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Critical illness insurance for children

33 covered conditions. Protection for when your family needs it most.

What is Child Critical Illness Insurance

Child Critical Illness insurance from Wawanesa covers 33 illnesses and pays a tax-free, lump-sum benefit when your child is diagnosed with a covered condition, so you can focus on your child, not the financial impact of care.

And hopefully, if your child never has to make a claim you can get your premiums back.

How a child's diagnosis can impact a family

When a child is seriously ill, families often face costs that no health plan covers:

  • One parent reducing work hours or stopping work entirely to become a caregiver
  • Travel and accommodation to reach specialized treatment centres
  • Home modifications or medical equipment not covered by provincial plans
  • Private counselling and mental health support for the whole family
  • Lost savings and retirement contributions during a long recovery

Child CI gives you a one-time, tax-free cash payment and is yours to use however your family needs it.

Coverage from $25,000 to $1,000,000. Choose the amount that fits your family's needs and budget.

Our Child Critical Illness solution

At a glance:

  • Eligibility: You apply when your child is between 15 days and 17 years old.
  • Longevity: Coverage begins and stays in place until your child turns 75.
  • Comprehensive coverage: If your child is ever diagnosed with one of the 33 covered conditions, a tax-free lump-sum benefit is paid directly to you.
  • Built-in Value: If your child stays healthy and keeps the policy to age 75, the policy owner receives 100% of the premiums back. Or they can surrender the policy early for a graded return starting at year 5 with 100% return of premium at year 20.

Premiums are level and guaranteed for 20 years; it’s the same amount every year with no surprises. Then the policy continues to age 75 with no additional premiums.

Key features and benefits

$25,000 Child Term Rider coverage

Every policy includes a free $25,000 term life insurance rider for your child, valid until age 25 with the option to purchase additional coverage totalling up to $100,000 at time of issue. Between ages 21 and 25, your child can convert this to any term or permanent life insurance plan for 5 times the original amount (convert up to $500,000) with no medical exam required, regardless of any health changes since the policy was issued.

Return of Premium on Surrender or Expiry (ROPS)

If your child stays healthy, you get your premiums back. With ROPS built into the base plan, you can recover a portion of premiums paid if the policy is surrendered early or receive 100% back at expiry (age 75).

Policy Anniversary

YEAR (surrendered) % of Return of Premium
Years 5–9 25%
Years 10–14 50%
Years 15–19 75%
Year 20+ 100%
At age 75 (expiry) 100%

Return of Premium on Death is also included at no cost.

Mental Health and Counselling support for kids & parents

When your child’s health is the priority, having the right support matters. From day one, you get confidential counselling for kids and parents, plus Mightier, a game-based mental health app that helps kids (up to 17 years) build coping skills through play and more.

Explore the details below to see the support services you can access.

View support services

Included support What it means for families
Included support Counselling What it means for families 8 hours of confidential support for kids and parents (virtual and in-person where available)
Included support Mightier (kids’ app) What it means for families Game-based emotional wellness program that helps kids practice calming and coping skills through play
Included support Digital Cognitive Behavioural Therapy What it means for families A digital cognitive behavioural therapy (Digital CBT) program to help with mild to moderate anxiety and depression.
Included support Work, Health & Life Services What it means for families Including career guidance, personalized nutrition plans, preventative health support, legal and financial advice.
Included support First Step e-learning What it means for families First Step e-learning program with Michael Landsberg, designed to build resilience and empower people to take steps managing their mental health.
Included support Pharmacy What it means for families Online prescription management, virtual pharmacist consultations, and free prescription medication delivery within Canada (excluding Quebec).
Included support Well-being What it means for families Holistic health management, preventative health strategies, physical and mental health resources, and healthy lifestyle strategies.

All support services are available throughout the life of your policy and extend 365 days beyond any CI benefit payment.

Expert Medical Services — Teladoc Health

Expert Medical Opinion, Find a Doctor, Care Finder, and Personal Health Navigator — available to the child and parents at any time, for any reason. No claim required. Expert Medical Opinion includes Weight Management Program and Menopause Care Program. Call 1-877-419-2378 for assistance.

Optional riders

Home Adaptation & Wheelchair Rider: If your child is diagnosed with a covered condition, this rider can help pay for home changes (like ramps) or the cost of a wheelchair. Choose $15,000 or $30,000 in coverage. Premiums are payable for 20 years, and the rider ends at policy expiry (age 75).

Death or Disability Waiver of Premium Benefit: If the policy owner dies or becomes disabled, this rider can waive premium payments and help keep the policy in force. The cost depends on the policy owner’s age and how long the rider will last. It’s available to policy owners ages 18 to 55 and ends when either the policy owner reaches age 60 or the child reaches age 25, whichever comes first.

Child CI as a Financial Planning Tool

Child CI isn't only about illness protection. If your child stays healthy, the Return of Premium feature can offer financial flexibility – such as surrendering the policy after 20 years to help fund goals like education or a first home or providing a long-term Return of Premium well into retirement.

The free Child Term Rider adds another dimension: at ages 21–25, your child can convert 5 times the coverage amount (up to $500,000) to any life insurance plan with no medical exam, locking in their ability to get life insurance before any adult health issues arise.

You either protect your child financially through illness, or you get all your money back.

Plan details and coverage

One standalone plan with comprehensive built-in value from day one. Explore the details below to see how coverage works.

View plan features

Features Critical Illness Comprehensive Benefits
ELIGIBILITY & POLICY STRUCTURE
Features Issue ages (insured child) Critical Illness Comprehensive 15 days to 17 years Benefits Age last birthday basis
Features Policy owner Critical Illness Comprehensive Parent, grandparent, legal guardian or insured child if over age 16 Benefits -
Features Coverage duration Critical Illness Comprehensive Term to age 75 Benefits Lifelong protection
Features Premiums guaranteed at issue Critical Illness Comprehensive Yes Benefits Level, guaranteed and payable for 20 years (20-Pay)
Features Medical questionnaire required Critical Illness Comprehensive Yes Benefits Fully underwritten
COVERAGE
Features Coverage amount Critical Illness Comprehensive $25,000 – $1,000,000 Benefits Customize your policy based on your needs
Features Critical Illness Insured Conditions Critical Illness Comprehensive 26 Benefits Cancer, cardiovascular, neurological, organ, functional loss, and more
Features Child Critical Illness Insured Conditions Critical Illness Comprehensive 7 Benefits Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Congenital Heart Disease, Cystic Fibrosis, Muscular Dystrophy, Rett Syndrome, Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus
Features Total conditions covered Critical Illness Comprehensive 33 Benefits One of the broadest child CI offerings in Canada
Features Lump-sum, tax-free payout Critical Illness Comprehensive Yes Benefits Paid on first diagnosis of a covered condition
Features Partial Payment Benefit Critical Illness Comprehensive 9 Benefits Including Temporary Loss of Independent Existence. 15% of sum insured or $50,000 max
RETURN OF PREMIUM
Features Return of Premium on Surrender or Expiry (ROPS) Critical Illness Comprehensive Yes Included
Graded 25–100% 		Benefits Built into the base plan. Available from policy year 5; 100% at year 20+
Features Return of Premium on Death (ROPD) Critical Illness Comprehensive Yes Included Benefits Built into the base plan
INCLUDED BENEFITS (NO CI CLAIM REQUIRED)
Features Child Term Rider Critical Illness Comprehensive Yes $25,000 FREE Benefits Upgradeable to $50K / $75K / $100K; convertible at ages 21–25 to any term or permanent coverage, up to 5× the amount or $500K max
Features Mental Health & Counselling Services Critical Illness Comprehensive Yes Benefits Family counselling, care navigation tool with chatbot assistance, life/health support, Mightier children’s mental health app — no claim needed; extends 365 days beyond CI benefit payment
Features Expert Medical Services (Teladoc) Critical Illness Comprehensive Yes Benefits Expert Medical Opinion, Find a Doctor, Care Finder, Personal Health Navigator — covered child and policy owner(s)
OPTIONAL RIDERS
Features Home Adaptation & Wheelchair Rider Critical Illness Comprehensive Yes Benefits $15,000 or $30,000; premiums payable for 20 years; expires at age 75
Features Death or Disability Waiver of Premium Benefit Critical Illness Comprehensive Yes Benefits Premiums waived if policy owner dies or becomes disabled; policy owner age 18–55 at issue; expires at earlier of policy owner's age 60 or child insured’s age 25

Frequently Asked Questions

Is child critical illness insurance worth it for Canadian families?

Yes, and for most families, it fills a gap that provincial health plans simply don't cover. Canada's public system pays your child's hospital and doctor bills. What it doesn't cover is the financial strain on your family: your lost income, travel to a specialist, private care at home, or any drain on your savings during a long recovery.

The Return of Premium feature offers added peace of mind. If the policy remains active until age 75, every dollar you paid in premiums is returned. If the policy is surrendered earlier, partial refunds begin as early as year 5 with full return of premium at year 20. Any premium returned can be used at your discretion, for example, to help support education costs, a first home, or other future needs.

What does child critical illness insurance cover?

This plan covers 33 conditions in total:

  1. 26 standard CI conditions — including cancer, severe heart attack, stroke, coronary artery bypass surgery, kidney failure, major organ transplant, bacterial meningitis, multiple sclerosis, acquired brain injury, blindness, paralysis, severe burns, and more.
  2. 7 child-specific conditions— Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Congenital Heart Disease, Cystic Fibrosis, Muscular Dystrophy, Rett Syndrome, and Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus.
  3. 9 partial payment conditions — with early diagnosed conditions such as early-stage cancers and coronary angioplasty and temporary loss of independent existence you receive 15% of your coverage (up to $50,000 max). This partial payment does not reduce your main benefit except in the case of temporary loss of independent existence and subsequent loss of independent existence.

For most conditions, there is no waiting period. For heart-related conditions, your child must survive 30 days from diagnosis.

How does the lump-sum payout work?

When your child is diagnosed with a covered condition and meets the policy definition, a tax-free lump-sum payment is made directly to you, the policy owner. You spend it however your family needs. There are no receipts to submit, no pre-approved categories, and no restrictions.

Common uses include: replacing the income of a parent who steps back from work, covering travel to a hospital, paying for home modifications or private nursing care, or simply keeping the household running normally while your child recovers.

For partial payment conditions, a separate benefit of up to 15% of your coverage or $50,000 is paid once, and your full CI benefit remains untouched for any future claim.

What age limits apply?

Your child is eligible to apply from as early as 15 days old, up to and including age 17. Coverage then stays in place until your child turns 75; well into adulthood.

All illnesses are covered to the policy anniversary immediately following their 75th birthday, with the following exceptions:

  • Covered up to your 24th birthday: Cerebral Palsy, Cystic Fibrosis, Muscular Dystrophy, and Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus.
  • Covered up to your 6th birthday: Autism.

Premiums are level, guaranteed and payable for 20 years. After that, coverage continues to age 75 with no further premiums required. If you add the Death or Disability Waiver of Premium Benefit, the policy owner (parent/grandparent/guardian) must be between ages 18 and 55, and that rider expires at the earlier of the policy owner's age 60 or child insured’s age 25.

What exclusions should I know about?

  1. Heart-related conditions: your child must survive 30 days from diagnosis for the benefit to be paid. This applies to heart attack, stroke, aortic surgery, coronary artery bypass, heart valve replacement, congenital heart disease, and coronary angioplasty.
  2. Loss of Independent Existence & Temporary Loss of Independent Existence: this benefit does not apply if the inability to perform daily activities is due to delayed developmental milestones. The activities must have been achieved and maintained, then lost as a result of disease or injury.
  3. Partial payments: paid once only and capped at 15% of your coverage or $50,000, whichever is less.
  4. Financial underwriting: for larger coverage amounts, parents may need to show their own CI coverage or explain the financial need.
  5. General exclusions: self-inflicted injury/illness; illegal acts/attempts; illegal drugs or substance misuse (meds/alcohol); war/conflict or civil unrest (even if uninvolved).

Your advisor will walk you through the full policy definitions before you apply.

Are rare childhood conditions like Autism or Cystic Fibrosis covered?

Yes. This is one of the things that makes this plan stand out. In addition to the 26 standard CI conditions, there are 7 child-specific conditions:

  1. Autism
  2. Cerebral Palsy
  3. Congenital Heart Disease
  4. Cystic Fibrosis
  5. Muscular Dystrophy
  6. Rett Syndrome
  7. Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus

These conditions typically manifest and have the greatest financial impact during childhood and early adulthood, a gap that standard adult CI plans often don't address.

What should I look for when comparing child CI plans in Canada?

Five things matter most:

  1. Conditions covered: Does the plan include child-specific conditions like Autism, Cystic Fibrosis, and Type 1 Diabetes? Do partial payment conditions reduce the main benefit?
  2. Return of Premium: Is it built into the base plan at no extra cost, or is it an expensive rider? What does the graded return of premium on surrender schedule look like?
  3. Built-in value with no claim: Does the plan give your family anything from day one — mental health support, medical navigation, life insurance?
  4. Future insurability for your child: Does the plan include built-in-term life insurance that can be converted to permanent coverage without underwriting in early adulthood?
  5. Premium certainty: Are premiums level and guaranteed? For how many years?

What is the built-in term life insurance and why does it matter?

Every Child CI policy includes $25,000 of child term life insurance at no extra cost but its real value is the flexibility it provides later in life. This coverage includes a Conversion Option, allowing your child to convert up to five times the term amount to permanent life insurance, without medical underwriting, between ages 21 and 25.

That means the built-in $25,000 alone guarantees access to $125,000 of permanent life insurance in adulthood, regardless of future health. Families can also choose to purchase an additional $25,000, $50,000, or $75,000 of coverage, with the same guaranteed convertibility up to five times (convert up to 500,000) between ages 21-25.

How can I access Mightier and Mental Health & Counselling services?

You will receive a Mental Health & Counselling info sheet that accompanies your policy contract with details on how to access these services. Services are available throughout the life of the policy as well as 365 days after diagnosis of a critical illness.