Grief counselling, financial guidance, and a digital estate platform now reach plan members through existing life and EAP coverage
Wawanesa Life has added a bereavement support package to its Canadian group benefits line-up, bundling grief counselling, financial guidance, and a digital estate administration platform into existing Group Plan Member Life, Dependent Life, and employee assistance program coverage at no additional cost to members or plan sponsors.
The service is built around Solace, a mobile platform that sets out a personalized care plan covering the legal, financial, emotional, and logistical tasks that follow a death, according to Wawanesa Life's product documentation.
Solace was developed by GreenShield Ventures, the innovation hub of GreenShield, which Wawanesa Life describes in its announcement as Canada's only non-profit health and benefits company.
"The loss of a loved one can leave families navigating a range of complex responsibilities," said Dean Chambers, vice-president and chief life operations officer for Wawanesa, in the company's announcement.
Bereavement Support, according to Chambers, is the latest addition to the company's member services.
Alongside the care plan, Wawanesa Life lists a dedicated care manager, curated estate and legal resources, journalling prompts and guided meditations, and a support circle that lets a member invite up to five family members or friends to coordinate tasks.
Counselling services sit outside Solace and are accessed separately.
Members reach the support through either a life insurance claim or an employee assistance program login, Wawanesa Life states.
On the claims route, eligible family members receive up to six hours of professional counselling and up to three hours of financial guidance for estate-related matters, with registration handled through the GreenShield+ platform.
Eligibility on that route applies when the deceased was insured under an eligible Wawanesa group life insurance plan, and extends to the surviving plan member, a dependent spouse, and covered dependent children.
Solace users must be 18 or older.
No claim is required on the second route.
Covered plan members and dependents in groups carrying Wawanesa EAP coverage can log in to Group Benefits Online to reach Solace and the counselling and financial support already available through the program, which Wawanesa Life positions for losses such as the death of a parent, sibling, or extended family member.
Fees may apply where members need support beyond the included counselling hours, according to the company's frequently asked questions, which note that those additional costs may be eligible for reimbursement under the group benefits plan depending on coverage.
Wawanesa Life attributes to the Canadian Grief Alliance and the Center for Creative Leadership four figures used to frame the launch.
They are that 93 percent of Canadians are affected by bereavement, that 90 percent of managers report a noticeable impact on employee performance following a loss, that 54 percent want access to grief counselling, and that 45 percent want loss-specific support and guidance.
Addressing plan sponsors directly, the company writes that bereavement is one of the most common life events plan members will face, and one that directly affects wellbeing, focus, and productivity.
Solace covers the death of an immediate family member, a relative, or a close friend, particularly where the member is responsible for managing practical matters such as an estate, Wawanesa Life says.
The company identifies three situations it says may be better supported elsewhere, being the loss of a young child or infant, including miscarriage, stillbirth, and neonatal loss, losses involving individuals residing outside Canada, and non-death losses such as estrangement or the loss of a pet or property.
Wawanesa does not access or store personal information shared through them, and the company reserves the right to change or discontinue the services at any time with reasonable notice.
