Are you checking out Specialty Life Insurance reviews? If so, you’re probably aware they are known as SLi Insurance. 

This company has only been operating in the Canadian marketplace for just under a decade. But is their lack of history something you should worry about?

There are so many companies and even more products. This is why it is important to compare them before picking the right insurer for your personal needs. 

A little homework goes a LONG way…

When I say this, I mean selecting the right company can save you thousands of dollars over the life of your policy! 

So, let’s look at what Specialty Life Insurance offers right now. This review provides all the necessary information, including products, the application process, and SLi’s pros and cons.

SLi: A little Bit About ‘Em

SLi is owned by the same folks who run Insurance Supermarket Inc. Founded in 2015, Specialty Life Insurance (SLi) is a small company in the non-medical-life insurance niche. Its main focus is providing life insurance for seniors in Canada.

Other names used to describe the no medical life insurance products SLi sells include:

• No Medical Exam 
• Simplified Issue
• Guaranteed Issue

What is No Medical Life Insurance?

Unlike traditional medically underwritten insurance, simplified issue products do NOT require consumers to take a physical or medical exam to qualify.

These policies are ideal for consumers with mild to moderate health issues (seniors), who may be afraid of needles, or people hurrying to secure coverage.

No Medical Life Insurance is one of the fastest-growing sectors in the Canadian Insurance Industry.

Originally, SLi insurance started with a few no-medical products underwritten by Chubb Insurance of Canada. These included:

• Final Expense
• Critical Illness
• Accidental Death Plan

In partnership with Ivari from 2017 to 2021, Speciality Life Insurance offered three additional plans that are presently no longer available:

• Guaranteed Protection
• Standard Protection
• Preferred Protection Plans

Simplified Issue Term & Permanent Coverage 

Most recently, in 2021, Specialty Life partnered with Humania Assurance to offer The Evolution Series, a completely new product line. With Jenie, their virtual underwriting assistant, Specialty now offers simplified issue term, and permanent coverage.

The Evolution Series:

• Evolution Term 10
• Evolution Term 20
• Evolution Term 30
• Evolution T100 (Permanent)

Financial Rating

Because SLi Insurance is a small, new company, it’s hard to find accessible financial reports online. Specialty Life insurance doesn’t appear to be rated with agencies like AM Best or DBRS. 

However, you can take solace in the fact that Specialty Life’s products have been underwritten by established carriers like Ivari, Chubb, and Humania.

Recently in 2022, Gallatin Point Capital invested US$100 million into ISI, the company that owns Specialty Life.

Customer Reviews

Specialty Life Insurance Reviews: Better Business Bureau

SLi Insurance is accredited by the Better Business Bureau and has an A+ rating. 

They have 11 reviews with an average rating of 1 out of 5 Stars. Ouch!

Speciality Life Insurance Reviews: Google 

As I mentioned, insurance companies’ online reviews are notoriously bad, especially on Google. It’s such a gamble that some larger carriers like Sun Life have figured out how to avoid appearing on Google ratings.

Specialty life Insurance doesn’t have that problem. Based on 879 Google reviews, they average 4.1 stars out of 5. That’s extraordinary, considering 3.0 stars would be a great rating on Google compared to other life insurance companies.

I think SLi is doing a great job of engaging clients to leave reviews.

Specialty Life Insurance Products

Specialty Life Insurance has recently introduced Term insurance to its original product line. We will update this post shortly.

Their original site, SpecialtyLifeInsurance.ca, lists only three products:

• Final Expense 
• Critical Illness
• Accidental Death 

Whereas what appears to be a newer site, SLinsurance.ca lists the three mentioned above and three additional products:

• Guaranteed Protection 
• Standard Protection 
• Preferred Protection 

This could be problematic. If you’re a consumer visiting SpecialtyLifeInsurance.ca, you may not know the three newer products listed on Slinsurance.ca.

No Blood Tests or Physical Exams Required

All of Specialty Life’s products are permanent, no-medical plans. You can qualify and secure coverage without a life insurance medical exam. SLi’s programs are geared toward seniors seeking small burial insurance policies to cover final expenses.

Let’s take a look at what they’ve got!

1. Guaranteed Protection Plan

Specialty Life’s Guaranteed Protection Plan is designed for consumers who have serious health issues. An example of that would be someone with life-threatening cancer or a congenital illness like Alzheimer’s or Dementia.

Details of SLi’s Guaranteed Protection Plan include:

• Eligibility: Age 40-79, evidence of Canadian residency
• Coverage Amounts: $1000- $50,000
• 2-Year Waiting Period: If you die of natural causes within the first two policy years, the death benefit equals a repayment of premiums plus 3% interest.
• Graded Premiums: Monthly premiums remain level for 5 years and increase every five years throughout the policy’s life. For example, a 70-year-old male non-smoker pays $63.88 monthly for a $5,000 plan. After five years, his monthly rate increases to $75.64. If he survives to 80, he pays $106.05 per month.
• Premiums are NOT guaranteed: “may be adjusted based on the expected experience for that risk group, but not more frequently than once in twelve months.”
• Underwritten by Ivari Insurance

2. Final Expense Plan

Specialty Life Insurance – Their Final Expense Plan is almost identical to their Guaranteed Protection Plan. It’s for consumers with serious health issues.

Details of SLi’s Final Expense Plan include:

• Eligibility: Age 18 – 74, Canadian resident
• Coverage Amounts: $5,000- $25,000
• Accidental Death Benefit: Four times the face amount up to age 75.
• 2-Year Waiting Period: If you die of natural causes within the first two policy years, the death benefit equals the repayment of premiums.
• Graded Premiums: Monthly premiums remain at a level for five years and then increase every five years throughout the policy’s life. For example, a 70-year-old male non-smoker pays $68.88 monthly for a $5,000 plan. After five years, his monthly rate increases to $80.14. If he survives to 80, he pays $100.05 per month.
• Underwritten by Chubb Insurance

3. Standard Protection Plan

SLi’s Standard Protection Plan is ideal for consumers with moderate health issues. These conditions may include someone who’s had heart or stroke issues in the past.

Details of SLi’s Standard Protection Plan include:

• Eligibility: Age 18-79, evidence of Canadian residency, 13 qualifying health questions.
• Coverage Amounts: $1000- $300,000 (age 18-70), $1,000 – $150,000 (age 71-79)
• 2-Year Waiting Period: If you die of natural causes within the first two policy years, the death benefit equals a repayment of premiums plus 10% interest.
• Level Premiums: Monthly premiums are guaranteed never to increase over the policy’s life.
• Underwritten by Ivari Insurance

4. Preferred Protection Plan

Specialty Life’s Preferred Protection Plan is created for healthy consumers with mild health issues like high blood pressure, cholesterol, and well-managed diabetes. This is SLi’s most affordable coverage and the only plan with no two-year waiting period.

Details of SLi Insurance’s Preferred Protection Plan include:

• Eligibility: Age 18-70, evidence of Canadian residency, 23 qualifying health questions.
• Coverage Amounts: $1000- $300,000 (age 18-70)
• Level Premiums: Monthly premiums are guaranteed never to increase over the policy’s life.
• No waiting period – This is Specialty Life’s only plan that has NO waiting period
• Underwritten by Ivari Insurance

5. No Medical Critical Illness Insurance

Critical Illness Insurance has become a hot product recently, but buyers should read the fine print on any policy. If you want to learn more about the pros and cons of critical illness coverage, read my post here.

Critical Illness protection was invented by a doctor and is designed to protect you when you become seriously ill and cannot continue working. Today, you are much more likely to survive a severe illness than you would have 50 years ago. The question is, will your finances survive?

What happens when you can’t work? Will the bank give you a break on your mortgage payments? How about the electricity, car insurance, and utility bills? Haha…we all know these bills don’t stop.

What if there was a way to protect yourself from this scenario? Well, one solution is Critical Illness insurance. It provides a one-time, lump-sum payment to help you during your darkest hours. The benefit is tax-free; you can spend it however you’d like.

Now let’s check out what Specialty Life has to offer:

Speciality Life Insurance Critical Illness Plan

SLi’s No Medical Critical Illness Insurance is for consumers who either don’t want to undergo a health exam or want to establish coverage quickly.

Details of SLi Insurance’s Critical Illness Plan include:

• Eligibility: Age 18 – 69, Canadian resident, qualifying health questions for coverage above $25,000
• Coverage Amounts: $5,000- $150,000
• 24 Conditions Covered
• Benefits will NOT be paid for any pre-existing condition
• Exclusions – Within the first two years, an insured condition will NOT be covered if caused by a pre-existing condition. After two years, this exclusion goes away. No benefit is paid in the first 90 days for cancer.
• Coverage lasts up to age 75
• Underwritten by Chubb Insurance

6. Accidental Death Plan

Accidental Death Insurance, otherwise known as AD&D, is coverage that ONLY pays out in the event of an accident.

It does NOT pay out any benefit if death occurs by natural causes. This is important to remember. Some people who have AD&D coverage think it’s real-life insurance, and they are protected if they die from a heart attack or cancer. Not so. 

Specialty Life’s Accidental Death Plan may be ideal for people who have high-risk professions or hazardous jobs.

Details of SLi Insurance’s Final Expense Plan include:

• Eligibility: Age 18 – 69, Canadian resident, No medical questions
• Coverage Amounts: up to $500,000
• Accidental Death Benefit is paid to beneficiaries if death is the result of an accident. Full or partial benefit is paid in the event of a debilitating injury caused by an accident.
• Additional Benefits: Monthly in-hospital benefits, bereavement benefits, home and vehicle modification benefits, and transportation and reparation benefits.
• Coverage lasts until age 75
• Exclusions: illness, suicide, misuse of meds, alcohol in your system, hazardous activities, non-commercial air travel, acts of war, etc.
• Underwritten by Chubb Insurance

NOTE** Many advisors question the usefulness of an accidental death benefit or policy. The average person’s chances of an accidental death, especially when they’re over the age of 30, are infinitesimal. That’s one of the reasons banks love to sell these small AD&D policies: they rarely pay out.

SLi Application Process

As I mentioned, an SLi insurance application does not require physical or medical tests. However, you are required to answer qualifying health questions for the Standard and Preferred Protection Plans.

I get it; you don’t want to answer any questions. That’s fine, but expect to pay more for your insurance. Also, the coverage you qualify for comes with a two-year waiting period.

Answering questions is a good thing. The more questions you answer, the more affordable the coverage will likely be. The only way to find out is to go through the process. You’re healthier than you think!

Voice Authorization – No Signature Required

Specialty Life Insurance has a well-integrated, easy-to-use electronic application. If you’re meeting with your agent or advisor face-to-face, you can complete an application in 20 minutes or less.

Do you know what I like even better? SLi is the only carrier in Canada that uses voice signature technology in its application process.

Why should you care? Voice signature technology allows you to complete the application over the phone from the comfort of your home.

SLi insurance allows you to sign your life insurance application verbally. No more fumbling with your cell phone or logging into your computer to check your inbox for an email signature request.

E-signatures are awesome, but not everyone can access a computer or is comfortable executing one.

Specialty Life Insurance Pros

1. Niche Provider – No Medical Life Insurance Canada

What do the experts say when you’re starting a business? Specialize & niche down. 

Well, SLi Insurance has certainly done that. They’re a no-medical life insurance company that laser-focuses on six products!

2. Underwritten by Ivari & the Chubb Insurance Company of Canada

Specialty Life Insurance may be a newborn compared to leading Canadian carriers that have been around for over a century. Joining forces with Ivari and Chubb provides SLi with both credibility and financial stability. 

3. No Needles, No Peeing in a Cup When You Apply for an SLi Policy

Specialty Life Insurance is exclusively a no-medical life insurance carrier. This means no health or physical exams, only some qualifying questions with Standard and Preferred Plans.

4. Application Process with Voice Signature Technology

If you’d like to complete an application from the comfort of your home, SLi Insurance is the company for you. Their voice signature application lets you complete the entire process over the phone.

5. Offers Lowest Minimum Coverage Amounts

If you’re in the market for a small final expense plan, SLi allows you to select benefit amounts as low as $1000. 

6. Accepts Monthly Payment By Credit Card 

Most life insurance companies in Canada do not accept credit cards as an option for paying premiums. Some carriers, including Canada Protection Plan, allow you to pay with a credit card if you pay annually. Specialty Life Insurance makes using your credit card to pay monthly even easier.

7. Flexible Residency Rules for Applicants

Specialty Insurance accepts refugees, super visas, work & student visas, and pretty much anybody who has a permanent address.

8. Competitive Pricing If You’re On The Healthier Side

Compared with other Companies in this market niche, like Canada Protection Plan, SLi insurance is priced very well, especially if you’re healthier and qualify for their Preferred Protection Plan.

9. Great Online Reviews

For most life insurance companies, online reviews are mixed. Specialty Life must be doing something right when it comes to customer service. For example, on Google, they rate 4.3 out of 5 stars. For an insurance carrier, that’s outstanding!

Specialty Life Insurance Cons

1. Small Company With a Short History

SLi Insurance is indeed underwritten by Ivari and Chubb, well-established and very solvent companies. However, Specialty Life Insurance has only been in business for about six years, and as such, they have little record or history to scrutinize when it comes to payment of claims.

Perhaps that’s why their reviews are so good…they haven’t been in business long enough to deny any claims. Let’s check back in 10 – 15 years and see if anything’s changed.

2. If You’re Over 70, You Don’t Qualify for SLi’s Most Affordable, Permanent Coverage!  

This is important. If you’re healthy and over 70, the only Specialty Life Plan you qualify for comes with a 2-year waiting period, and the premiums are graded.

In layman’s terms, your monthly costs are NOT locked in at the beginning of the plan. They increase over the plan’s life. What happens if they become unaffordable?

The bottom line: If you’re over 70, get quotes from SLi and other non-medical life insurance companies before you decide on your best funeral insurance plan.

3. Specialty Life Sells Plans With Graded Premiums

A graded premium is when you purchase a life insurance plan and the monthly cost increases over the policy’s life. For example, two of SLi’s six products, the Guaranteed Protection and Final Expense plans, increase premiums every five years.

There’s no reason to purchase a graded life insurance plan when you may qualify for something with better guarantees.

4. Premiums NOT Guaranteed

If you’re considering purchasing an insurance policy to cover a final expense, you want to ensure it has the best guarantees. Specialty Life’s Guaranteed Protection Plan doesn’t come with guaranteed premiums. They reserve the right to adjust premiums, if necessary, once every year. Is it likely this will happen? Probably not, but do you want to take a chance?

5. No 8% Discount When You Pay Annually

The majority of consumers like to pay their life insurance premiums monthly. However, if you like to save money, almost all Canadian insurance companies offer an 8% discount if you pay annually. This is NOT the case with Sli insurance.

6. Confusing Online Presence – Three Different Websites

Specialty life insurance has three websites: SpecialtyLifeInsurance.ca, SpecialtyLife.ca, and Slinsurance.ca. None of these sites is congruent in message or product. One appears to be a dedicated website for advisors, and another is an online platform offering insurance from other carriers. However, they all come up in Google searches, leading to potential confusion for consumers.

Call Policy Architects Today!

How good is Specialty Life Insurance? They appear to be a solid insurer…

They have fantastic online reviews, are underwritten by Ivari Canada, and have a convenient application process.

But keep in mind that simplified-issue life insurance isn’t for everybody. These plans best suit individuals with moderate to serious health and insurability issues.

Clients That Should Consider SLi :

• Dealing with a moderate or severe health issue
• Afraid of NEEDLES
• A non-resident or worried about residential status in Canada
• looking for a small policy to take care of your funeral expenses

Call Policy Architects TODAY! We can help you find the right insurance for your situation. Save time, money, and hassle.