Segregated funds are available only through insurance companies as an investment option of an insurance policy. The policy can provide valuable benefits, including guarantees.

You don't buy the fund units directly, but the units are used to determine the benefit value of your policy.

Empire Life segregated funds allow you to combine the growth potential of investment funds with the protection of benefit guarantees provided under the policy.

Protection from market downturns
With Empire Life segregated funds, your investments are protected from market downturns with the maturity and death benefit guarantees.

You can choose between a 75% or a 100% maturity benefit guarantee option.
When your policy matures you are guaranteed to receive the greater of 75% (or 100%) of your net deposits, or the market value of your segregated fund investments.

Your death benefit guarantee is 100% of your net deposits.
On your death, your beneficiary is guaranteed to receive the greater of 100% of your net deposits or the market value of your segregated fund investments.

Ability to reset benefit guarantees
You can reset your benefit guarantees twice each year. If the market value of your segregated fund investments is higher than your net deposits, you can reset your maturity and death benefit guarantees based on the higher value.

Potential creditor protection
As part of an insurance policy, your segregated fund investments may be protected from creditors if you name your spouse, child, parent or grandchild as the beneficiary of your policy or if you name an irrevocable beneficiary (a beneficiary that cannot be changed).

Talk to your advisor regarding your individual circumstances, potential creditor protection varies by province.

Opportunity to bypass probate
With segregated funds, the death benefit is paid directly to your named beneficiary rather than to your estate.

This means that the value of your segregated fund investments may bypass probate, a costly and lengthy process, allowing your named beneficiary to receive the proceeds faster.