Difference Between Assisted Death And Euthanasia And Its Impact On Life Insurance

Medicaid death became law in Canada in 2016, changing the way people spend their last day. But after their death, many families found that the person’s life insurance might not be paid. In order to prevent this from happening in the future, it is important to treat medicaid deaths and euthanasia, as well as the impact on this life insurance policy. Today we will discuss the key points you need to understand.

Differences between assisted death and euthanasia

First, let’s discuss the difference between assisted death and euthanasia. Because of the different meanings of these two terms, they may affect life insurance policies and claims settlement.

“Assisted death; according to Beneplan; the means or information(such as drug prescription or lethal dose indication) provided by the doctor who knows the patient’s intention promotes suicide. In this case, the patient completely controls the process and gives the drug by himself;

“Euthanasia”; on the contrary, the deliberate execution of people suffering from incurable diseases or painful diseases is regarded as an act of mercy.

There are six types of euthanasia.

  • Active: A person directly and intentionally causes the patient to die.

  • Passive: essentially allowing someone to die. Usually, this occurs as a result of treatment cancellation or refusal.

  • Resources: When a person asks them to die.

  • Involuntary: Making decisions on behalf of a person is usually because he cannot make a meaningful choice between life and death.

  • Indirect: This usually means giving treatment with side effects that accelerate the death process, usually through painkillers.

  • Direct: This form includes a direct auxiliary means of death, usually through lethal doses of drugs. In Canada, this can take two forms: one is for doctors to give drugs, and the other is for patients to write their own prescriptions.

Euthanasia has many forms, but in Canada, the definition of assisted death is very clear, and there are many safeguards that can only be implemented under very specific circumstances. Therefore, there are differences between the two. This difference is important when it comes to life insurance policies.

Impact on life insurance

For life insurance policies, it must be noted that almost all existing insurance policies have a suicide exclusion clause, which is a special clause. If suicide is the cause of death, this clause will change or invalidate the insurance policy. This is to prevent people from committing suicide in order to buy insurance for their families.

However, as the bill allowing medically assisted death becomes law, the number of life insurance companies that decide not to apply the suicide exemption is increasing. But as with the conditions under which Medicaid death may occur, the situation must be very specific.

A person who receives medical assistance to qualify and dies must meet all of the following criteria:

  • Canada is eligible for public funded medical services

  • adult

  • You can make decisions about your health

  • Suffering from serious and incurable diseases, psychological problems or disabilities

  • Natural death is predictable and reasonable, taking into account all medical conditions of patients. No need to summarize the specific time

  • Actively and honestly ask for medical assistance without any external pressure

  • Agree to provide an alibi to receive medical assistance at the time of death

If all these conditions are met, some insurance policies will compensate, ignoring the suicide exemption.