Practice area
Life insurance
We are independent, which means we quote across the insurers we represent rather than selling one company's shelf. It also means we are paid by commission, and you are entitled to know exactly how before you sign anything.
What each type is actually for
Term
Coverage for a set number of years. It commonly has a lower initial premium than permanent insurance for the same death benefit and can suit needs with an end date — a mortgage, children at home, or a business loan. It expires, and renewal after the initial term is usually more expensive.
Whole life
Permanent coverage whose premiums, cash values and death benefit depend on the issued contract. Some values may be guaranteed; dividends and illustrated values may not be. It can suit needs that do not end: a tax bill at death, an estate equalisation, a charitable gift. Costs considerably more than term for the same face amount.
Universal life
Permanent coverage with a separate investment component and flexible premiums. More moving parts, more that can go wrong if it is underfunded. Sometimes the right answer for a corporation. Frequently oversold to people who needed term.
How we work
We start with the need rather than the product. If the coverage gap calculator says your shortfall is temporary, we will say so, and a term policy is a short conversation. Where the need is permanent — usually a tax liability that grows rather than shrinks — the conversation is longer and the comparison across insurers matters more.
We quote across the companies we are contracted with and show you what came back, including where a cheaper policy has terms that would not suit you. Then we handle the application and underwriting, which is where most of the actual work is.
What FSRA requires us to tell you
Before you sign an application, you are entitled to written disclosure of the companies we represent, how we are compensated for the sale, and any conflict of interest or potential conflict of interest arising from that compensation. We provide this in writing every time, without being asked.
Every life insurance agent in Ontario is licensed by FSRA, and the register is public. Look up licence #23219192 on FSRA Licensing Link. Do this for us and for anyone else you speak to.
Common questions
Is the death benefit taxable?
A life insurance death benefit paid to a named beneficiary is generally received tax free and passes outside the estate, which also keeps it out of the Estate Administration Tax calculation. Policies owned by or payable to a corporation follow different rules and need an accountant.
I already have coverage through work. Is that enough?
It depends how much of your total it represents. Group coverage ends when the employment ends — including if it ends because of illness. Conversion privileges are narrow and time-limited. The coverage calculator deliberately splits group from personal so you can see the exposure.
What if I have a health condition?
Insurers differ substantially in how they treat particular conditions, which is one of the clearest arguments for going through someone who can approach more than one. A rating from one company does not mean the same rating everywhere. There are also guaranteed-issue products, usually at a higher cost and with limitations, when underwritten coverage is not available or suitable.
Should I replace a policy I already hold?
Often no. Replacing an older policy can mean new underwriting at your current age and health, a fresh contestability period, and the loss of terms that are better than anything sold today. Ontario requires a disclosure process on replacement for exactly this reason. We will tell you when keeping what you have is the better answer.
Start with a conversation.
Thirty minutes, no charge, no product pitch. Bring whatever you have — a will, a policy, a shoebox of paper, or nothing at all. You will leave knowing what is missing and what it takes to fix.
Book a conversation Try the tools first