Optional Critical Illness Insurance

Critical Illness is available to all active employees (under age 65) and their eligible dependents on an optional and employee-pay-all basis. In order to be insurance under this benefit, you must also be insured under the basic group insurance program.

Amount of Insurance
You may apply to purchase optional Critical Illness insurance, a benefit which pays a lump sum cash payment to cover you and/or your family in the event a Critical Condition strikes and you are saddled with a long recovery period and unexpected expenses. The benefit payable is:

Insured Person	Cash Payment
Employee	$25,000
Spouse	$10,000
Dependent	$5,000

Payment of Benefits
Critical Illness is a living benefit, which means the covered person must survive the onset of the critical condition for a period of 30 days before the benefit will be paid. At the end of this 30-day period, the covered person must still meet the definition of the critical condition.

Definition of Critical Condition
An illness or disease whereby you are unable to perform 3 of the 5 Activities of Daily Living.

Activities of Daily Living
The five Activities of Daily Living that a person would normally perform without assistance are:

• Eating: manipulating prepared food or liquid into the mouth.
• Dressing: putting on and removing necessary articles of clothing that are normally worn, including leg braces.
• Bathing: the ability to cleanse the entire body using soap and water; including turning on faucets and shower mechanisms, getting into and out of the bath itself and drying oneself off.
• Ambulation: the ability to move independently from place to place with or without the use of equipment.
• Toileting: the ability to use a toilet, bedside commode or urinal.

Covered Critical Conditions
The following critical conditions are covered under Critical Illness. All conditions with the exception of burns, must be the result of illness or disease. Conditions resulting from an accident (except in the case of burns) will not be eligible for coverage.

• Alzheimer's disease: Unequivocal diagnosis by a specialist. Loss of cognitive function must be to a degree that warrants supervision on a daily basis.
• Blindness: Permanent and uncorrectable loss of sight from both eyes as determined through vision acuity testing and according to set degrees of severity.
• Burns: Third-degree burns covering at least 20 per cent of the body.
• Coma: State of unconsciousness with no reaction to external stimuli and the requirement of life support systems.
• Deafness: Permanent and uncorrectable functional deafness as determined by a specialist.
• Heart transplant: Medically-necessary heart transplant from a donor to the insured person.
• Kidney failure or transplant: End-Stage renal disease requiring permanent, regular dialysis or kidney transplantation.
• Life-threatening cancer: A malignant tumor characterized by uncontrollable growth and spread of malignant cells (including Leukemia) which is likely to result in death within 24 months.
• Liver failure or transplant: End-stage liver failure with permanent jaundice, encephalopathy and ascites, or liver transplantation.
• Loss of speech: Complete, permanent and uncorrectable loss of speech.
• Lung Failure or transplant: End-stage lung disease requiring permanent oxygen therapy. The condition must meet set degrees of severity according to a respiratory specialist, or require lung transplantation.
• Motor neuron disease: Unequivocal diagnosis by a specialist. The condition must be to the degree of severity that the insured person is unable to perform 3 of the 5 Activities of Daily Living without assistance.
• Multiple Sclerosis: Unequivocal diagnosis by a specialist. The condition must be to the degree of severity that the insured person is unable to perform 3 of the 5 Activities of Daily Living without assistance.
• Paralysis: Total and permanent loss of use of two or more limbs.
• Parkinson's disease: Unequivocal diagnosis by a specialist. The condition must be to the degree of severity that the insured person is unable to perform 3 of the 5 Activities of Daily Living without assistance.
• Senile dementia: Unequivocal diagnosis by a specialist. The degree of severity must require daily supervision for the insured person.
• Severe heart attack: The death of heart muscle to a degree of severity of at least Class 4 of the Canadian Cardiovascular Society's classification of cardiac impairment.
• Severe stroke: Significant, permanent neurological impairment as determined by a specialist. The condition must be to the degree of severity that the insured person is unable to perform 3 of the 5 Activities of Daily Living without assistance.

Applying for Coverage
You may apply at any time and provide Evidence of Insurability to the insurance company. Coverage is not effective until approved.

One Year Waiver of Premium
While insured under this plan, should you become totally disabled from engaging in any occupation as a result of accident or sickness, prior to attaining age 65 and you remain so disabled for at least six consecutive months, your Critical Illness Insurance may be continued in force for One Year from the date last worked.

Termination of Coverage
Life-Link insurance terminates on your attainment of age 65 or termination from active employment, whichever is earlier.

General Limitations and Exclusions
Critical Conditions benefits are not payable for any condition due to or resulting, directly or indirectly, from any of the following:

• An accident, except for severe burns.
• Self-inflicted injury or sickness, while sane or insane. Insurrection, war (declared of not), or the hostile action of the armed forces of any country, or participation in any riot or civil commotion.
• Driving a vehicle when the blood of the insured person contained in excess of 80 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood. (Vehicle means any form of transportation which is drawn, propelled or driven by any means and includes but is not restricted to an automobile, truck, motorcycle, moped, bicycle, snowmobile or boat).
• Committing or attempting to commit a criminal offense, or provoking an assault.