As Canada deals with a global pandemic and rising household debt, Goose Insurance warns that most Canadians can’t afford further financial setbacks caused by a life-threatening illness.
VANCOUVER, BC, Nov. 9, 2020 /CNW/ – Goose Insurance, a new player in the life and health insurance market warns Canadians could be out-of-pocket tens of thousands of dollars while undergoing treatment for any life-threatening illness.
Goose Insurance recently conducted a survey of over 1000 Canadians, yielding some eye-opening results. The company found that less than 5% of respondents have critical illness insurance or cancer insurance and majority of the people wrongly believe that Canada’s health care system covers all costs associated with cancer treatment or any other life-threatening illness. Overwhelmingly, women are under insured in Canada, with over 70% of the women that responded to the survey have never purchased life or critical illness insurance.
According to the Canadian Medical Association Journal, nearly half of Canadians will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime. In fact, the CMAJ estimates that 225,000 people will be diagnosed with, and 83,000 people will die from, cancer in 2020 alone.
While Canada’s health care system covers many costs associated with life-threatening medical treatments, many patients still face out-of-pocket expenses while undergoing treatment, including some drugs not covered, childcare, rent or mortgage, and other household bills and responsibilities. This comes at a time when Canadians are dealing with COVID-19, a global pandemic; whilst battling an all-time high household debt ratio of 176.9% according to Statistics Canada.
So why aren’t Canadians buying life and health insurance? Of those surveyed by Goose, the two most common reasons were accessibility and affordability. Specifically amongst young Canadians aged 25 to 35, over 50% didn’t know where to buy it from and over 70% found it too complicated.
“Goose is tackling the accessibility and affordability of insurance, and addressing the underserved market,” says Dejan Mirkovic, President of Goose Insurance. “We’re offering reasonable coverage limits at affordable prices, and the ability to buy policies in minutes without medical exams or the need to speak to an agent; all on the Goose app.”
Goose Insurance together with Industrial Alliance Financial Group, one of Canada’s largest Insurers, has made insurance accessible and affordable for anyone under 69 with a smartphone. On the Goose mobile app, Canadians simply become eligible by answering a few medical questions and can get up to $50,000 of Life Insurance for as low as $5 a month. Monthly premiums are based on age, gender, and smoking status.
“For decades, Special Markets Solutions (a division of iA Financial Group) has promoted voluntary insurance programs using traditional methods. While these offerings provided valuable coverage, these methods were outdated and time consuming. We are very excited to be partnering with Goose Insurance in offering voluntary products on a revolutionary digital platform. This will allow the user to have an easy to understand, seamless and instant application experience . The future is now,” said Ed Bender, National VP, Special Markets Solutions at iA Financial Group.
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Established in 2018 and based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Goose Insurance Services takes the confusing parts out of buying insurance and makes it easier than ever to get the right coverage. And it all happens in seconds, from a single app. Goose currently serves British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Québec, and Nova Scotia in Canada as well as Washington, Oregon, Illinois, Georgia, New Jersey, and Texas in the US. For more information about Goose, or to download the app, visit www.gooseinsurance.com
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