Allstate Benefits, one of the largest voluntary benefits providers in the United States, is moving into the Canadian market. The insurer is offering a critical illness (CI) insurance product to employers.

On Sept. 17 Allstate Benefits announced its entry into the Canadian marketplace and the launch of its critical illness insurance product, which allows employers to offer employees voluntary coverage that they pay for themselves. The insurer suggests these kinds of benefits are well suited to companies who want to close gaps in coverage or enhance existing plans without assuming the cost.

There are two options for the CI coverage, essential and comprehensive; according to the company's web site the listed conditions include heart attack, stroke, major organ failure, kidney failure, carcinoma in situ, invasive cancer, advanced alzheimer's disease, advanced parkinson's disease, "and more" depending on which option is selected.

“We are excited to announce we are bringing this industry-leading product to Canada as our first Group Voluntary product offering available to Canadian employers for their employees,” says Gregory Guidos, Allstate Benefits president. “We have proven experience as a provider of critical illness benefits as evident of the more than 40,000 employers and three million employees we help take care of in the United States.”