Get the Best Disability Insurance in British Columbia in 2023
comparatorTitles.phoneText
Make a callcomparatorTitles.logo | comparatorTitles.price | comparatorTitles.featureList | comparatorTitles.yesList | comparatorTitles.link |
---|---|---|---|---|
item.logoSubtitle
|
item.pricePrefix
item.price
item.priceTitle
item.priceSubtitle
|
| item.badge
|
item.clickCount people viewed this offer today
item.phoneText
item.clickOutButtonText
[[item.selectionText]]
item.clickOutSubtitle
|
comparatorTitles.name
Sometimes life holds bad surprises. That's why we have disability insurance, for when the unexpected happens.
Want to know if you are eligible for short-term or long-term disability insurance?
This guide will outline the options for disability insurance in British Columbia and the various costs and benefits of having disability insurance.
Summary
How does disability insurance work in BC?
Disability insurance in British Columbia can work in several different ways depending on how you sign up. First, you should check to see if your employer already provides disability insurance through a group coverage plan. Some jobs will pay for and provide disability insurance coverage for all employees through group plans.
Alternatively, you can sign up for private or group disability insurance separate from your work through a life and health insurance company. If you are self-employed you can get disability insurance that covers business expenses while unable to work. The cost of these insurances will vary based on plan type and the age of the applicant.
Disability insurance will cover between 60% and 80% of regular income up to a certain amount, and also cover temporary and permanent disabilities due to injury or illness. Permanent disability does not mean that you will have benefits for the rest of your life, but for the timeframe specified by your disability insurance.
Are you looking for a company that can offer you BC disability benefits? Or perhaps you're unhappy with the one you already have? You may compare the pricing and coverage features of the best disability policies using our comparison tool.
Get a free disability insurance quote
How much are disability benefits in BC?
You might be wondering how much you get on disability benefits in British Columbia and what expenses it covers. Disability benefits depend on some factors such as how much your income was before going on disability, assets, residency and family status.
In the table below are examples of typical monthly payments.
Family structure | Benefit amount |
---|---|
Single | $1,358.50 |
Single parent with one child | $1,703.50 |
You or your spouse have Persons with Disabilities designation and one child | $2,143.50 |
You and your spouse have Persons with Disabilities designation and have no children | $2,423.50 |
What other disability benefits are available in British Columbia?
BC disability benefits go beyond financial support, and you may be eligible for supplements in addition to financial assistance to deal with additional expenses that people with disabilities may encounter. Check the table below for some of those supplements:
Benefit | Summary |
---|---|
Bus pass | Low-income seniors can get a reduced-cost bus pass. |
Christmas | The amount of money will be automatically added to your December payment to help with Christmas expenses. |
Clothing | You may be able to get money to purchase the necessary clothing |
Co-operative housing share purchase | If you're moving into co-op housing, you might be eligible for financial assistance to cover the cost of your membership share, which money you must reimburse when you relocate or leave assistance. |
Crisis Supplement | Is a payment for unexpected emergencies that threaten you or your family’s health or safety. |
Funeral Costs | When a person dies and there isn't enough money to pay for their funeral, the government may be able to help. This is available to anyone in BC with a low income who has no other means of support, even if they are not on government assistance. |
Guide dog and service dog | An amount to assist you with the expenses of your certified guide dog team, service dog team, or retired guide or service dog team. |
Moving, transportation, and living costs | You may be eligible for this benefit if you meet one of the following conditions: If you are not qualified for Work BC assistance, and you are starting a confirmed job. If you are required to attend a court hearing when receiving family maintenance assistance. Obtaining a paternity blood test that has been ordered by a court. If you must find a new place to reside because your present home has been sold or condemned |
School start-up | For children under the age of 19, extra money may be available to purchase back-to-school essentials. |
What are BC's disability payment dates in 2023?
The BC disability payment is issued monthly and there are two ways to receive your financial BC disability benefits (direct deposit or by check), and each one has different payment dates.
Direct deposit BC disability payment dates in 2022:
- January 19, 2022 (for February 2022)
- February 16, 2022 (for March 2022)
- March 23, 2022 (for April 2022)
- April 27, 2022 (for May 2022)
- May 25, 2022 (for June 2022)
- June 22, 2022 (for July 2022)
- July 20, 2022 (for August 2022)
- August 24, 2022 (for September 2022)
- September 21, 2022 (for October 2022)
- October 26, 2022 (for November 2022)
- November 23, 2022 (for December 2022)
- December 21, 2022 (for January 2023)
BC disability payment dates by check in 2022:
- January 17, 2022 (for February 2022)
- February 14, 2022 (for March 2022)
- March 21, 2022 (for April 2022)
- April 25, 2022 (for May 2022)
- May 24, 2022 (for June 2022)
- June 20, 2022 (for July 2022)
- July 18, 2022 (for August 2022)
- August 22, 2022 (for September 2022)
- September 19, 2022 (for October 2022)
- October 24, 2022 (for November 2022)
- November 21, 2022 (for December 2022)
- December 19, 2022 (for January 2023)
What is the child disability benefit in BC?
The child disability benefit in British Columbia (CDB) is a tax-free monthly payment for families caring for a child under the age of 18 who has severe and long-term impairment in physical or mental functions.
On the BC disability program, the following information is used to determine your CDB payments:
- The number of eligible children;
- AFNI (Adjusted family net income);
- And marital status.
For example, you could get up to $2985 ($248.75 per month) for each child who is eligible for the DTC from July 2022 to June 2023.
Good to know
Would these amounts be enough to cover your week-to-week expenses? If not you may want to look into additional cover from providers of short and long-term insurance
How much does disability insurance cost in BC?
Disability insurance premiums in Canada, including British Columbia, typically vary from 1% to 9% of your annual salary. And the following factors can have an impact on the price:
Factor | Explanation |
---|---|
Age | You will pay less for disability insurance and many other health products if you are younger. Because younger people are less likely to have a disability, the cost of disability insurance for them is reduced. |
Gender | According to recent studies, women are more likely than men to make disability claims, which are also likely to be more expensive. As a result, women may pay a higher premium for disability insurance despite paying less for life and auto insurance. |
Occupation | The cost of your BC disability program is influenced more by your occupation than by your income. As a result, the riskier your profession, the higher the cost of your insurance. |
Health | Insurance companies, like any other life or health insurance company, examine your medical history to determine whether or not to provide you with disability insurance and, if so, how much it will cost. |
Smoking status | Smoking (or tobacco use) is the leading cause of disability and early death in Canada, with 45,000 deaths per year. As a result, quitting smoking has numerous health benefits, as well as lower disability insurance premiums and/or higher insurance benefits. |
What qualifies you for disability in BC?
Many ask how to qualify for disability in BC, and to be considered for the BC disability program, you must meet the following requirements:
- Demonstrate that you are financially eligible for assistance;
- Be at least 18 years old (you can begin the application procedure six months before becoming 18);
- Have a serious physical or mental disability that will persist for at least two years;
- Be severely limited in your capacity to carry out daily tasks;
- Require help with daily activities from someone else, an assistive device, or an aid animal.
How to apply for disability assistance in BC?
The application process for the BC disability program is composed of two main parts:
- Demonstrating that you are financially eligible for assistance;
- Filling out the application for Persons with Disabilities (PWD).
To obtain a Persons with Disabilities designation application, please contact the BC disability support program. This process is divided into three sections:
- You are responsible for completing the applicant section.
- The medical report is the responsibility of your doctor or nurse practitioner to fill up.
- The assessor report is completed by a designated professional. This could be a doctor, registered nurse or social worker.
Once you submit your application, the BC disability program will go over it to assess if you meet the eligibility requirements for the PWD designation and inform you about the outcome.
What is BC disability number and contact information?
To get your application going, you must contact the BC disability support program to obtain your PWD application and gather information about your process.
You can check the BC disability number and other forms of contacting them below:
Contact | Method |
---|---|
Online | By their virtual service My Self Serve. |
Toll-free information line | 1-866-866-0800 |
In-person | Find your local office |
How long is short-term disability in BC?
You may be wondering for how long does short-term disability insurance (STD) allow you to replace your income? STD can help you replace your salary for up to 17 or 26 weeks.
You must know that if you don't have short-term disability insurance and your employer doesn't provide it, you may be eligible for sickness benefits under Employment Insurance (EI).
To be eligible for EI sickness payments, you must meet the following requirements:
- Normally, you've used up all of your sick days;
- You've worked enough hours.
How long is long-term disability in BC?
If you are unable to return to work at the end of the STD period, you may be eligible to convert to long-term disability insurance (LTD).
Every disability plan is unique. If you are unable to perform the same kind of work you were engaged in before, certain insurance companies may provide long-term disability benefits for up to two years. You may continue to get the benefits if you are still unable to work after two years.
Interested in seeing how private insurance compares?
Get a free disability insurance quote
How much is the disability tax credit in BC?
With the purpose of increasing tax equality by providing some relief for disability costs, which are inevitable extra expenses that other taxpayers do not have to deal with. The disability tax credit (DTC) is a non-refundable tax benefit that assists people with disabilities and their caregivers in lowering their income tax liability.
Once a person is eligible for the DTC, they can claim the disability amount. This figure includes a bonus for those under the age of 18 at the end of the year.
The disability benefits BC amount in tax credit varies by year and profile. For previous years, see the chart below for the maximum federal disability allowances and the maximum supplement for children with disabilities.
Year | Maximum disability allowance | Maximum supplement for children under 18 |
---|---|---|
2021 | $8,662 | $5,053 |
2020 | $8,576 | $5,003 |
2019 | $8,416 | $4,909 |
2018 | $8,235 | $4,804 |
2017 | $8,113 | $4,733 |
2016 | $8,001 | $4,667 |
2015 | $7,899 | $4,607 |
Would these amounts be enough for you to cover your current expenses? If not you may want to consider purchasing additional coverage with short-term disability insurance:
Get a free disability insurance quote