GROUP
INSURANCE

You’ve got questions?
We’ve got answers!

Offering a group insurance plan to your employees or members of your organization is a great way to give them peace of mind. But for you, we know that this does involve a few daily administrative tasks. That’s why we’ve put together this information-packed resource to help make your life easier.

A simple 3-step process

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Watch the videos

They explain the basics of plan administration, exploring the tasks you’ll be doing most often, from member enrolment to generating various reports.

Watch the videos
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Consult the frequently asked questions (FAQ)

That’s where you’ll find answers to more specific questions about your administrative tasks and support for your members.

Consult the FAQ
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Email us

Couldn’t find the information you were looking for in the videos or the FAQ? Contact us and we’ll be happy to send a quick response, usually within two working days.

Send an email

Videos

Video 1

My Client Space

Get an overview of the secure website on which you carry out all administrative tasks related to your group plan.

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Video 2

Creating your account

Discover the quick and easy process for creating your My Client Space administrator account.

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Video 3

Enrolment

See how to add a member to your group plan in your My Client Space account.

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Video 4

Changes to member information

Find out how to consult and update information specific to each member, for instance in the event of a salary change or the end of their employment.

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Vidéo 5

Changes to member dependents

See how to add or remove a dependent, or even change their status (e.g., in or out of school) for a specific member.

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Video 6

Reporting and billing

See how to generate and download the various reports available for your group plan, as well as view premium and other invoices.

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Frequently asked questions

Administrative day-to-day tasks

My Client Space is iA’s secure website for clients. This is where you, as the plan administrator, can access your dashboard and ensure the day-to-day management of your plan.

To create your account, go to ia.ca/myaccount, click on “Create account”, then on the “Plan administrator” tile. Enter your full name and contract number, and under Do you have your activation key, check No, help me! I want to get my activation key.

Once you have received your activation key, go back to ia.ca/myaccount, click on “Create account”, then on the “Plan administrator” tile. Enter your full name and contract number, but this time, check Yes, I have my activation key.

Finally, create your access code and password, and answer a few security questions. You can then access your Group Insurance plan dashboard.

As the administrator for your group plan, will you also be a member?

If so, when enrolling as a plan member, always use your personal email address. Your work email address will be linked to your plan administrator access. Using your work email address on a plan member level may cause issues with your login.

We can provide you with a billing calendar so you can see when your invoice will be issued for each month of the year.

The premiums are prorated on a 30-day basis, no matter if the month has 28, 30 or 31 days. Here is an example:

Coverage effective on July 4, 2022, processed on the July 2022 premium statement.

  • forwardMonthly health premium: $125.82
  • forwardMonthly dental premium: $95.29
  • forwardMonthly life premium: $31.80
  • How many days do we charge you?
    30 days – 3 days = 27 days
  • What is the prorated health premium amount?
    $125.82/30 days x 27 days = $113.24
  • What is the prorated dental premium amount?
    $95.29/30 days x 27 days = $85.76
  • What is the prorated life premium amount?
    $31.80/30 days x 27 days = $28.62
  • What total amount is charged to you?
    $113.24 + $85.76 + $28.62 = $227.62
  • All our billing information is featured on the document called Billing Calendar, available upon request. This document is updated each year.

Yes, they have their own account in My Client Space.

A welcome letter is sent to them the day after you complete their application on your administrative My Client Space account. The letter includes their benefit card, their My Client Space account activation key and the instructions to register.

How do I indicate salary changes?

  1. Go to your My Client Space account and access the member’s file using the search tool.
  2. From the left-hand menu, under Update Member Information, click on Edit Salary.
  3. Enter the new amount, the salary basis and the effective date of the change.
  4. Click on OK.
  1. Go to your My Client Space account and access the member’s file using the search tool.
  2. From the left-hand menu, under Update Member Information, click on Edit Salary.
  3. Enter the new amount, the salary basis and the effective date of the change.
  4. Click on OK.

If a salary increase leads to increased amounts of life insurance and long-term disability insurance and these increased amounts exceed the non-evidence maximums, the member will have to submit evidence of insurability. iA will send you a notice.

The coordination of benefits rules are as follows:

  • forwardFor the member, iA pays first.
  • forwardFor the spouse, iA pays in second (we need the explanation of benefits from the carrier who paid first).
  • forwardFor a child, the insurance carrier of the parent whose date of birth is closest to January 1 pays first.

Dependents must be registered in the member’s record to be eligible to submit claims (iA manages the dependents). Life insurance is mandatory for dependents even if they are not covered for health and/or dental benefits under the iA group insurance plan.

When a life event occurs, a coverage change can be done within the 31 days following the life event. Recognized life events are:

  • Marriage or civil union
  • Divorce or separation
  • Birth or adoption of a first child
  • Change to common-law status (one year of cohabitation)
  • Loss of spouse’s employment or group insurance coverage from their employer
  • New group insurance for the spouse
  • Death of the spouse or a dependent child
  • Children over 21 who are full-time students
  • Children over 21 who cease to attend an educational establishment on a full-time basis

Administrative tolerance: Plan members have 31 days to provide you with any change to their situation. However, the administrator My Client Space allows changes up to three months after the actual date of the change.

Supporting your plan members

Life insurance conversion

  • Available to any terminating or retiring employee under age 65
  • The request must be received by iA within 31 days of the termination or retirement date
  • The amount can be less than the current coverage, but must be equal or greater than $10,000 and less than $200,000
  • Note: once we receive the request, someone will contact the plan member to provide options for conversion, but it could take several weeks

Transit program conversion

  • Available to any terminating or retiring employee (no age limit)
  • The completed application must be received within 60 days of termination or retirement
  • The coverage is available to any employee and any eligible dependent
  • Health coverage is mandatory, but dental coverage is optional

The list of reasonable and customary charges is available in My Client Space, under Guides and Resources, in the left-hand menu.

We use the standard dental fee guide of the province of treatment for general practitioners.

Adding a new member, a new spouse or a new child later than the standard application delay will result in that person needing to provide evidence of insurability; coverage may even be declined. For dental claims, a late applicant will be restricted to $100 of coverage in the first 12 months.

Disability

You must complete an employer statement and submit it to disability@ia.ca. iA will contact the member within three to five business days to obtain details on the disability.

If further information is required, we will write to the physician, asking specific questions and providing payment. If no further information is required, we will approve the disability application.

You and the member will be provided information at approval and whenever there are changes to the claim (approved, declined, closure, extensions, etc.).

If a member is disabled and receives workers’ compensation benefits, a concurrent short-term or long-term disability claim should also be filed.

For more details, consult our disability guide.

Life insurance claim

There two types of life insurance claims – regular and express – which are explained in our life insurance claim process guide. For instance, claims of $75,000.00 and under can be filed with the express process.

If the death is accidental, the accidental death and dismemberment portion will be paid once the coroner’s report is received.

This document lists all the drugs requiring pre-authorization.

If the prescribed drug is featured in the list, this form must be completed and sent to iA.

If your contract includes short-term or long-term disability benefits, plan members on disability who have received taxable benefits during the year will receive T4 slips, generally in February.

  1. On the iA Financial Group website, they must click on Connect (top right-hand corner) and choose Client Space.
  2. Once on the Client Space login page, they must click on Create an account, and choose Client.
  3. Then, they must simply follow the on-screen instructions.

The above steps are indicated on the group insurance benefit card that members receive by mail after they have enrolled in the plan.

For a video demo, visit our Group Insurance YouTube channel.

Beneficiary designation is made in My Client Space. Residents of Manitoba can also use the Change Form; once completed, they can give it to their plan administrator or send it to iA via secure messaging in My Client Space.

Understanding your contract

A dependent is either a member’s spouse or child.

  • forwardSpouse: the person who is married or in common-law union with the member; the co-habitation period for common-law union is 12 months.
  • forwardChild: live birth to age 21, and to age 26 if attending an accredited educational institute on a full-time basis.

The member coverage is maintained for a maximum of three months, excluding disability insurance. During this three-month period, premiums are paid, but no individual selection is possible.

In the case of an approved leave of absence, the member coverage can be maintained, excluding disability and travel benefits, for a maximum of six months. During this six-month period, premiums must continue to be paid.

  • forwardUnder age 70: The coverage applies for an emergency occurring during the first 90 days of the insured person’s absence from their province of residence, and is limited to a lifetime maximum of $5,000,000.
  • forwardAge 70 and over: The coverage applies for a trip of less than 30 days and is limited to a lifetime maximum of $1,000,000.

Plan add-ons

Dialogue is the leading Canadian virtual care platform offering a portfolio of healthcare services. It supports plan members and their family through various health and wellness resources. For details, consult our Dialogue brochure.

Please contact us if you would like to add this to your group insurance plan.

Well-Balanced is an extensive health and wellness program comprising both services included with all group plans and services offered à la carte.

Member services included with all plans

  • Health navigation platform
  • Health risk assessment questionnaire

Administrator services included with all plans

  • Health and wellness toolbox

À la carte services

  • Stay Healthy at Work™
  • Employee and family assistance program
  • Medical second opinion

Visit our website for more on Well-Balanced.

The HSA can be used to pay for eligible medical and dental expenses that members would otherwise pay on their own.

It works like a bank account: the account is credited with a dollar amount from which eligible expenses are deducted.

As long as the balance is sufficient to cover a claim, eligible expenses are reimbursed, and the HSA is debited accordingly.

For more details on the HSA, consult this brochure. To add it to your group plan, please contact us.

The wellness account can be used to reimburse activities that promote regular and continued physical activity or that contribute to plan member wellness.

Reimbursable activities may include gym membership, public transit tickets or weight loss program costs.

For more details on the wellness account, consult this brochure. To add it to your group plan, please contact us.

The EFAP is a professional, confidential and proactive support program for a wide range of personal, family and work-related concerns.

At any time on any day, plan members and their family can receive counselling for any challenge – whether it’s a first step in facing a possible addiction, or managing day-to-day stress.

For more details on the EFAP, consult this brochure. To add it to your group plan, please contact us.

The MSO calls upon a network of some of the best doctors in the world, including specialists from virtually all medical fields.

All MSO doctors are affiliated with leading Canadian medical teaching institutions. As specialists in their respective fields, they have access to resources and clinical expertise around the world, which facilitates consultation with other leading experts, when necessary.

For more details on MSO, consult this brochure. To add it to your group plan, please contact us.

Contact

Didn’t find an answer to your question? Contact us and we’ll be happy to send a quick response.

Send an email

Connect

Found the answer to your question? Go to My Client Space.

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