How to go about securing the best policy for your insurance in Canada.
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Before you buy, here’s how to compare home insurance Aug 8th
Home insurance is important, but no one loves paying for it. That’s why people like to open their browsers and search for “cheap home insurance” and “how to save on home insurance.”
Any insurance professional will tell you that there’s no easy answer for cheap and full coverage,.... More »
MoneySense Toolkit: The CMHC mortgage insurance calculator Jan 15th
CMHC insurance calculator
If you want to buy a home and have a down payment of less than 20% of the purchase price, you’ll need to purchase mortgage default insurance, often referred to as CMHC insurance or simply mortgage loan insurance.
You’re 2 minutes away from getting the be.... More »
When critical illness insurance may make sense Jul 26th
Critical illness insurance may be effective at covering costs that disability insurance doesn’t..... More »
How to fund accessible home renovations in Canada Jul 7th
My house, as I told my insurance broker recently, is the Canadian housing equivalent of ancient. Built in the 1910s in Saskatoon, this house has many foibles. To hang pictures, I have to use wood screws lest regular nails bounce off of the layers and layers of paint. My basement is a little more tha.... More »
5 tips for saving money on insurance costs Oct 14th
Saving money on insurance isn’t as big of a task as you might think. At first, it can feel overwhelming to navigate your insurance bill, looking for ways to reduce your premiums (and future costs too!). But the truth is, by making simple changes to your insurance policies and as well as handling a.... More »
Can you lose all your money in a TFSA?
– moneysense.ca
Q: I never thought of the TFSA as an investment, because I use my RRSP to invest. I use my TFSA as a savings account but does that mean the money isn’t protected? Could I lose all that money?
—Maria Vasilescu, Kitchener, Ont.
A: If you hold cash or GICs in your Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA), it is covered by the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation for up to $100,000 in the event that your bank fails. If the money is invested in mutual funds, ETFs or stocks, it is not covered. But that isn’t the risk I would be worrying about. Instead, focus on what types of investments you hold, regardless of whether they are in your TFSA or your RRSP. If the purpose of the TFSA money is to save money, say for a new car or a house down payment, keep it in something really low-risk like GICs or cash. If the purpose is to invest long-term for your retirement, a diversified portfolio will move up and down over time, but it isn’t likely to go to zero. Unless, perhaps, a meteor hits planet earth and then we will all have bigger problems to worry about…
—Maria Vasilescu, Kitchener, Ont.
A: If you hold cash or GICs in your Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA), it is covered by the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation for up to $100,000 in the event that your bank fails. If the money is invested in mutual funds, ETFs or stocks, it is not covered. But that isn’t the risk I would be worrying about. Instead, focus on what types of investments you hold, regardless of whether they are in your TFSA or your RRSP. If the purpose of the TFSA money is to save money, say for a new car or a house down payment, keep it in something really low-risk like GICs or cash. If the purpose is to invest long-term for your retirement, a diversified portfolio will move up and down over time, but it isn’t likely to go to zero. Unless, perhaps, a meteor hits planet earth and then we will all have bigger problems to worry about…
Are you covered by health insurance in Canada?
– moneysense.ca
In late summer, sisters Sherri Thomas and Ann-Marie Morley and their mother Cynthia Portland did what thousands of Canadians do each year and went on a road trip. Their vacation included a family wedding in New Brunswick and sightseeing in P.E.I. But instead of taking the more direct route through Maine from their homes in Cambridge, Ont., they drove the long way around through Quebec. The reason? They weren’t prepared to travel in the U.S., even for a day, without travel health insurance. Though in good shape, Blewett is 90 and age is a pivotal factor when insurers set premiums. “The cost would have been prohibitive,” says Tietz. “We figured, we’d stay in Canada. That way, we’re covered.” (Names have been changed to protect privacy.)
Actually, not necessarily. Universal health care, it turns out, may not mean what many Canadians think it does. William Shung, a senior insurance advisor with LSM Insurance Services in Markham, Ont., says few Canadians appreciate the importance of having insurance for travel within Canada…
Actually, not necessarily. Universal health care, it turns out, may not mean what many Canadians think it does. William Shung, a senior insurance advisor with LSM Insurance Services in Markham, Ont., says few Canadians appreciate the importance of having insurance for travel within Canada…
