Empire Life has launched two simplified issue term life insurance products. The insurer says it has designed them to be sold online through its own web site and through participating advisor web sites.

On June 22, Empire Life announced that it had added a "Buy Now" feature to empirelife.ca. Consumers who visit the company’s web site will now be able to estimate how much life insurance they need, decide what type of life insurance they want, get a quote, and, if eligible, apply for and purchase Simplified 10 or Simplified 20 term life insurance online. If consumers want more information, Empire says they can "click to chat" with a customer service representative.

The insurer is also offering advisors the ability to add the "Buy Now" button to their own web sites. Consumers who click on an advisor's "Buy Now" button will be returned to the Empire web site, where they can complete an application for Simplified 10 or Simplified 20 coverage. They will be able to contact the advisor should they want help before, during, or after the application process.

"A ‘Buy Now’ option will allow us to reach a group of Canadian consumers whose needs are mostly going unmet today. Recent consumer research indicates that 69% of consumers use the internet to research life insurance online," says Sean Kilburn, Senior Vice President, Retail at Empire Life. "We're finding there are a growing number of consumers who also want to purchase online."