Workplace benefits
Know what your workplace benefits actually cover
A plain-language checklist for reading your benefits booklet or portal — five things worth checking, explained in everyday terms.
Life insurance
Many workplace plans include a base amount of life insurance, often described as a flat amount or a multiple of salary.
- Check whether the plan states a flat dollar amount, a multiple of salary, or both.
- Look for whether the base amount is provided automatically or requires enrolment.
- See whether optional or additional life insurance is available to top up the base amount.
- Check whether coverage includes dependent life insurance for a spouse or children.
Disability
Disability coverage is often split into short-term and long-term benefits, each with different rules.
- Look for separate short-term and long-term disability benefits, and note how each is defined.
- Check what percentage of income each benefit is designed to replace.
- Look for the waiting period — the time between becoming disabled and benefits starting.
- Note whether the plan mentions an "own occupation" or "any occupation" definition, and for how long each applies.
Critical illness
Not every workplace plan includes critical illness coverage — it's worth confirming either way.
- Check whether critical illness coverage is included in the plan at all.
- If included, look for the list of covered conditions.
- Note the benefit amount and whether it's a flat sum or tied to another figure.
- Check whether the benefit is paid as a lump sum or in another form.
Health & dental
Health and dental benefits usually come with annual maximums and category-specific limits.
- Look for annual or lifetime maximums on health and dental spending.
- Check coverage for paramedical services such as physiotherapy, massage, or psychology.
- See how prescription drug coverage works, including any percentage reimbursed or annual cap.
- Note any waiting periods before certain dental categories (like major restorative work) are covered.
Portability
What happens to coverage after leaving a job is often easy to overlook until it matters.
- Check what happens to each benefit if employment ends.
- Look for a conversion window — a limited time to convert group life insurance to an individual policy without medical underwriting.
- Note whether disability or health coverage ends immediately or continues for a short period.
- See whether the plan documents explain how to start a conversion or portability request.
Prefer an interactive version? Try the Benefits Gap Checker.
Try the Benefits Gap CheckerWant a second set of eyes on your benefits booklet?
Insure.ance is an educational resource. If you have general questions about how workplace benefits work, you can reach out by email — no pressure, no obligation.