The latest statistics from the Heart & Stroke Foundation are sobering. Every year…

• 70,000 Canadians will have a heart attack
  
• 50,000 Canadians will have a stroke
  
• Heart disease was the leading cause of inpatient hospitalization for both men and women, accounting for more than 18 per cent of all hospital separations
  
• Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in Canada
  
• Close to half of the survivors have heart-related problems and a high risk of repeat heart attack
  
• Cardiovasular diseases are the most expensive disease to treat - outpacing all other diagnostic categories

So not only is heart-related illness the leading cause of death in Canada, but those who survive stand a good chance of being in poor health. This may limit future earning potential and therefore the ability to pay for treatment.

Government health plans and group insurance benefits are limited to basic medical and hospital care in Canada. If you are like most Canadians and have financial obligations (i.e. mortgage payments, child care or education costs etc…) a cardiovascular or other serious illness could have a catastrophic effect on your family's quality of life.

However, it's not all doom and gloom. There is a way to ensure your family is sheltered from the effects of a debilitating illness - Critical Illness Insurance.

How does it work?
Critical Illness insurance is a relatively new type of insurance in Canada which pays you a benefit if you are stricken by a critical illness such as a heart attack or cancer. Unlike Life Insurance, the benefit is paid directly to you rather than a beneficiary. You can then use this benefit to help pay for treatment, replace lost income, pay off your mortgage or however else you see fit.

A serious illness can change your life forever. Critical Illness insurance provides the financial resources to let you face your new challenges. If you would like to know more about Critical Illness insurance, and how it would fit into your financial plan, feel free to give us a call at (306)757-2121. We would be happy to discuss it with you.