A serious illness can change daily life for a while. Critical illness insurance is designed to pay a lump sum if you're diagnosed with a condition the policy covers. You can use that money for costs that come up during treatment and recovery.

Sam Pakbaz helps people in Barrhaven, Nepean and Ottawa compare policies and understand, in plain language, what is and is not covered.

What happens without coverage

Many treatments in Canada are paid for through public health care. Even so, people often still face costs that are not covered, such as time away from work, travel to appointments, extra care at home, and some drugs or devices. A lump-sum benefit, if a claim is paid, can help with those costs. Covered conditions and other rules vary by policy.

Real costs

• In 2025, an estimated 254,800 people in Canada will be diagnosed with cancer, and 87,400 will die from cancer. In their lifetime, 42% of people in Canada are expected to be diagnosed with cancer, and 22% are expected to die from it. (Canadian Cancer Society, 2025)
• The average lifetime cost to a person with cancer and their caregivers is nearly $33,000, including about $16,018 paid out of pocket. Out-of-pocket costs for people with cancer and caregivers were expected to reach $3.7 billion in 2024. (Canadian Cancer Society, 2024 special report)
• More than 108,000 strokes occur in Canada each year, and almost one million people are now living with stroke. About 60% of people who have a stroke are left with some level of stroke-related disability. (Heart & Stroke, 2025)
• More than 6 million people in Canada are living with heart disease or stroke. (Heart & Stroke, 2026)

Who it's for

• People who would find it hard to take unpaid time off work
• Self-employed people, or anyone without a workplace benefits plan
• Families who have some savings but would rather not use them all during recovery
• Anyone who wants a financial back-up if a covered illness is diagnosed

How Sam helps

Sam is an independent licensed life and health insurance agent. He compares critical illness options from several insurers and explains the covered conditions and rules in plain language. He does not represent every insurer, and not every insurer offers every product. You decide what fits.

Let's look at your options

If you'd like to look at critical illness coverage, you can ask for a quote or book a time to talk it through. There's no pressure either way.