Empire Life is one of the established insurance and employee benefits providers in Canada, offering group benefit solutions to employers across various industries.
In an increasingly competitive benefits landscape, organizations often evaluate providers like Empire Life based on plan flexibility, administrative capabilities, and the variety of coverage options available to support their workforce.
In this extensive review, we’ll examine Empire Life employee benefits offerings, how they compare to competitors, customer reviews, and why they remain a top choice in Canada for customized and affordable employee benefits.
Empire Life: Company Overview
Empire Life was founded in 1923 by Milton Palmer Langstaff in Toronto, Ontario. The company later relocated its headquarters east to Kingston, where it remains today. The company has grown over the decades to become one of Canada’s established life insurance and financial services firms.
Today, Empire Life employs approximately 1,250 people across Canada and serves hundreds of thousands of individual customers. As of December 31, 2024, Empire Life reported approximately $19.7 billion in assets under management, reflecting its scale in individual and group insurance and investment products.
Company Facts and Figures
Here are 5 critical facts about Empire Life today:
- About 610,000 individual customers
- More than 42,000 distribution partners
- Roughly 147,400 group life and health plan members
- Over 6,300 group employer customers
- Available across all 10 Canadian provinces and three territories
Source: https://www.empire.ca/about-us/fast-facts
Ratings and Reputation
Empire Life maintains strong third-party financial strength ratings, reflecting its ability to meet ongoing policyholder obligations and its stability as an insurer in Canada. According to Empire Life’s official ratings page:
- DBRS Morningstar Financial Strength Rating: A (high)
- DBRS Morningstar Issuer Rating: A (high)
- Subordinated Debt Rating: A
- Limited Recourse Capital Notes: A (low)
- Preferred Shares: Pfd-2 (high)
All of these ratings have a stable trend.
In addition, Empire Life is recognized as one of the top 10 life insurance companies in Canada based on total assets as reported in the Dec 31, 2024, OSFI filings.
Empire Life has also received industry-awarded recognition, including multiple Insurance Business Awards for Life and Health Insurer of the Year in past years.
Products and Services Offered
In addition to group benefits plans, Empire Life provides:
- Individual life insurance
- Critical illness insurance
- Investment products, like mutual funds, RRSPs, TFSAs, and more
- Retirement and savings plans
- Segregated funds
- Annuities
- Disability insurance
This diversified product mix allows Empire Life to serve both individual policyholders and employer groups with integrated insurance and retirement planning solutions.
Empire Life Employee Benefits
EL offers a full suite of employee benefits options for companies of all sizes. Their plans are customized to each employer’s specific needs and budget.
Key benefits offered include:
- Health insurance, including dental, vision, and prescription drugs
- Life, accidental death, and dismemberment insurance
- Short-term disability insurance and long-term disability insurance
- Retirement savings plans, like Group RRSPs
- Wellness programs
- Group critical illness insurance
- Employee assistance programs
- Administrative services for self-insured benefit plans
- Exceptional coverage for expat employees
Empire Life partners with employers across all industries to provide benefits packages that help attract, retain, and protect their workforce. Find out details below.
Health and Dental Insurance
Empire Life offers extensive options for companies to customize their employees’ health and dental coverage. This includes choosing the percentage covered for different types of services.
Health insurance offered through Empire Life typically includes:
- Prescription drug coverage
- Paramedical services like massage therapy, physiotherapy, and chiropractic
- Medical equipment like wheelchairs, hospital beds
- Vision care, including eye exams and prescription glasses
- Out-of-province emergency medical coverage
- Semi-private hospital accommodation
- Ambulance transportation
- Accidental dental treatment
- And more
Dental coverage generally includes:
- Essential preventative dental services like cleanings and X-rays
- Restorative treatments like fillings and extractions
- Primary restorative services like crowns and bridges
- Orthodontics (braces)
Companies can choose between reimbursement rates based on provincial dental fee guides or the current dental association fee guide. Maximums per person can be customized.
Life and Disability Insurance
The core life insurance offered through Empire Life employee plans includes:
- Basic life insurance
- Dependent life insurance
- Accidental death and dismemberment insurance
Disability insurance protects employees by providing income if they cannot work due to illness or injury. Short-term disability plans replace lost wages for up to 17 weeks, while long-term disability provides ongoing income past the 17-week mark.
Companies can customize their disability coverage in terms of:
- Waiting periods before benefits kick in
- Percentage of income covered
- Definition of disability
- Maximum payouts
- Benefit payment schedules
- Coverage for partial or residual disability
Retirement Savings Plans
Empire Life offers Group Registered Retirement Savings Plans (Group RRSPs) as an optional addition to employee benefits packages. These plans provide an easy, cost-effective way for employees to save for retirement through automatic payroll deductions.
The company provides access to diverse investment options to match each employee’s risk tolerance and goals. Empire Life advisors can also assist with financial planning, wealth management, and selecting suitable investments.
Wellness Programs
Today, more and more companies are investing in wellness initiatives to support their employees’ physical and mental health.
Empire Life partners with employers to design customized wellness programs that make the most sense based on their workforce demographics and needs.
Some of the wellness services offered include:
- Employee assistance programs provide counselling and referral services
- Life coaching
- Career transition services
- Health coaching and advisory services
- Disability management and return-to-work programs
- Critical illness support programs
- On-site flu shot clinics
- Access to discounted gym memberships
- Smoking cessation programs
- Weight loss programs
- Preventative health education
- Mental health workshops
- Ergonomic assessments
Wellness programs aim to provide employees with the tools and resources to improve their health, reduce absenteeism, and remain productive.
Other Benefits Offered
Beyond core health insurance and retirement plans, Empire Life offers a diverse selection of voluntary or supplementary benefits. Companies can choose to add on any of these options to provide enhanced coverage:
- Critical illness insurance
- Long-term care insurance
- Preventative medical/healthcare spending accounts
- Employee stock purchase plans
- Tuition reimbursement
- Group home and auto insurance plans
- Legal services plans
- Travel medical insurance
- Pet insurance
- Identity theft protection
For companies with international business needs, Empire Life also provides benefits solutions for expat employees on overseas assignments.
How Does Empire Life Compare to Competitors?
When examining Canada’s group benefits landscape, EL stands out for its versatility in plan design for SMEs. Here is how Empire Life stacks up to competitors on some key metrics:
Cost
Empire Life is generally considered competitively priced for small and mid-sized groups, particularly employers with approximately 25 to 200 employees. Premiums are developed based on factors such as group size, workforce demographics, industry, and selected coverage levels.
For smaller groups, especially those at the lower end of this range, Empire Life is often perceived as cost-effective when compared with some of Canada’s largest national carriers, including providers such as:
- Sun Life Employee Benefits
- Green Shield Canada Employee Benefits
- GMS Group Medical Services Employee Benefits
- Manulife Employee Benefits
- Beneva Employee Benefits
However, actual pricing outcomes vary by plan design, claims experience, and underwriting assumptions, and should be assessed through broker quotes rather than averages.
Customization
While larger carriers tend to offer fixed plan options, EL starts each new partnership by gathering data on the company’s workforce, budgets, and benefits goals. This allows them to design a custom benefits program tailored to the organization.
Profession, gender ratio, average age, and location are all inputs used to recommend appropriate coverage levels, premiums, and cost-sharing structures.
Support Services
Empire Life receives high marks for customer support and ease of administration. Each employer is assigned an account management team for ongoing service.
Plan members can also access a 24/7 helpline for claims support and an online portal for forms and documentation. Empire Life’s digital tools simplify benefits management for HR teams.
Technology
Empire Life has invested significantly in its online platforms and mobile apps in recent years to provide intuitive access to coverage details, provider directories, claims tracking, and other plan resources.
Members can easily find in-network dentists or pharmacies, check coverage and deductible levels, submit claims electronically, and manage their accounts entirely online or via mobile apps.
Plan Options
While EL crafts specific plans for each employer, it offers more flexibility than some top-tier providers. There are a few set bundles or tiers—instead, Empire Life builds fully customized programs based on each company’s benefits budget and priorities.
Even smaller groups can access robust coverage options and voluntary add-ons that may be restricted to larger groups on competitor platforms.
Why Choose Empire Life?
After reviewing Empire Life’s offerings and reputation, there are several compelling reasons they stand out as a top employee benefits provider in Canada:
Comprehensive Plan Options
EL can design comprehensive employee benefits packages that enhance recruitment, retention, employee health, and financial protection regardless of company size. Robust coverage options at affordable rates provide actual value and peace of mind.
Custom Tailored for Each Business
Rather than pre-set tiers or bundles, Empire Life customizes each benefits plan based on the company’s workforce demographics, risk factors, and benefits budget. This tailored approach provides ideal coverage levels and premiums.
Focus on Small and Mid-Sized Businesses
Empire Life specializes in companies with 25 to 500 employees – an underserved market segment that big-name providers often ignore. Their expertise with SMEs is a significant differentiator.
Exceptional Advisors and Support Teams
Every client works with dedicated account management teams before, during, and after the plan roll-out for ongoing support. Empire Life benefits advisors become true partners in your program’s success.
Leading Digital Experience
EL offers user-friendly online and mobile access for employers and plan members from enrollment to claims. This simplifies administration and provides intuitive self-service options.
Industry Recognition for Innovation
With multiple national technology and customer experience awards, Empire Life is a recognized leader in digital insurance solutions. Its focus on innovation delivers long-term value.
When choosing the right benefits partner, going beyond just rates to look at customization, specialized support services, ease of administration, and overall company reputation will reveal that the providers are genuinely invested in their clients’ best interests. Empire Life stands out as a top option for robust and affordable employee benefits in Canada by those measures.
The bottom line
With almost a century of experience, EL remains a leader in group benefits, especially for small and mid-sized companies.
While cost matters, Empire Life offers value by balancing robust plans with competitive premiums. Their expertise with growth-stage and non-unionized workforces makes them ideal across industries.
Empire Life should be a top contender if you want a benefits provider who understands your workforce and can design comprehensive yet affordable coverage. Their ratings and reviews show their commitment to service and satisfaction.
In evolving benefits, choosing a partner invested in long-term success is crucial. This makes Empire Life stand out as a top option in Canada if you seek an experienced yet innovative leader.
