November is Prostate Cancer awareness month in Canada. Did you know that 2 in 5 Canadians will develop cancer? More than 51% of new cancer cases will be lung, breast, colorectal, or prostate cancer. (Canadian Cancer Society’s Advisory Committee on Cancer Statistics.
Canadian Cancer Statistics
2015. Toronto, ON: Canadian Cancer Society; 2015.) Despite these sobering statistics, there is hope. Regular fundraisers like Prostate Cancer awareness month, and the infamous Movember
campaign, have helped to raise money that is funneled into research and treatment options. Every year, more patients are surviving and thriving.
Surviving cancer is an incredible feat that is often overshadowed by the financial impact of the disease. There are three insurance products that can help to protect people’s financial health while they are in the fight of their life.
Critical illness insurance,
Short term disability, and
Long term disability
are all affordable insurance products that provide income when you are unable to work.
Critical illness insurance
Critical illness insurance
is a living benefit, which means you receive the funds after being diagnosed with any critical illness that is outlined in your policy. Upon confirmation of your medical condition, the insurance company issues a lump sum cash payment. You are free to use this one-time payment in any way you choose. Many people use it to cover things like additional medical expenses, income replacement, or assistive devices to help with their activities of daily living.
Short term disability
Short term disability benefits
provide income replacement
at the beginning of a period of medically confirmed disability. Benefits are individually calculated based on a percentage of your regular weekly earnings. You can purchase coverage in varying amounts. Short term disability plans typically provide benefits for up to 26 weeks.
Long term disability
Long term disability benefits
provide income replacement
for a medically confirmed disability that lasts longer than 26 weeks. Like the name suggests, this benefit is designed to be in place for an extended period of time. Benefits are individually calculated based on a percentage of your regular monthly earnings.
Many people mistakenly assume these insurance products are costly and only benefit extremely high income earners. Nothing could be further from the truth. These
living benefits
are affordable and worth their weight in gold if you ever need to access them. Income insurance benefits can alleviate some of the stress and uncertainty that comes with a serious medical condition. With your financial matters under control, you can focus on what is most important: your health.
At CG Hylton Inc., we are pretty passionate about two things: affordable insurance solutions that work and charities! One of our favorite charity initiatives is the Movember Canada
initiative for men’s health. During the month of Movember, men across Canada donate their faces to grow their best moustache and do fundraising to raise money and awareness for men’s health issues, including prostate and testicular cancer. Follow us on
Facebook
to see our moustaches and fundraising efforts!