Empire Life Insight - October 26, 2015

We’ve just filled up our Fast & Full tank with new features that you have been asking for!

New features of the Fast & Full Life App. 3.1 include:

- New participating whole life product added: EstateMax™
- Joint-life and Multi-Life*  policy capability
- Riders and Benefits Added
- HQ ByPass with Personal History Tele-Interview
- Integrated Sales Illustrations

*Note: Multi-life not available for PAR products, only Single Life and Joint-Life policies

Want to see it live? Join one of our daily, live web-demos.

We have started mailing letters to customers who have registered savings plans (such as RRSP, LIRA) and will have reached the age of 71 by the end of this year. These customers must collapse their registered savings plans by the end of 2015.  The letters explain what options are available to them and also indicate that their contract default will be applied if we have not received instructions by December 28th, 2015.

Older products, that do not allow for a registered savings plan to registered income fund conversion, will mature if instructions are not received by December 28th, 2015.  New registered income fund applications must be submitted for these accounts in order to move the proceeds of a customer’s registered savings plan to a new registered income fund.
See Sample letter.

Reports for Citi administered registered savings plans were mailed at the beginning of October to advisors who have impacted customers. Customer letters will be mailed out on October 30th, 2015.

Guaranteed Interest Options will reinvest automatically for the same term if no new Customer instructions are received prior to the reinvestment date.  The interest rate in effect at the reinvestment date will be applied.

Upon reinvestment, a Transaction Confirmation will be mailed to Customers with a copy to their Advisor.  For all terms of one year or greater, Empire Life allows a grace period of 30 days after the reinvestment date for a customer to provide different reinvestment instructions without penalty.  Penalties will apply when new instructions are received after this 30 day grace period. 

Please contact Customer Service at 1 800 561-1268 if you have any questions regarding reinvestments.

The blog now includes our new “Off the Cuff” videos series featuring timely market commentaries and updates from our Investment Team. 
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Preferred Underwriting is now available on Empire Life Solution 10 & 20. Higher coverage may be cheaper than you think with Solution Series term life insurance!

Learn More!

We have updated our Life and Health Insurance Application (D0082).
See Information Circular 2015-30 for a summary of key changes.

As of September 30, 2015 changes to British Columbia’s Pension Benefits Standards Act, SBC 2012 and related Regulations will come into effect. They include the changing of terminology (Locked-in RRSPs will now be known as Locked-in Retirement Accounts) and the introduction of Financial Hardship Unlocking for funds held in locked-in plans. There are also changes to the calculation of maximums for new LIF accounts issued on or after September 30, 2015. The new maximum calculations will be used for any in force LIF accounts starting 2016.

Did you know that… 

Did you know that FundSERV supports In Cash Transfers for segregated funds allowing an MGA to transfer a customer account from one insurance company to another?