Engineers Canada insurance plans
Critical Illness Insurance
A lump sum if you’re diagnosed with a serious illness, to spend however your recovery needs.
Underwritten by The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company (Manulife).
- $25,000 to $1 million
- for you, and your spouse
- 6 or 18 conditions
- Essential or Enhanced
- Rate locked 5 years
- then renewed to 75
Underwritten by Manulife
Key features
What the plan gives you
A one-time lump sum, paid to you, if you’re diagnosed with a covered condition and survive the waiting period.
A lump sum, paid to you
Spend it any way you choose: treatment, time off work, help at home or your mortgage.
Return of premiums on death
If you die without having claimed, the premiums you paid go to your named beneficiary, or your estate if none is named.
Waiver of premium
If you become totally disabled before 65 and stay disabled for 3 months, your coverage continues without premiums.
Volume savings
10% off your premiums for $125,000 or more of coverage.
Medical second opinion
Access to an expert second opinion through WorldCare for you and your family. Not part of the contract, and the offering can change.
30-day money-back guarantee
Return your policy within 30 days for a refund of the premium paid.
Talk to us about this plan
Our advice on the Engineers Canada plans comes at no additional cost.
Book a callOr call 1-800-661-3300
Coverage options
Essential or Enhanced
Both pay the same lump sum. The difference is how many conditions are covered.
- 6 conditions
Essential
Six core conditions, at a lower premium.
- Life-threatening cancer
- Heart attack
- Stroke
- Coronary artery bypass surgery
- Kidney failure
- Major organ transplant
- 18 conditions
Enhanced
Everything in Essential, plus 12 more conditions, including neurological illnesses and severe injuries.
- All 6 Essential conditions, plus:
- Blindness
- Deafness
- Multiple sclerosis
- Paralysis
- Coma
- Burns
- Loss of speech
- Loss of limbs
- Motor neuron disease
- Aortic surgery
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Parkinson’s disease
Moving from Essential to Enhanced later needs a new application and health questions, so it’s worth deciding at the start. Your spouse can choose a different coverage amount.
Full definitions of every covered condition
Life-threatening cancer
A tumour characterized by the uncontrolled growth and spread of malignant cells and the invasion of tissue, confirmed by examination of tissue samples.
Heart attack
The death of part of the heart muscle due to atherosclerotic heart disease, diagnosed on all of these at the same time: a new episode of typical chest pain or similar symptoms; blockage of one or more coronary arteries; new electrocardiogram changes showing a heart attack; and raised cardiac enzymes or troponin.
Stroke
A cerebrovascular incident causing infarction of brain tissue, from bleeding, thrombosis or embolism, that causes a new, measurable and permanent neurological deficit lasting at least 30 days.
Coronary artery bypass surgery
Heart surgery to correct narrowing or blockage of one or more coronary arteries with bypass grafts.
Kidney failure
End-stage kidney disease treated with regular dialysis, or a kidney transplant.
Major organ transplant
A transplant of a heart, liver, lung or kidney because of irreversible failure of that organ, or a bone marrow transplant.
Blindness
Total and permanent loss of sight in both eyes, confirmed by an ophthalmologist: corrected vision worse than 20/200 in both eyes, or a field of vision under 20 degrees in both eyes.
Deafness
Total, permanent and profound loss of hearing in both ears (90 decibels or more across speech frequencies), confirmed by an otolaryngologist and not correctable by any hearing aid, implant or device.
Multiple sclerosis
A definite diagnosis by a neurologist, based on neurological abnormalities lasting at least 180 days and confirmed by imaging.
Paralysis
Complete and permanent loss of use of two or more limbs for at least 90 days after the event that caused it, with no sign of improvement.
Coma
Unconsciousness with no reaction to external stimuli or internal needs, lasting at least 4 days.
Burns
Third-degree burns over at least 20% of the body, confirmed by a plastic surgeon.
Loss of speech
Total and irreversible loss of the ability to speak from physical injury or disease, lasting at least 180 days.
Loss of limbs
Permanent severance of two or more limbs at or above the wrist or ankle, from an accident or a medically required amputation.
Motor neuron disease
A diagnosis by a neurologist of ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease), primary lateral sclerosis, progressive spinal muscular atrophy, progressive bulbar palsy or pseudobulbar palsy, with progressive neurological findings for at least 180 days.
Aortic surgery
Surgery for disease of the thoracic or abdominal aorta, removing the diseased section and replacing it with a graft.
Alzheimer’s disease
A definite diagnosis by a neurologist, with loss of memory and judgment severe enough to need continuous daily supervision.
Parkinson’s disease
A diagnosis by a neurologist of primary idiopathic Parkinson’s disease, with two or more of muscle rigidity, tremor and abnormal slowness of movement.
Coverage over time
Renewed every 5 years
- You applyAges 18 to 65.
- Year 5, 10, 15 and onEach renewal locks a new rate for 5 years, with no health questions.
- Age 75Coverage ends.
If you die without having claimed, the premiums you paid are returned to your beneficiary, or your estate if none is named.
Who can apply
Eligibility
Who
Canadian residents who are members of an engineering or geoscience regulator (including members in training), a participating technologist or architect association, or an accredited engineering student.
Ages and requirements
18 to 65 to apply. From 66 to 74 you can only renew.
The application starts with pre-screening questions. If you’ve had any of the conditions listed under full eligibility, you can’t apply. Medical questions and underwriting follow.
See full eligibility
You can apply if you’re a Canadian resident and:
- A member of the engineering regulators that license the country’s 300,000 members of the profession (including members in training), or an engineering student in a program accredited by the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board
- A member of the Ontario Society of Professional Engineers or Genium360
- A member of the Association of Professional Geoscientists of Ontario, Geoscientists Nova Scotia or the Ordre des géologues du Québec
- A member of one of the participating provincial associations of professional technicians and technologists
- A member of the Manitoba Association of Architects, the Architects’ Association of New Brunswick, the Nova Scotia Association of Architects or the Architects Association of Prince Edward Island
- A full-time employee of Engineers Canada, one of the engineering regulators or participating organizations, or Youth Science Canada
- A limited licensee or a provincial licensee
- To cover your spouse, you must also be applying or already insured.
- Your spouse is the person you’re legally married to, or a partner who has lived with you in a conjugal relationship for at least one year.
- Non-smoker means no tobacco or nicotine products in the past 12 months. You can switch to non-smoker rates after 12 months tobacco-free, with new health evidence.
Pre-screening questions
You can’t apply if you’ve had any of these conditions or procedures:
- Active hepatitis
- AIDS or an AIDS-related disease
- Alcohol abuse in the past five years
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Any heart condition or heart trouble (controlled high blood pressure excepted)
- Cancer of any kind, except basal cell skin cancer
- Coronary artery bypass surgery
- Diabetes
- Heart attack
- Huntington’s chorea
- Kidney disease, other than kidney stones or a history of kidney infection
- ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease)
- A major organ transplant
- Multiple sclerosis
- Permanent paralysis (paraplegia or quadriplegia), other than Bell’s palsy
- Pulmonary fibrosis
- Stroke
- Transient ischemic attack
Rates
Current monthly premiums
Monthly premium per $25,000 of coverage. 10% off for $125,000 or more. Rates last checked October 2026. Source: Manulife. Premiums can change.
| Age | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 30 | $6.74 | $6.29 |
| 35 | $8.07 | $7.88 |
| 40 | $9.45 | $10.05 |
| 45 | $14.20 | $14.81 |
| 50 | $21.48 | $19.75 |
| 55 | $34.88 | $26.83 |
| 60 | $53.83 | $36.38 |
| 65 | $67.81 | $50.57 |
Your rate is locked for 5 years, then renews at the rate for your age. Ages 66 to 74 are renewal rates only. Non-smoker means no tobacco or nicotine products in the past 12 months.
Want the premium for your exact age and amount? We’ll work it out with you.
Exclusions and limitations
Cancer
- No benefit for cancer if you had cancer, or symptoms or tests that led to a cancer diagnosis, before your coverage started or within its first 90 days (or 90 days after a reinstatement).
- Not covered: carcinoma in situ; stage 1A malignant melanoma (0.75 mm thick or less, not ulcerated, without level IV or V invasion); non-melanoma skin cancer that hasn’t spread to distant organs; stage A (T1a and T1b) prostate cancer; any tumour in the presence of HIV.
Survival periods
You must survive at least 30 days after the diagnosis (or the surgery, for bypass, aortic surgery, loss of limbs and transplants). It’s 90 days after the event for paralysis, and 180 days after the diagnosis for multiple sclerosis, loss of speech and motor neuron disease.
Conditions with limits
- Heart attack: minor heart attacks that don’t meet every part of the definition aren’t covered.
- Stroke: transient ischemic attacks, and deficits caused by external trauma, aren’t covered.
- Coronary artery bypass surgery: angioplasty, laser and other non-surgical techniques aren’t covered.
- Paralysis and loss of speech: psychiatric causes aren’t covered.
- Aortic surgery: surgery on the branches of the aorta, and aortic valve surgery, aren’t covered.
- Alzheimer’s disease: other dementias and psychiatric illnesses aren’t covered.
- Parkinson’s disease: other types of parkinsonism aren’t covered.
General exclusions
- Intentional self-inflicted injury or attempted suicide
- Use of alcohol or illicit drugs
- Committing or attempting to commit a criminal offence
- War, terrorism, insurrection or civil unrest
- Operating a vehicle, vessel or aircraft with more than 80 mg of alcohol per 100 ml of blood
One benefit is paid under the policy; the coverage ends when it’s paid.
Common questions
Critical Illness FAQ
What are the critical illness exclusions under this plan?
For cancer, the plan doesn’t cover:
- carcinoma in situ;
- stage 1A malignant melanoma (0.75 mm thick or less, not ulcerated, without level IV or V invasion);
- non-melanoma skin cancer that hasn’t spread to distant organs;
- stage A (T1a and T1b) prostate cancer;
- any tumour in the presence of HIV.
And no benefit is paid for cancer if you had it, or symptoms or tests that led to the diagnosis, before your coverage started or within its first 90 days. Other conditions have their own limits, and some general exclusions apply, such as intentional self-inflicted injury. The plan page lists them.
Which conditions would stop me from applying?
The plan isn’t available if you, or your spouse if they’re applying, have or have ever had any of these:
- Active hepatitis
- AIDS or AIDS-related disease
- Alcohol abuse in the past five years
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Any heart condition or heart trouble (excluding controlled hypertension)
- Cancer (all cancer except basal cell skin cancer)
- Coronary artery bypass surgery
- Diabetes
- Heart attack
- Huntington’s chorea
- Kidney disease, other than kidney stones or a history of kidney infection
- Lou Gehrig’s disease (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, ALS)
- Major organ transplant recipient
- Multiple sclerosis
- Permanent paralysis (paraplegia, quadriplegia), other than Bell’s palsy
- Pulmonary fibrosis
- Stroke (cerebrovascular accident)
- Transient ischemic attack
What are the complete definitions of the covered conditions?
The full definitions are in the sample certificates: the 6-condition (Essential) certificate (opens in a new tab) and the 18-condition (Enhanced) certificate (opens in a new tab). Each covered condition has to meet its definition exactly, and some have their own exclusions and survival periods. Ask us and we’ll go through any of them with you.
Are Engineers Canada critical illness benefits taxable?
If you pay the premiums yourself with after-tax dollars, the benefit is generally tax-free.
Related plans
Often considered together
A question about your coverage? Ask us.
No obligation. We’ll tell you plainly what we think, including when you already have what you need.