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40 years ago today, our Founder & Director of Sales got his start in the life insurance business. If you think insurance is boring, you haven’t met Ross! For four decades now, he’s been a visionary in this industry, always innovating in the interest of his clients.

We’re so grateful for Ross’ leadership, creativity, and openness. For the community he’s built and continues to serve. Life insurance is uncomfortable to talk about, and Ross has always known how to do it with humour and heart.

Join us in congratulating him on all he’s created and accomplished over the past 40 years! You can hear about what drew Ross to this work in this clip from a couple years back:

Danielle is all about making financial literacy more accessible, particularly to young families in her home community.

And she’s now a Certified Financial Planner (CFP)! This means she can speak to your holistic financial picture, and how life insurance fits.

Dan would love to chat – email her at danielle@allanfinancial.com or call her at 604.688.9151 to start a conversation.

And check out our online resources for financial literacy here!

“The translating of our model and our culture to be relevant to the next generation, I think that’s relevant to the skill set I bring to the table.” – Danielle Kanengoni

We’re so thrilled to have been profiled in The Globe and Mail today by Saira Peesker in her article, “More women are taking over family businesses, but can face added scrutiny in the role.”

Danielle talks to Saira about the dynamics of taking over a family business as a female leader, alongside the brilliant Julia Chung and Liz Mcbeth. We love this excerpt:

 Julia Chung, a certified family enterprise advisor, explains that success in these transitions often hinges on a combination of long-term planning and open communication within the family. She notes many families are increasingly open to passing businesses on to women but says those that haven’t kept up with social changes over the years – such as acceptance of diversity and women’s empowerment – are less likely to reflect those changes in their companies.

“Families are inherently traditional,” says Ms. Chung, a board member at Family Enterprise Canada. She notes male-dominated industries – “which are most of them” – can pose particular challenges for female successors and those who are queer or gender-diverse. “If you aren’t fitting into that traditional role, people feel uncomfortable, and they might pass over you.”

You may have heard about the new capital gains tax rules that came into effect this month in Canada. If you’re unclear on what they mean for you or your family, you’re not alone! A recent survey conducted by the smart folks at Willful found most Canadians don’t know how or when capital gains tax is paid when someone passes away.

This is a good time to get clear on what capital gains tax is, what the new rules mean, and what you can do to plan for a solution (spoiler alert: ours involves life insurance!)

Capital gains tax is imposed on the sale or inheritance of a “capital asset” (something you own as an investment, like real estate, stocks, or high-value collectibles), applying to the difference between its current value and its original purchase value. This tax is nothing new – it’s been around in Canada for over 40 years. But the new rules mean you may have an increase in the tax owed when you sell a capital asset, or in the tax owed by your estate when you pass away.

While you may not have big capital assets to worry about while you’re alive, have you thought about this second piece for what you leave behind?

We’re here to help! Life insurance offers a proactive piece of your holistic financial picture and can help mitigate the cost of the new capital gains tax rules on you, your family, or your business. Talk to us about how we can plan together to ensure you’re as prepared and protected as possible.

Once you have an offer we’re all happy with, you can accept by signing on the dotted line. Congratulations! You now have life insurance. The insurance company will send you your policy and you’ve officially got yourself a contract.

We don’t just leave you here. We’ll stay in touch, checking in with you at least once a year to review your policy and send you an annual statement. We also want to make sure your life insurance continues to meet your needs over time; so please let us know of any big changes in your life – health, wealth, or otherwise (like if you move, have a kid, get married or divorced). We also always monitor what products are available on the market, so we may reach out if we find something that could better suit your needs.

Learn more about each step of the process by watching the full series here:

Once the insurance company has reviewed everything, they’ll make you an offer of insurance.

They could say you’re a “standard risk” (which means average in their eyes) or they might give you a “risk rating.” That means there’s something about your health or lifestyle they’re concerned about (might be the pickleball), and they want you to pay them more to insure that additional risk.

If their offer lines up with what we estimated, our original recommendation should be accurate. If not, we’ll re-work the numbers, or explore offers with a different insurance company. They don’t all assess things the same way.

Learn more about each step of the process by watching the full series here:

Once we’ve submitted your application, the insurance company we’re applying with might ask for further info or verification. They might call you to ask you some more questions (usually about your health and lifestyle) or to verify your details.

If you do any “high risk” activities (like skydiving or backcountry skiing), there could be additional forms for you to fill out and sign. They could also ask for your driving record, a report from your doctor, or a blood and urine sample.

They’ll gather all the information they need from a number of sources to make you an offer.

Learn more about each step of the process by watching the full series here:

The first step in getting you insured is to get to know you – what your specific life circumstances and goals are, and how life insurance can help. Then we’ll do an application, which is totally cost and commitment-free.

We’ll recommend the life insurance company that has the best option for you. We use industry rules of thumb to figure out how much you need, and how much it’ll cost. Our team will take your details for your application.

The insurance company needs to know all about you – where you work, how much you make, your family medical history, if you smoke…what you smoke. They’ve got a lot of questions, so prepare to share! It’s important to be totally transparent at this stage, otherwise you risk jeopardizing a potential claim.

You’ll answer these questions with one of us, either over the phone or in person, which takes about 20-30 minutes. To complete your application, you’ll sign off on a bunch of documents – at this stage, your signature only means you’re asking them to consider you.

Learn more about each step of the process by watching the full series here:

Introducing our new What to Expect series!

The process of applying for life insurance can feel complicated, but it doesn’t have to be. Our five-part series of short videos walks you through the process step by step, from application to approval, so you’ll always know what’s coming next.

Here’s a quick overview of what you can expect. And remember: we’re with you every step!

Learn more about each step of the process by watching the full series here:

Our Managing Director Holly Graff is a Bowen Islander of over 20 years, and knows Bowen life inside and out. She wants to help fellow islanders thrive with the tools they need to take steps in their financial futures, no matter where they’re at.

Holly would love to chat – email her at holly@allanfinancial.com or call her at 604.688.9151 to start a conversation.

And check out some of our online resources for financial literacy here!

Wishing you and yours a warm & happy holidays! We’re feeling very grateful for our Allan Financial community as we end out this year – thank you all for being a part of it!

Our team will be taking a well-deserved break from Dec. 23rd-Jan 1st. See you in the new year!

New beginnings, same great team

We’re in your corner and on your team

With you every step of the way

Big picture perspective, detailed support.

Feel confident with your insurance

Experience you can trust, coverage you can rely on

Translating strategy into action