hard-to-insure Living and linking: Your guide to more living benefits resources […]

5 min read