SSQ Disability Insurance: Coverage, contact & review 2024

Did you know that one in every four Canadian households would not be able to afford a $500 unexpected expense, according to a 2022 study by Statistics Canada, and that 44% of Canadians were concerned about their ability to afford housing and rent? Imagine what would happen if you were unable to work for an extended period.

This is where disability insurance comes into the picture by providing you with a steady income if you become disabled as a result of an accident or injury. The income, or monthly benefit, will help you remain financially stable so that you can focus on getting better and back to work.

While there are several providers in the market, on this page we take you through a review of SSQ disability insurance and break down everything you need to know to decide if it's right for you. Don't forget to use our free comparator to compare plans and get free quotes for Canada's best disability insurance plans.

Our SSQ disability insurance review: A flexible policy

SSQ disability insurance is a great option for anyone looking for a modern, tech-savvy, insurance provider and policy. The SSQ disability insurance is available to anyone. Regardless of whether you’re an employee, self-employed or running your own business, you can buy coverage to protect yourself if an accident or illness prevents you from working.

The product is also extremely flexible. It starts as a basic accident disability insurance plan that can be customized with numerous optional add-ons so you can design the coverage that specifically suits your specific needs.

Furthermore, with a maximum monthly disability benefit of up to $6,000, SSQ’s disability insurance should be sufficient for most individuals looking to protect their financial obligations in a time of need.

But we recommend that you compare how SSQ fares against other disability insurance plans in Canada. Just use our free comparator below to explore the best plans, compare their coverage, and get free quotes in no time right here.

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Who offers SSQ Disability Insurance?

SSQ Insurance was founded in Quebec, Canada, in 1944 and quickly grew to become one of the largest insurance providers and financial groups in the country. Up until 2020, SSQ Insurance prided itself in serving over 3 million customers with the aid of 2,000+ employees when all of a sudden changes were to be made.

In January 2020, SSQ Insurance announced that they would merge with La Capitale to create a new, bigger financial group which was unveiled to the public as the Beneva brand in December 2020. While the transition for both companies took a couple of years, SSQ Insurance and La Capitale officially completed their merger and rebranding in 2023 now making them the largest mutual insurance company in Canada.

Now serving under the name Beneva, SSQ Insurance continues to distribute insurance and financial products throughout the country, including their SSQ disability insurance plans.

What does SSQ Disability Insurance cost?

Unlike some insurance providers, Beneva does not publicly advertise its disability insurance premiums. Only Beneva financial advisors and agents have access to the software that provides La Capitale and SSQ disability insurance costs.

You can, however, be sure that the disability insurance premiums vary depending on multiple factors including, but not limited to:

• Age
• Residence
• Height and weight
• Health
• Occupation
• Annual income
• Monthly disability benefit/coverage
• Chosen elimination period
• Product term length
• Number of optional add-ons included

Disability insurance quotes differ from provider to provider as well, so it's essential to compare the plans. Make sure to use our comparator tool to explore the best plans from TD disability insurance, Blue Cross disability insurance, and more.

How does SSQ Disability Insurance work?

Beneva’s disability insurance is one of the most flexible insurance plans available and is cleverly designed to work for you. By allowing the insured to add on any number of optional add-ons, the coverage that you end up getting will be specifically tailored to you, your needs, and your budget.

The basic SSQ disability insurance plan is an accident-only disability policy which means that the monthly benefit would only be paid out if the insured becomes disabled as a result of an accident. This basic plan can be purchased with three different benefit periods: 2, 5, and up to age 65.

Once the benefit period is chosen, individuals then get the option to decide on the length of the policy’s elimination period. With options of 14, 30, 60, 90, or 120 days (or 0 days for accident cover), you get to choose the length of time between the onset of any disability and when you start receiving your benefits.

SSQ disability insurance optional add-ons

When the specifics of the basic disability policy have been determined, the insured can choose to include optional add-ons to their policy. The following table highlights the eight optional add-ons of SSQ’s disability insurance.

Optional Add-ons	Coverage
Regular occupation extension	Increases the term of the regular occupation of the total disability definition from 24 months to 5 years or up to age 65
Indexation	Allows your monthly benefit to increase along with inflation after 12 consecutive months of receiving benefit payments.
Future insurability	Allows the insured to add monthly total disability benefits to their insurance policy at the anniversary date, without medical evidence of insurability.
Return of premium	Provides a certain return of premium upon policy maturity. The premium refund is provided at age 65 and the reimbursement is either 50% or 75% of your annual premiums paid, based on the issue age, reduced by twice any benefits paid. Additionally, if you surrender your policy at the age of 60, an early return of premium option is also available.
Accidental death and dismemberment	Either you or a beneficiary would receive a lump sum payment of up to $300,000 if you become dismembered or die from an accident.
Hospitalization for sickness or accident	Provides the insured with a benefit of up to $150/day when hospitalized by injury or illness.
Sickness disability	Increases the basic disability cover from accident-only to include disability caused by sickness, as well. Coverage up to $6,000/month.
Accidental fracture	Provides the insured with a lump sum payment if a fracture is suffered from an accident.

Who is eligible for SSQ disability insurance?

You are eligible for SSQ’s disability insurance if you fulfill the following criteria:

1. Either a Canadian citizen or hold permanent residency status; and,
2. You have resided in Canada for at least one year

If, however, you do not have permanent residency status, such as individuals who reside in Canada on work permits, you may still be eligible for a limited version of disability coverage. When you apply for SSQ’s disability insurance, the underwriter will qualify your application against certain other factors, such as having family or owning property in Canada, and providing domestic proof of income.

If you are then deemed eligible on these extenuating circumstances, your coverage would include a maximum two-year benefit period, with a maximum benefit amount of $2,000/month.

How can I get an SSQ disability insurance quote?

The easiest way to get an SSQ disability insurance quote is to contact a Beneva advisor. You can find an advisor via Beneva’s website, where you input your postcode which will then tell you how many advisors are located in your area and who they are.

Some advisors will have provided more information regarding themselves than others, but most will include a small introductory blurb, telephone number, location, and their specialty.

However, it is important to compare multiple providers before zeroing in on one. While it may sound daunting, we've made it simple for you. Just use our free comparator below to explore the best disability insurance plans in Canada, compare them, and get free quotes.

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How do you contact SSQ Disability Insurance?

If you already have an SSQ disability insurance policy you can contact your current insurance agent using the contact details you have to hand to discuss your policy. If you don’t have your agent’s details, or you are looking for a new plan you can contact SSQ Insurance, now Beneva, directly.

Beneva has different contact details for different departments. So if you’re looking for travel, health, home car, or business insurance you will have to contact Beneva via the designated details. The contact details for those looking for disability insurance can be found below.

Form of contact	Contact details
General line	1 877 841-8822
Advisors	1 866 612-3473
Customer service and claims	1 877 841-8822
Mail	CP 16040 Quebec (QC) G1K 7X8
Email	Only via the contact form on the website