Does COVID-19 affect life insurance? Coronavirus FAQ

The coronavirus pandemic dramatically changed the world. In this article, we take a look at how it can impact your life insurance application or your existing policy, if at all.

On May 4, 2023, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared that COVID-19 is no longer a global health emergency.

Remember to always get COVID-19 information from verified sources, such as official government of Canada or provincial websites.

What is COVID-19?

Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) is a new strain of coronavirus that was first identified in Wuhan City, China in December 2019 and has since been detected in more than 100 countries. The virus has been named SARS-CoV-2 and the disease it causes has been named Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that are common in humans and have typically been associated with mild illnesses, similar to the common cold. The novel Coronavirus (n-COV) is a new strain that has not previously been identified in humans.

Symptoms for COVID-19 have included fever, cough, difficulty breathing, and pneumonia in the lungs, with severe pneumonia cases leading to fatalities. Generally, Coronavirus can cause severe symptoms in people with weakened immune systems, the elderly, and those with long-term health conditions like diabetes, cancer, hypertension, and chronic lung disease. On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the global outbreak of COVID-19 as a pandemic.

Since then, over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, multiple variants of the virus have been identified. The most prominent ones were the Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron strains. The Delta variant was classified by WHO on May 11, 2021, and quickly became the dominant variant circulating globally. Delta spreads more easily than earlier strains of the virus and is responsible for more cases and deaths worldwide. The Omicron variant was reported to WHO later that year, on November 24, 2021, and was classified as a variant of concern by WHO on 26 November 2021, due to its high transmissibility compared to other variants. As of June 2023, Omicron is still the most prominent strain being spread in North America.

As of May 4, 2023, the WHO does not consider COVID-19 a global health emergency anymore. However, it is still classified as a pandemic and a serious, ongoing health issue.

Does COVID-19 affect my existing life insurance policy?

If you already have an existing, active life insurance policy, then the short answer is you will be covered for any claims associated with COVID-19.

In other words, if you were to pass away due to COVID-19 or a Coronavirus-related ailment, your beneficiary will be able to make a life insurance claim. The claim would be treated in the same manner as a death caused by any other natural disease or ailment. Life insurance policies do not treat deaths caused by Coronavirus any differently from those caused by any other flu, infectious diseases, or natural causes.

In 2020, Canadian life insurance companies paid out over $154 million in claims for Covid-19-related deaths (CLHIA). While 2021 data has yet to be released for Canadian insurers, according to US trends life insurance payouts in 2021 were the highest they have been in over 100 years, with Covid-19-related death claims topping 2020 numbers.

Will receiving a COVID-19 vaccine affect my life insurance policy?

Despite what some online rumours may say, receiving a COVID-19 vaccination will not affect your insurance in any way. The Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association (CLHIA) released a statement on March 8 2021 assuring Canadians that no life insurance provider in Canada will be denied coverage or benefits when using a vaccine approved by Health Canada.

From their release:

“Getting the vaccine will not affect your insurance coverage. No one should be afraid and choose to not protect themselves from COVID-19 because they are worried about it affecting their benefits. All of Canada’s life and health insurers are supportive of Canadians receiving government-approved vaccinations to protect themselves from serious illness and death.”

I have a deferred insurance policy. Can a COVID-19 claim be paid out during the waiting period?

If you currently have a deferred life insurance policy, owing to a prior health consideration, then any claims associated with COVID-19, will have to wait out the pre-specified deferral period. However, even in such cases, the claim and death benefit will be treated in the same manner as any other claim for a natural cause of death from an illness or disease.

Will COVID-19 be covered under a new life insurance policy, if I apply now?

Life insurance policies have continued to provide coverage for Coronavirus-related deaths for new life insurance applications, once those have been approved.

However, if you have been recently diagnosed with Coronavirus or are currently awaiting diagnosis or treatment of the same, insurance companies will likely defer the approval, until after such treatment or diagnosis is complete. Such a deferral will be similar to deferrals required for any other ongoing health condition or treatment.

For example, some companies may implement underwriting guidelines at the time of application that state, you must not have had Covid-19-related symptoms in the last month, that your case was only mild, or that you must wait two or three months following the resolution of all symptoms. As the situation evolves, companies may continue to amend their approval guidelines, so it’s always best to check with an insurance expert at PolicyAdvisor for the latest underwriting rules.

Does my travel history to a Coronavirus-affected region affect my life insurance application?

As part of standard life insurance applications, most life insurance companies will ask questions about your recent travels in the last year – as well as ask for information on your travel plans for the next twelve months. If you have travelled to a region that has seen a wide outbreak of COVID-19, particularly in the last 1-3 months, then you can expect the insurance company to ask you additional questions.

Similarly, any imminent plans to travel to any of COVID-affected regions invite additional questions about such travel plans. In some situations, where travel may indicate elevated risks to Coronavirus, insurance companies may choose to postpone the decision around approving a policy. Learn more about life insurance and travelling and applying for life insurance while quarantined.

Will a COVID-19 claim be paid out under Critical Illness Insurance policies?

A critical illness insurance policy is a contract whereby an insurance company agrees to pay out a one-time lump sum amount to the insured, upon the diagnosis of a specified critical illness and the completion of a survival period; usually 30 days.

COVID-19 by itself is not a covered condition as defined in Critical Illness policies currently sold. Therefore critical illness policies will not payout, purely, on a positive COVID diagnosis. The vast majority of people who contract the novel coronavirus are expected to make a full recovery within a relatively short period of time. However, if a claim is presented for a different covered critical illness (such as a major organ transplant, like a lung transplant) that is attributable to Coronavirus, then it will generally be viewed as a covered condition and insurance companies will consider such claims for approval.

If you are unsure what your policy covers, reach out to our licensed insurance experts. We will help explain your current coverage.

Am I covered for COVID-19 under my disability insurance policy?

Disability insurance products are designed to pay a monthly benefit to replace a loss of earnings if you are unable to work due to illness or injury for the length of the policy, or until you return to work. Typically, there is a waiting period before the benefit payments start. This waiting period can be between 1 to 26 weeks for short-term policies or up to 2 years for long-term disability insurance policies. Should a Coronavirus diagnosis lead to a loss of income, the insurance companies will make a payment as long as the minimum waiting period is complete. Some companies may even waive the waiting period in the case of a positive diagnosis. Learn more about Coronavirus and critical illness insurance.

Frequently Asked Questions

COVID-19 has been declared by the WHO to be a pandemic. Are there any exclusions on life insurance policies associated with pandemics that insurance providers may introduce in the future?

A pandemic is a global outbreak of disease. Pandemics happen when a new virus emerges to infect people and can spread between people sustainably. Most life insurance policies currently do not have a disease-related exclusion. The standard exclusions pertain to suicide/self-inflicted harm or criminal activity.

Currently, there are not any exclusions on coronavirus-related deaths. However, insurance companies continue to monitor the outbreak and they reserve the right to make any changes in their product or processes in the future.

Should I be buying insurance on my life or health at this time?

Regardless of this health scare, you should be buying the appropriate amount of insurance coverage to protect you and your family at the earliest time you can. Such coverage only gets more expensive with age.

COVID-19 is a reminder that life events can emerge quite quickly and it is prudent to secure coverage ahead of time. This is just as important a time as any other to protect those that depend on you for financial health. If you would like to discuss your insurance needs, our advisors are available to assist you.

Can I apply for life insurance coverage without having to meet an advisor or undergo a medical test?

When COVID-19 was still a global health emergency, many Canadians practiced social distancing to prevent the spread of Coronavirus to loved ones and community. By now, such restrictions are no longer recommended, but you may still be concerned about limiting your social interactions.

As Canada’s leading online life insurance brokers, the team at PolicyAdvisor has made finding life insurance quotes and buying life insurance an easy, quick and online process for consumers like yourself that seek the convenience of a non-face-to-face meeting to assess insurance needs. Our life insurance needs calculator can help shed light on your specific insurance requirements from your couch or kitchen table.

Our innovative algorithm parses through 100s of insurance products so you can find the best insurance policy and options for your needs. Our licensed insurance advisors are available online to answer any questions, curate your insurance choices, and help complete the application for you – all fully online.

While many life insurance products require a medical test, we have partnered with some of Canada’s leading insurance companies to arrange for life insurance coverage up to $1 million, without requiring an in-person, medical exam. We also have access to several non-medical insurance products; the coverage can be fully obtained without meeting with a medical representative.

You can easily get financial protection from the comfort of your home even if you are still practicing social distancing – like so many of us are – to protect our communities and those most vulnerable.