In this issue:

• Electronic signatures now accepted for insurance forms
• 3 good reasons to offer our critical illness insurance products
• Electronic applications: New process for entering special instructions
• New: addition of your cell phone number in the DSign electronic application
• Some tools will be temporary unavailable on June 20
• More newcomers approved without exclusions
• COVID-19: We’re still committed to helping you and your clients
• Summer hours and holidays for our Customer Relations Centres

ELECTRONIC SIGNATURES NOW ACCEPTED FOR INSURANCE FORMS

You can now use OneSpan, DocuSign and Adobe Sign to have all insurance forms signed.

The e‑signature is part of Desjardins's digital shift to develop secure and high-performance solutions for clients. It also helps reduce our environmental footprint by reducing paper use.

Conditions

For the signed document to be valid, you need more than just a signature though; you have to use a procedure that ensures the signature is secure. Here's how:

• Authenticate the client using a:
  • Security code sent via text or
  • Pre-established security question
• Return the duly completed and signed form to us:
  • With the audit trail and
  • Proof that it was signed using valid signatures

Please note! Each form must be registered separately.

How to send signed documents

To protect your clients' personal information, always send documents through a secure channel.
 

In PB Tools
For all requirements requested in PB Tools. It’s simple, fast and secure!

By email
Using this procedure:

1. Compress (zip) the forms:
   • Select all applicable forms
   • Use your document compression tool, zip the forms
     IMPORTANT: Make sure you use the .zip file format

2. Password protect (encrypt) the zipped forms:
   • Use password: desjardins + current month (for example: if your request was made in june: desjardinsjune)
      
3. Send the zipped forms

3 GOOD REASONS TO OFFER OUR CRITICAL ILLNESS INSURANCE PRODUCTS

Our Health Priorities products offer unique coverage:

Visit Webi to learn about the illnesses and conditions covered.

Regardless of your client's situation (young family, self-employed, mass-affluent or high-net-worth client, etc.), we have the right product for them. Check out our product line and the target clientele for each product in our Critical Illness Insurance section.

Is your client eligible?

Your needs analysis will determine whether your client should purchase critical illness coverage.

However, if you are unsure of their eligibility, please refer to our Pre-Screening Guide. This guide is designed to help you anticipate the decisions the insurer will make when an insurance application is submitted and the proposed insured has a specific condition. It includes the most common medical and non-medical conditions.

Removal of the Critical Illness Assessment checkbox from the electronic application

This feature will no longer be available as of June 20 because it created additional delays in processing insurance applications.

The paper application will be updated shortly to reflect this change. In the meantime, we ask that you do not check this option as it no longer applies.

ELECTRONIC APPLICATIONS: NEW PROCESS FOR ENTERING SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS

You used to be able to enter instructions in the Notes and attached files tab or in the Special instructions section when filling out electronic applications. Having both options led to some confusion: from next week, we will make some changes for the process to be clearer.

Entering special instructions

• Since comments often include references to the proposed insured's job, we added an Additional details field to the Occupation section. You can include any job information here.
• There has been no change to how special instructions for premium payments are entered. Please continue using the Payment and premium section.
• Enter details about proposed insured's health (e.g., diabetes) in the Insurability section.
• The Special instructions section has been moved and now appears after the Insurability tab. In this section, you might include, for example, a reference to another contract.

These instructions will appear in the client's contract. If you want to share sensitive information with us, please use the Pending business (PB) tool.

Attaching files

The Notes and attached files tab has been replaced by the Attached files tab. This is where you can upload required documents. Any notes should be entered as described above.

NEW: ADDITION OF YOUR CELL PHONE NUMBER IN THE DSIGN ELECTRONIC APPLICATION

From June 20, adding your cell phone number will be required in order to start the electronic signature transaction. This step will allow your authentification and enhance the security of the electronic signature.

SOME TOOLS WILL BE TEMPORARY UNAVAILABLE ON JUNE 20

On Sunday June 20, some tools will be unavailable according to the following schedule:

• Illustration tool: between 6 a.m. and 12 p.m. (ET)
• DSign electronic application: between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. (ET)
• Pending Business Tool: between 8 a.m. and 12 p.m. (ET)
• Client Documents: between 8 a.m. and 12 p.m. (ET)

What you can use instead

You can use the paper application while the electronic application is unavailable.

MORE NEWCOMERS APPROVED WITHOUT EXCLUSIONS

To optimize the newcomer experience, we’ve reduced our requirements for life and critical illness insurance for this clientele, primarily the length of time in Canada before becoming eligible.

These changes stem from suggestions from the sales force, and your constructive feedback has helped us make changes that truly meet the needs of newcomers to Canada.

We’d like to remind you that it’s important to provide all documents needed at the time of submission in order to minimize the time it takes to issue the contract.

Main changes

Reduced eligibility periods
Residency periods in Canada have been reduced for most newcomers to Canada.

Changes to amount of life or critical illness insurance
A worker with a temporary work permit who has applied for permanent residence can request $500,000* (previously $250,000) in life insurance and $100,000 (previously $50,000) in critical illness insurance.

* A higher life insurance amount may be available in certain situations, subject to additional financial terms.

Other changes

• Exclusions are now based on the insured’s travel habits only. Previously, in certain situations, we also took into consideration the country of origin.
• Work permits or student permits valid for at least 6 months are no longer an eligibility requirement.
• An international student will no longer be limited to purchasing a permanent product. From now on, they will also be able to purchase a temporary product.

Find out complete details about the eligibility requirements and required documents for life and critical illness insurance for newcomers to Canada.

We hope these changes for newcomers will bring a fresh perspective as the summer begins.

As an increasing number of people are being affected by the pandemic, Desjardins is prioritizing the health and financial well-being of everyone.

Remember, all the information related to COVID-19 is gathered in a dedicated section on Webi.