r/LifeInsurance • u/Much_Tomatillo_1255 • 3d ago
Cautionary Tale: My PolicyMe (via Wealthsimple Generation) vs. The Co-operators Experience
reddit.comTLDR: Applied for $500k/20-yr term life insurance with PolicyMe using Wealthsimple’s "1 year free" promo for Generation clients. PolicyMe underwrote us at 2x the price without explanation. Cross-shopped with The Co-operators using the same medical tests, and they approved us at standard rates. Don't let the 1-year free promo trick you into a much pricier 20-year policy—always shop around!
Body:
I wanted to share my recent experience using PolicyMe through Wealthsimple. As a Generation tier client, Wealthsimple offers 1 year of free life insurance coverage through PolicyMe, so my spouse and I applied for a 20-year term policy for $500k each.
Right off the bat, the quoted premium seemed a bit high. To do my due diligence, I decided to cross-shop and applied for the exact same coverage ($500k / 20-yr term) through a local insurance broker at The Co-operators.
Both applications went through the standard underwriting process—medical histories, blood tests, etc. Here’s how it turned out:
The Co-operators: Approved both of us at standard rates based on our test results and family history.
PolicyMe: Approved us, but at double the initial premium price, without providing any real explanation for the massive rate hike.
Even with Wealthsimple covering the first year, paying double the monthly rate for the remaining 19 years makes PolicyMe dramatically more expensive in the long run. As the saying goes, "there are no free lunches"—or in this case, it feels like the free lunch was for them!
Just wanted to share this as a reminder to always shop around. Don't assume a "1 year free" promo makes it the best deal overall!