Identify the type of financial support you are exploring if illness interrupted daily life. No diagnosis is requested here; an authorized representative calls you back.
What the public plan does not cover
RAMQ covers medical care, not lost income nor most of the costs that accompany a serious illness: travel, home help, adapting a home, uncovered medication, a relative who stops working to provide care. That gap is what this coverage targets.
Critical illness: a lump sum
Critical illness insurance pays a single amount on diagnosis of an illness covered by the contract, after a survival period. The money is tied to no expense: you use it as you choose. The list of covered illnesses and their definitions vary by contract, and that is the heart of the product.
Definitions matter more than the list
Two contracts can both “cover cancer” and pay in different situations, depending on the stage and the wording used. Reading an illness’s definition, not just its name on the list, is the only honest way to compare.
Survival period and waiting period
Most contracts require surviving a set number of days after diagnosis for the benefit to be paid. Some also provide an initial period during which specific conditions are not covered. Both appear in the contract.
Supplementary health care
Health coverage — medication, dental, paramedical — answers a different need: frequent, predictable expenses rather than a single financial shock. It compares on annual ceilings, co-insurance, and exclusions, not on the premium alone.
Without a group plan
Self-employed, contract worker, business owner: without an employer plan, this coverage is taken out individually, and eligibility is assessed at subscription. The earlier the request, the wider the options.
Pre-existing conditions
A condition known at subscription may be excluded, priced differently, or lead to a refusal, depending on the insurer and the condition. Transparency at subscription protects the benefit: an omission can void it.
Why no price is shown here
A premium depends on age, health, the coverage amount, and the protections chosen. A figure shown without those would be misleading, and CompareTaux produces no automated recommendation.
What happens after you submit
A life and health insurance representative calls you back to separate what belongs to critical illness coverage from what belongs to supplementary care. Health questions come at that step, never in this form.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to share a diagnosis or medical record?
No. Do not send any medical information through this form. The necessary health questions are asked later by the authorized person, in a protected setting.
What exactly does critical illness insurance pay?
A single lump sum on diagnosis of an illness covered by the contract, after a survival period. The amount is tied to no expense: you use it as you choose.
Which illnesses are covered?
The list varies by contract, and the definitions matter more than the names. Two contracts can both mention an illness and pay in different situations depending on the stage specified.
What is the survival period?
Most contracts require surviving a set number of days after diagnosis for the benefit to be paid. The exact duration is in the contract.
Doesn’t RAMQ already cover my care?
It covers medical care, not lost income nor most costs that accompany a serious illness: travel, home help, adapting a home, uncovered medication.
How does this differ from disability insurance?
Critical illness insurance pays a single amount on diagnosis. Disability insurance replaces income during an incapacity. They answer two different needs and are often combined.
Does a pre-existing condition prevent me from subscribing?
Not necessarily. Depending on the insurer and the condition, it may be excluded, priced differently, or lead to a refusal. Transparency at subscription is what protects the benefit.
Can I subscribe without a group plan?
Yes. This coverage is taken out individually, and eligibility is assessed at subscription rather than at the time of a claim. That is why your age and health on the day carry so much weight.