BCL client guide

In early 2020, Ontario Blue Cross^®️ became a shareholder of Blue Cross Life^®️ Insurance Company of Canada (“Blue Cross Life”) aligning with the other members of the Canadian Association of Blue Cross Plans.

As an important part of this alliance, Blue Cross Life will assume certain benefits under policies that had originally been issued by Ontario Blue Cross. Accordingly, effective January 1, 2022, Blue Cross Life will become the insurer of these benefits in place of Ontario Blue Cross.

Please review the list  products impacted in this chart.

Blue Cross Life is a federally-licensed insurance company with operations located in several provinces. It currently provides life and disability insurance products to individuals and organizations through a portfolio of health products marketed, sold and serviced by its distributor Blue Cross Plans: Medavie Blue Cross, Ontario Blue Cross, Quebec Blue Cross, Manitoba Blue Cross, Saskatchewan Blue Cross, Alberta Blue Cross and Pacific Blue Cross. The distributor Blue Cross Plans work with Blue Cross Life to determine appropriate pricing, reinsurance strategies and financial accountability.

Additionally, Blue Cross Life maintains a Corporate Office that manages the non-operational and oversight requirements of the organization (e.g. accounting, actuarial, financial, investment management, product development, reinsurance negotiation, regulatory compliance, and risk management).

Canassurance Insurance company is a subsidiary of the Canassurance Hospital Service Association, who carries on business as Ontario Blue Cross® and Québec Blue Cross® and is a licensee of the Canadian Association of Blue Cross Plans.

1. How does this impact my policy? 

Your policy remains the same. If it includes life and disability insurance benefits, these will simply be underwritten by Blue Cross Life as of the date of the transfer.

Rest assured that you will continue to benefit from the same services and level of support from Ontario Blue Cross.

2. Why is this happening? 

This alliance allows us to benefit from Blue Cross Life’s expertise, knowledge and services and collaborating to provide new and competitive life and disability insurance products to our clients.

3. What are the conditions of this agreement? 

Under this agreement, Ontario Blue Cross will transfer and assign to Blue Cross Life all of the following in-force benefit types under insurance policies and certificates:

• Disability
• Life
• Accidental death
• Loss of autonomy
• Long term care
• Critical illness

Your Ontario Blue Cross policy may include one or more of such benefits, depending of what you chose and the insurance product you hold.

The product and benefits names appear on your contract summary: should you want to verify precisely which benefits will be assumed by Blue Cross Life as of January 1, 2022, you can refer to the chart listing all details specific to each product.

On the transfer date, Blue Cross Life will become the insurer of these benefits. There will be no change to the terms and conditions of those benefits and policies as a result of this transaction. Blue Cross Life will simply become responsible to policyholders as if it had been the insurer for these benefits at the time the policy was originally issued.

4. When is this happening and how will it work? 

As of January 1, 2022, Ontario Blue Cross will transfer to Blue Cross Life all liabilities arising from the above-mentioned benefits.

Ontario Blue Cross will still be responsible of your policy’s management, claims and all administrative functions. This means you will still contact the Customer service representatives at Ontario Blue Cross if you want to inform of an address change, if you need to have more information on a claim or anything to ask about your contract.

If you have an insurance advisor or broker, this person will remain available for you should you want to discuss your needs, as always.

Blue Cross Life will evaluate the risk pertaining to the benefit it will be assuming and will collaborate with Ontario Blue Cross in the evolution of the coverage and pricing.

5. How will I be notified? 

A certificate of assumption will be issued to all affected policyholders and sent with an accompanying letter. This certificate should be retained with all other policy documentation as it becomes part of your contract.

6. Need to contact us? 

All written requests or questions about the transaction can be sent to Ontario Blue Cross by email at  bco.life@ont.bluecross.ca.