Group insurance for trucking and aviation
Rotating schedules, overnights, mandatory medical certificates, work outside the country: your employees don't face the same risks as an office. I build a plan that reflects this, putting several insurers in competition.
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The specific needs of aviation
A regional airline, a flight school, a helicopter operator or an aircraft maintenance shop is not managed like an ordinary SME. The profession imposes medical requirements, irregular schedules and frequent travel that must be reflected in the group plan.
The people your plan must protect
Pilots
Their career depends on a medical certificate issued under the authority of Transport Canada and renewed periodically, more often past a certain age. A health issue that would not disable another worker can ground them.
Flight attendants
Rotations, jet lag, overnights away from home: they need coverage that follows them everywhere and good access to psychological support.
Aircraft maintenance technicians
Physical work, awkward postures, night shifts and noise exposure: disability and rehabilitation care matter a great deal to them.
Ground staff and flight dispatch
Dispatchers, station agents and ramp crews work shifted hours, often under operational pressure.
Instructors and student pilots
Flight schools must attract and keep qualified instructors, who are often courted by major carriers.
What I review and negotiate for an aviation business
Disability suited to the profession
The definition of disability makes all the difference: does it protect the employee if they can no longer perform their own occupation, or only if they can no longer perform any occupation? For a pilot, this distinction is crucial.
Loss of medical certificate
A pilot can lose their medical certificate without being disabled under a standard contract. Specialized loss-of-licence coverage exists: I explain how it fits with the group plan.
Aviation clauses in life and AD&D
Some contracts limit coverage when the insured is a crew member rather than a passenger. I make sure your crews are covered when they fly as part of their work.
Out-of-province and out-of-country emergency care
Crews, technicians and ferry staff often work outside Quebec. Good emergency travel coverage avoids considerable medical costs.
Mental health and EAP
Fatigue, irregular schedules and safety responsibilities: an employee assistance program and good mental health coverage are essential.
Vision and hearing
Well-covered vision care and hearing tests help your employees maintain the fitness their job requires.
Talent retention
With pilot and technician shortages, a group RRSP or a DPSP with a vesting period helps keep your best people.
Bases and employees in several provinces
A well-structured plan covers employees uniformly, regardless of their home base.
Work injury or illness: who pays for what?
In Quebec, an employment injury falls under the CNESST. The group plan takes over for illnesses and accidents that are not work-related, and disability benefits generally take other benefits received into account. I help you understand these coordination rules before an employee needs them.
Checklist for your current plan
- Does the disability definition protect the employee in their own occupation, and for how long?
- Are your crews covered for life and AD&D when flying for work?
- Does the travel coverage apply to work-related stays abroad?
- Is the EAP available at any time, regardless of time zone?
- Do employees at all your bases have the same coverage?
- Has your plan been compared with other insurers since its last renewal?
Trucking: needs of its own
Long-haul drivers, mechanics, dispatchers and warehouse staff: trucking combines physical work, long hours and travel to the United States.
Emergency care in the United States
Your drivers cross the border every week. A hospital stay in the United States can be very expensive: emergency travel coverage is a must.
Disability and back health
Loading, unloading and long hours seated: musculoskeletal problems are common. Well-designed disability coverage and rehabilitation care protect your drivers and your business.
SAAQ medical exams
Class 1 licence holders must undergo periodic medical exams, more frequently with age. A health issue can lead to a licence suspension: the disability definition must take this into account.
Isolation and mental health
Weeks on the road, far from family: an EAP accessible by phone or online makes a real difference.
Attracting and keeping drivers
In a shortage market, a competitive group plan weighs heavily in a driver's decision to stay or leave.
Owner-operators working on their own account are usually not eligible for the company's group plan: I can offer them suitable individual coverage.
How it works
- A first call to understand your operations: bases, schedules, employee profiles.
- I review your current plan, if any, using the checklist above.
- I request proposals from several insurers.
- I present a clear comparative analysis, then support you at implementation and at every renewal.
Frequently asked questions
Does a group plan cover the loss of a pilot's medical certificate?
Not necessarily. Group disability protects against the inability to work as defined in the contract, which does not always correspond to losing the medical certificate. Specialized coverage exists: I help you see whether it suits your pilots.
Are my employees covered when working abroad?
It depends on your plan's emergency travel coverage and its limits (length of stay, maximum amount). I check these conditions and compare them from one insurer to another.
Can small aviation businesses have a group plan?
Yes. Several insurers offer plans to small businesses with just a few employees, including flight schools and regional operators. Conditions vary by insurer.
Am I required to offer a VRSP?
In Quebec, an employer with at least five eligible employees that does not already offer an eligible retirement savings plan through payroll deduction must offer a VRSP. A group RRSP can, under certain conditions, meet this obligation.
What happens if an employee is injured at work?
In Quebec, an employment injury falls under the CNESST. The group plan mainly covers illnesses and accidents that are not work-related, and its benefits generally take other benefits received into account.
Let's talk about your operations.
A free, no-obligation quote prepared by an AMF-registered advisor who understands the realities of transportation.