Bridge Series Disability Insurance

You are on: Benefits

With the Bridge Series policy from RBC Insurance^®, you’ll have long-term total disability income protection and return to work benefits similar to The Foundation Series policy, but at a lower cost and with more exclusions and limitations than The Foundation Series policy.

The plan offers the following key benefits:

• Total disability benefits: You will receive a specified monthly benefit if illness or injury completely prevents you from working⁽¹⁾. (See What's Covered for details.)
• Return to work assistance benefit: This benefit pays for services such as rehabilitation, work-site modifications and more to help you get back to your job.
• Guaranteed renewable to age 65: We cannot change or cancel the policy without your consent, up until you turn age 65. Premiums are level, but may be subject to change. However, we cannot change your premiums unless we do so for an entire group of policyholders sharing similar characteristics.
• Your choice of benefit periods: You decide the maximum period during which benefits may be paid to you: two years, five years, or to age 65.
• Long-term care conversion option: From ages 55 to 65, you can convert all or a portion of your disability insurance coverage (up to $6,000 per month) to an equivalent amount of long-term care coverage, without having to provide evidence of good health⁽²⁾.
• Portability: You can keep your policy even if you change jobs.

You may also choose from a range of optional benefits.

The information above is intended as a summary only. Your policy will contain complete details on terms and conditions, including benefits and exclusions.

For more information:

• Compare Disability Insurance Plans
• Disability Income Protection Insurance FAQs

You are on: Optional Benefits

Optional Coverage for Even More Protection

With the Bridge Series policy, you can add this optional coverage:

• Regular Occupation Extension benefit: Extend the regular occupation definition of disability from 24 months to the end of the benefit period. This ensures that you receive full benefits if you can't work in your regular occupation, provided you are not engaged in any gainful occupation and are receiving a physician's care.
• Short-term partial disability benefit: Receive 50% of the total disability benefit for up to 12 months if you are partially disabled.
• Long-term partial disability benefit: If you are partially disabled, receive 50% of the total disability benefit for the first 24 months and 25% of the total disability benefit for the duration of the benefit period.
• Future Income option: To keep pace with your rising income, you may be eligible to purchase additional coverage on each policy anniversary date, up to age 55, without having to prove your health status.
• Cost of Living benefit: While you are disabled, our Cost of Living benefit protects you against inflation by ensuring that your monthly disability benefit is adjusted by the change in the Consumer Price Index (CPI), subject to limits.
• Retirement Protector rider: The Retirement Protector rider helps you maintain deposits to a retirement savings plan (RSP) while you are totally disabled.
• Hospitalization benefit: Subject to certain limitations, after you have been hospitalized for 24 consecutive hours, you will receive a benefit for every day you are hospitalized. You will also receive an additional benefit four times the daily hospital benefit while you are in an intensive care unit.

The information above is intended as a summary only. Your policy will contain complete details on rider and optional coverage terms and conditions, including benefits and exclusions.

You are on: Eligibility

Eligibility Requirements

You are eligible to apply for the Bridge Series policy if you:

• Are between the ages of 18 and 60, and
• Are a Canadian citizen or permanent resident/landed immigrant

The Bridge Series policy is typically ideal for:

• Small business owners or managers
• Trades people (plumbers, electricians, etc.)
• Middle-income earners (office workers or sales people)
• Self-employed farmers

Subject to certain eligibility criteria, the Bridge Series policy may also be available to individuals working part-time or those who are new business owners.

You are on: What's Covered

Coverage Details

With the Bridge Series policy, disability income protection and return to work benefits are payable under the following conditions:

Income Protection Benefits

Return to Work Assistance Benefits

Survivor Benefits

Integration of Benefits

Elimination Period

Summary of Exclusions*

You are on: Premiums

About Your Premiums

The premiums you pay will depend on your age, gender, smoking habits, occupation and options that you choose (for example, the amount of benefit purchased, the elimination period and maximum benefits period you select), and other underwriting guidelines.

The Bridge Series policy offers:

• Level premiums, which are subject to change. However, we cannot change your premiums unless we do so for an entire group of policyholders sharing similar characteristics.

Pay no premiums while you’re collecting benefits

Your disability income protection insurance includes a Waiver of Premium benefit. This means that after the elimination period has been met and monthly benefits are being paid, premiums will be waived. In addition, we will refund premiums paid during the elimination period.

Renewing your policy

The Bridge Series policy is guaranteed renewable to age 65, which means we cannot change or cancel the policy without your consent.

After age 65, while you are employed full-time in a gainful occupation, you may choose to continue the policy for total disability only. The maximum benefit period after age 65 is 24 months.