Are you hard to Insure?

Have you ever been refused Life Insurance in the past?

Why Do I need Life Insurance?

This should be the first question you ask. Life insurance is used to protect you or your family from a financial loss in the event that you die unexpectedly. There can be many types of financial needs at death, including:

• Final expenses, like funeral or cremation costs, lawyer’s fees and taxes
• Paying off any outstanding loans
• An emergency fund to tide your family over through a difficult time
• A fund to cover your children’s education
• A fund to replace your lost income
• If your family has any of these financial needs when you die, then life insurance can help.

Non-Medical Life Insurance is not just for the “hard to insure” market it also for the people who have been declined Life Insurance.

Non-Medical Life Insurance is for extreme lifestyles and people that don’t want needles – simple application, easy to understand coverage, great face amounts, and extremely competitive premiums.

I am a broker for all leading suppliers of No Medical & Simplified Issue Life Insurers in Canada.

No-Medical Life Insurance is focused on helping Canadians under a variety of circumstances get Life Insurance coverage. They do not require a doctor’s visit or a medical report for most plans. You simply answer a few easy “yes” or “no” health questions. Their goal is to make Life Insurance simple to understand and easy to purchase. Learn how affordable an Insurance Plan can be obtained today by simply calling toll free to Glenn at 1-888.256.8685 for a no-obligation, completely confidential quote.

We are contracted with all major insurers and have access to the largest selection of No-Medical Life Insurance Policies.

www.cuttherisk.com

glenn@cuttherisk.com

The post Declined Life Insurance! first appeared on Insurance - Disability, Estate, Critical Illness, Travel, Life - Glenn Stewart.

Parties are a highlight of the holidays but have a Safe New Year’s Holiday Party. It’s fun to get together with family and friends to celebrate this festive season. If you’re planning a gathering, you know there is much preparation — from food and drink to decorations and music. The last thing on your mind at this happy and bustling time of year is your homeowner’s or tenant’s insurance policy. But, you’ll be thankful you have it should something go wrong.

Safe New Year’s Holiday Party Planning Checklist

When planning your party, this checklist can help you have fun and stay safe.

• Be sure your front walk, steps, driveway and sidewalk are cleared of snow and ice.
• Make sure your property is well lit so guests can see where they’re stepping.
• Place your valuables safely out of sight so they can’t be damaged or broken, and close doors to bedrooms and private areas.
• Serve plenty of food throughout the evening, but avoid serving too many salty foods, as these tend to make people thirsty and encourage them to drink more.
• If you’ll be serving warm appetizers and bites, remember to never leave stove top cooking unattended and keep the cooking area clear of combustibles—potholders, towels, and the like.
• Make sure your fire alarms work and have an extinguisher ready.
• Minimize the candles. While candles add to the festive atmosphere they can be dangerous if not placed strategically away from the activity and away from other flammables.
• Have plenty of non-alcoholic beverages on hand.
• Stay sober. As the host, you are responsible for your guests, and the only way to accurately assess whether a guest has had too much to drink is to avoid drinking yourself.
• Stop serving alcohol altogether about an hour before you expect the party to end. Switch to coffee and tea served alongside some nibbles.
• Should guests partake too much in the holiday cheer, be sure to have options available for getting them home, such as the number for a local taxi service, as well as cash on hand for the fare. Alternately, make sure you have plenty of extra blankets and pillows on hand and invite guests to stay the night.

Let The Safe New Year’s Holiday Party Begin

It’s a magical time of year, and a good host provides more than fun and refreshments; providing a safe place for guests to celebrate the holidays and ensuring everyone gets home safely are necessities as well. Take the time to accident-proof your home and your party, and head into the holidays ready to relax and enjoy all of the good times they bring.

For more tips for your location or party call or email Glenn at 1.888.256.8685 or glenn@cutthrisk.com

The post Tips For A Safe New Year’s Holiday Party first appeared on Insurance - Disability, Estate, Critical Illness, Travel, Life - Glenn Stewart.

Distracted Driving is a leading cause of vehicle crashes in Canada.

Distracted Driving is broadly considered to be any activity the takes hands off the wheel of the vehicle, draws eyes away from the road or simply takes the mind to another place.

What distracts us

Implied in the definition is that Distracted Driving can be several things at the same time. For example, “rubbernecking” as you pass a crash not only takes your eyes away from the road, but also distracts your mind with questions like: “What happened?” “How badly were they hurt?” “Do I know them?”

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) produced a study in 2010 listing the top causes of distraction and a measure

of the increased risk of each distraction (vs. normal driving.) Here are the results:

What the numbers tell us

• The average person reads a text in about 4.6 seconds. At 55 mph, a car travels 80 feet every second. Reading a text while driving is like driving the length of a football field blindfolded)
• At any given time during daylight hours in the U.S., Canada would similar proportionally upwards of 660,000 drivers are using their phone or texting.’
• In 2012, distracted driving accounted for nine deaths and over 1,000 injuries every day.’
• According to the CDC, 7 in 10 drivers admitted to making a call while driving, and 3 in 10 admitted to texting while driving in the 30 days leading up to the study.’

Mitigating Distraction

Plan calls

Establish times during the day when the driver can pull off the road and be available for communications (whether text, email or telephone). Work out the frequency and times, based on expected needs and the job being done.

Ignore the phone

Calls cannot always be scheduled. Establish a culture where allowing callers to leave messages to be returned at the earliest convenience (i.e., when it is safe to do so) is acceptable.

Drive defensively

Defensive driving techniques provide more time to respond to changing driving conditions.

• Pre-set temperature and radio controls.
• Clear windows of frost, ice, snow or debris before driving.
• Increase following distance. (recommend at least four seconds in normal conditions in a sedan and longer in larger vehicles or adverse conditions.)
• Understand what is occurring ahead of the vehicle. (recommend scanning at least ten seconds ahead.)
• Drive for conditions. In inclement weather, slow down and allow for increased stopping distances and poor visibility.
• Deal with distractions in a safe location, while parked.

The post Distracted Driving first appeared on Insurance - Disability, Estate, Critical Illness, Travel, Life - Glenn Stewart.

People today are living longer. Thanks to innovative diagnostics and medical treatments, it has now become the norm for people to be with more serious pre-existing health conditions to be enjoying a better quality of life, for many more years than in the past.

The good news is that there are some insurance companies that offer life insurance to people with pre-existing health conditions. For instance, health conditions such as those listed below are most likely insurable through Canada Protection Plan, Canada’s leading name in No Medical and Simplified Life Insurance:

Crohn’s/Colitis | Diabetes (Insulin) | Epilepsy | Heart Attack/Stroke | Lupus/Parkinson’s | Multiple Sclerosis | Sleep Apnea | Benign Tumors (Excluding benign brain tumors) | Blood Disorders | Depression/anxiety | History of Cancer (No reoccurrence and in remission for 3 years) | Schizophrenia/Bi-polar Disorder

If you are living with any of the conditions above, your main focus will be on maintaining or bettering your health. But at the same time, you will want to ensure that your family will be well taken care of financially. That’s where life insurance is vital. Know that there are insurance companies that could give you coverage. So do your homework and look into your options – don’t wait to be declined. And if you have been declined, you may still have an option to get coverage with a company like Canada Protection Plan.

Here’s something else important to bear in mind: insurance companies don’t merely look at the condition itself; they also look at its severity and how well you are managing it. Are you using medication consistently to keep it in check? Have you changed your diet and bumped up your exercise in an effort to maintain your health level? How much time has elapsed since your diagnosis and how long have you maintained your current health status? All this matters to an insurance provider considering your application, and could very well lead to lower premiums for you.

Also know that there are a variety of insurance plans, each offering different coverage amounts, terms and premiums. So be sure to contact Glenn Stewart a Trusted Insurance Advisor to determine which are the best options are available for you.

Finally, if you or someone you love suffers from one of these health conditions or illnesses, know that there are life insurance options out there that can provide security and peace of mind. You just need to know where to start.

Or view www.cuttherisk.com

The post Kitchener -Life Insurance with Pre-existing Health Condition first appeared on Insurance - Disability, Estate, Critical Illness, Travel, Life - Glenn Stewart.

Every elderly relative who plans to visit Canada even for a short period, must always consider buying Visitor to Canada Insurance or Travel Medical Insurance. Anyone visiting Canada for whatever reason also should purchase this Insurance. Visitor’s Health Insurance plans have been specifically designed to meet the requirements of visiting relatives providing accident and sickness coverage while in Canada.  It can be utilized in other countries outside Canada.

There are a number of Canadian Visitor Insurance plans available.  Many policies allow the insured to use doctors, laboratories, hospitals etc. in Canada.  There are many international students and professionals on work visas studying and working in Canada.  For their relatives who live abroad and plan to travel to Canada to visit their children and families, it is absolutely essential and prudent that they be covered under a Visitor Medical Insurance policy.

These Visitor Insurance plans are administered with great care by top rated Canadian Insurers with all claims handling and rules settled in Canada. Residents of foreign nations can easily avail these policies by completing the online application on ww.cuttherisk.com website.

To purchase a plan for visiting relatives, one needs to provide a few details such as age, the maximum coverage benefit needed, the start and end dates of the visit to determine the coverage period required, country of citizenship, primary destination, passport number and the name of the beneficiary.

No medical check up or proof of health records are required to purchase a Visitor Insurance Policy.  Popular plans include Blue Cross, Manulife, GMS and more.  These plans are not only for relatives visiting Canada but also for foreign students, exchange workers, scholars and immigrants.  Subscribing to a plan can be done instantly on line or calling Glenn at 1.888.256.8685

For coverage, see Glenn at glenn@cuttherisk.com or phone 1.888.256.8685

www.cuttherisk.com

The post VISITORS TO CANADA INSURANCE first appeared on Insurance - Disability, Estate, Critical Illness, Travel, Life - Glenn Stewart.

How will a partial disability affect you paying all your bills?

Protect Your most Valuable Asset -Your Ability to earn an income http://bit.ly/1o7vddm

1 in 7 Canadian have a disability and costs add up over time – Loss of income!

More than 1 in 7 will have a partial disability –

How will a partial disability affect paying all your bills?

Canadian workers not prepared to deal with financial impact of disabilities

More than half of Canadians believe they would experience financial difficulty if their pay was delayed by even one week

Yet, mental illness, cancer, cardiovascular diseases and musculoskeletal diseases such as arthritis cause more disabilities than accidents.  In fact, these diseases are 6 times more likely to be the cause of a disability.

Most Canadian workers would suffer severe financial hardship if they were forced out of work with a disability, according to a recent RBC Insurance survey. Three-in-four (76 per cent) believe that should they become disabled and unable to work for three months there would be serious financial implications for their family, such as significant debt or an impact on retirement plans.

Despite the concern, only about a quarter (27 per cent) of Canadian workers has discussed how a disability would financially impact their family. This number does not even increase substantially among workers who’ve indicated that they’ve taken time off in the past because of a partial disability (33 per cent).

Here are a few things Canadians should consider:

• Disability insurance is less expensive than you might think – generally costing between one and three per cent of your income
• Disability benefits would allow you and your family to maintain your income as though you were still able to work full-time. An online insurance needs calculator can help you assess your disability insurance needs.
• The best time to buy disability insurance is before an injury or illness occurs.

Let’s have a chat over a coffee about YOU and your Love for your family financial safety.

The post How will a partial disability affect you paying all your bills? first appeared on Insurance - Disability, Estate, Critical Illness, Travel, Life - Glenn Stewart.

at University or College!

I urge parents to review their insurance policies and ensure proper student insurance coverage for students moving away this fall to university or college.

In September, many Ontario students will be moving away from home to university and college campuses across the province for the first time. I suggest parents review their insurance policies with their insurance advisor or broker to ensure their coverage extends to their child’s new residence.

A common blunder is that many parents assume their current policy extends to their child. The reality is that policies vary between insurance companies. Contacting your insurance advisor or broker prior to your child leaving for school is essential in ensuring they are protected if something were to happen.

“Step one is for the parent and student to assess the content insurance coverage they will have. While some companies have a limit on this, others will measure the contents limit under the parent’s policy. Depending on the amount of personal property the student brings, there could be a large underinsurance exposure.”

Parents also need to review their liability to consider how a claim situation would affect their policy.

Parents and students should review the following questions with their insurance advisor or broker:

• -Does the parent’s liability limit automatically extend to the student’s new residence?
• -Do they have to live in the actual post-secondary school dorm facilities/accommodations or is any apartment or home covered?
• -Does the insurer require the name of school or address of the student’s location?
• -Would the normal policy deductible still apply?
• -If the parent’s policy has already had claims against it, would a claim at the student’s location jeopardize the carrier’s willingness to continue coverage?
• –If so, perhaps a tenant’s policy for the student may be advisable. This may be the best solution in any event because then the student starts their own insurance record thus not affecting their parent’s policy.c

www.cuttherisk.com

The post Student Insurance Coverage at University or College! first appeared on Insurance - Disability, Estate, Critical Illness, Travel, Life - Glenn Stewart.

Travelers need to be very cautious about the type of Travel Insurance coverage they buy before they leave the country.  Travel Insurance may be the last thing on their minds when planning on jet-setting to exotic locations across the globe.  Forgetting or ignoring proper coverages could cost the traveller thousands of dollars. They may have to sell some of their assets to pay the bills or it may affect their retirement savings.

You can purchase up to $5 million in Travel Insurance coverage when you travel outside of your province, territory or the country.  Coverage is available for single trips as well as multi-trip annual plans.  With a multi-trip annual plan, you can enjoy the convenience and savings of a once-a-year Travel Insurance purchase that includes coverage for an unlimited number of 15 day or 31 day trips taken within a year.

Travel is up!  Our dollar is down!  Travel Insurance is still a must!

Even with the low Canadian dollar, as many as 10.4 million Canadians could make the US their travel destination of choice with another 4.2 million looking to visit Mexico, the Caribbean, Europe and Asia. With trips outside the country coming at a higher cost, travelers may wish for creative ways to have the best trip possible on a tighter budget.  However, if keeping dollars in your pocket is important to you, then purchasing adequate Travel Insurance protection should actually be a top priority. If you require emergency medical care while travelling, not having medical Travel Insurance could end up costing you much more than you would have saved by not buying coverage before you left on your trip.

The reality is particularly true for travelers planning trips to the US or other destinations that use US currency. A visit to the hospital in the US can cost as much as $10,000 US  each day.  With the Canadian dollar at its lowest since 2005, medical costs for Canadian travelers seeking treatment in the US are even more significant than in recent years.  Without Travel Insurance, you would be responsible for your medical bills. If you have a pre-existing condition, you can find insurance but it will cost more than a regular policy.  The Insurer may offer to cover you for everything except issues arising from your pre-existing condition.  Either option is better than assuming you can fail to disclose a health condition and have your Travel Insurance Policy honoured.  That won’t happen.  There are many stories of “Snowbirds” who failed to disclose pre-existing conditions and were denied coverage after incurring tens of thousands of dollars in US medical bills.

Insurance companies, Travel Agencies and Financial Institutions may not communicate well with travellers. Consumers get a little dizzy when they read the wording within policies or contracts and they need to be better educated consumers of financial products.

CONSULT A LICENSED INSURANCE BROKER FOR YOUR TRAVEL INSURANCE NEEDS!

Glenn Stewart represents Travel Insurers, Blue Cross, Manulife and GMS policies.

www.cuttherisk.com

The post BUYING MY TRAVEL INSURANCE POLICY first appeared on Insurance - Disability, Estate, Critical Illness, Travel, Life - Glenn Stewart.

TRAVEL INSURANCE DO I NEED?

              Questions to ask when applying for Travel Insurance

.  What countries am I planning to visit?  Are they on Canada’s excluded list? If the country I am going to is on the excluded list, only certain insurers will offer Travel Insurance coverage.

.  Am I planning on doing any hazardous sports while travelling?  Most exotic sports are excluded on the standard Insurance policies.

.  How is my health? Has it changed in the last six months? Have any of my medications or the prescribed dosage changed in the last six months?

 TYPICAL TYPES OF TRAVEL INSURANCE POLICIES ARE:

. Trip Cancellation/Trip Interruption Insurance

This type of Travel Insurance protects your travel investment if you must unexpectedly cancel your trip.  Your eligible prepaid trip expenses will be protected up to the amount of coverage purchased.

.  Baggage and Personal Effects Insurance

This type of Travel Insurance protects your damaged or lost luggage.

. Comprehensive Insurance

This Travel Insurance provides coverage for Emergency  Medical, Trip Cancellation/Trip Interruption, Baggage and Personal Effects and Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance.

HAVE A CHECK LIST TO HELP YOU BUY TRAVEL INSURANCE!

HAVE YOU:

.  researched what Travel Insurance is available or have you chosen the first plan that you found?

.  spoken with your doctor or are you guessing for which health conditions you are being treated?

.  called a licensed Travel Insurance Agent or are you rushing to complete the application before you board the plane?

.  read the fine print or are you making assumptions about what is and what isn’t covered under the Travel Insurance policy that you have chosen?

.  checked out the policy glossary or are you relying on your friend’s interpretation of a confusing term?

.  enquired about deductibles or are you prepared to pay a lower cost now and a higher premium later?

. asked questions, questions and more questions or are you concerned that you will be a bother?

NOW YOU ARE READY TO SPEAK WITH A LICENSED AGENT TO PURCHASE YOUR TRAVEL INSURANCE.

  call Glenn at glenn@cuttherisk.com  or see www.cuttherisk.com                                                                                                                                                                            

The post WHAT TYPE OF TRAVEL INSURANCE DO I NEED? first appeared on Insurance - Disability, Estate, Critical Illness, Travel, Life - Glenn Stewart.

Travel Insurance may be the last thing on your mind when planning on jet-setting to exotic locations across the globe or out of province but forgetting or ignoring proper Travel Insurance coverages could cost you thousands of dollars.

Get your Travel Insurance when planning your trip making sure that you can pass all medical questions before leaving home! If you travel frequently throughout the year, purchase an annual Travel Insurance Policy to cover your travel in Canada and foreign countries.

Know what Travel Insurance you are buying to avoid a vacation disaster.  Make sure you are covered for the type of activities you plan to do while out of country. Note that the “Standard Travel Insurance” may not cover you for diving or mountain climbing. You must be aware that if you have a special need or if you are going to a different kind of destination or participating in different activities, you must make sure that the Travel Insurance product that you purchase will actually cover your needs.

The Travel Insurance Industry is one of the highest paying claims groups within the Insurance Industry.  Denied claims represent 2 to 3percent of active policies.

Are you thinking of buying Travel Insurance?   

HAVE YOU:

.   research what Travel Insurance is available or are you accepting the first plan you came across?

.   spoken with your doctor or are you guessing which health conditions you are being treated for?

.  call a licensed Travel Insurance agent or are you rushing to complete the application before you board the plane?

.  read the fine print or are you making assumptions about what is and what isn’t covered under the Travel Insurance Policy that you have chosen?

.   checked out the glossary or are you relying on your friend’s interpretation of a confusing term?

.   enquired about deductibles or are you prepared to pay a lower cost now and a higher premium later?

. asked questions, questions and more questions about Travel Insurance or are you concerned you will be a bother?

Not all Provincial Health Coverages for travel are the same.  Recently, a lady visiting Ontario from Alberta had a premature baby.  She is faced with an air ambulance bill of $30,000 because the Province of Alberta does not cover this situation.  An Ontario resident would have this service covered.

QUESTION, QUESTION AND THEN QUESTION TO MAKE SURE THAT YOUR TRAVEL INSURANCE COVERS YOUR NEEDS!

The post ARE YOU TRAVELLING OUT OF PROVINCE OR COUNTRY? first appeared on Insurance - Disability, Estate, Critical Illness, Travel, Life - Glenn Stewart.