Life Insurance for High-Risk Occupations in Canada

Last updated Dec 30, 2025

Written by

Ben Nguyen

Content Director

Your profession is a key factor when you apply for life insurance in Canada. While most Canadians can secure coverage with ease, those in jobs with significant hazards often face more detailed underwriting and higher costs.

However, being in a high-risk profession does not totally disqualify you from getting life insurance. With the right knowledge and strategy, affordable and comprehensive coverage is within reach.

This guide will walk you through life insurance for high-risk occupations in Canada, explain how different occupations affect insurability, and provide actionable strategies to secure the best possible coverage.

How Insurers View Your Job: Understanding Occupational Risk

Life insurance companies classify certain professions as high risk based on the measured likelihood of accidental injury, occupational illness, disability, or premature death associated with a job.

According to the Association of Workers’ Compensation Boards of Canada (AWCBC) latest report, the industry with the highest Canadian work-related fatality rates includes:

Industry	Fatal Injury (2023)
Construction	194
Agriculture/forestry/fishing/hunting	154
Manufacturing	136
Public Administration	112
Transportation and Warehousing	93

Note that although these job sectors have a high fatality rate, each insurer rates risk based on your duties and exposures, not just your job title.

High-Risk Jobs Affect Insurance Eligibility and Rates

When you apply for life insurance, the insurer’s primary goal is to assess the likelihood you will pass away during the policy’s term. Your occupation is a key factor in determining your life insurance rates and coverage eligibility.

If your job falls into a higher-risk category, an insurer may respond in one of several ways:

Increased Premiums. This is the most common outcome. Your rate may be significantly higher than the standard rate. The increase is typically applied in one of two ways:

• Flat Extra: A fixed additional cost per $1,000 of coverage. For example, a flat extra of $2.50 means you would pay an extra $250 per year for a $100,000 policy.
• Rating: A percentage increase on your standard premium. For example, a “50% rating” or “Rating B” means your premium will be 50% higher than that of a standard-risk individual.

Lower Coverage Limits. The insurer might cap the maximum death benefit you can purchase.

Policy Exclusions. The policy may include an “occupational exclusion rider,” meaning the death benefit will not be paid if you die while performing specific job-related duties.

Decline or Postponement. In extreme cases, an insurer may decline to offer a traditional policy and recommend a more limited alternative, such as Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D).

Despite these challenges, many people in higher-risk jobs can still qualify for coverage through the right strategy and guidance.

A Closer Look at Key Occupations and Their Insurance Outlook

Insurers assess your specific duties, safety protocols, and workplace environment. Here’s how they approach some of Canada’s demanding professions.

Merchant Marine Workers

Merchant marine workers face harsh conditions like severe storms, icy deck surfaces, demanding schedules, and isolation that increase risks. Being in remote locations offshore often makes access to medical care difficult in the event of an injury or illness.

When applying for life insurance, underwriters will investigate the specifics of the applicant’s role, including the typical routes, the type of vessels worked on, rest protocols, safety training, and protective gear used.

Policy Options:

• Term Life Insurance: Best for affordable protection during working years. A broker can find insurers who view marine work more favourably.
• Accidental Death Insurance: Provides a payout if death occurs due to a covered accident. Useful for extreme risks.
• Simplified Issue Policies: Offers coverage without extensive medical underwriting up to coverage limits.

Tree Surgeons and Arborists

Tree surgeons and arborists face daily hazards like falling debris, equipment risks from chainsaws and wood chippers, electrocution from power lines, and environmental dangers from weather, wild animals, and insects.

Applicants must verify that they follow safety regulations, including proper use of harnesses, helmets, and face shields, and avoid proximity to power lines and unsafe operating procedures.

Policy Options:

• Accidental Death Insurance: Provides strong coverage for the primary risk in this profession. Limited exclusions.
• Simplified or Guaranteed Issue Life Insurance: Good options if traditional underwriting proves difficult, though coverage amounts are lower.

Self-Employed Professionals

For self-employed individuals like contractors, consultants, agents, and entrepreneurs, income often fluctuates, and underwriters require detailed financial verification. Lacking employee benefits like group life insurance also necessitates carrying adequate personal coverage.

Policy Options:

• 10 or 20-Year Term Life Insurance: Provides affordable death benefit protection for a set period.
• Permanent Individual Life Insurance: Offers lifelong coverage and cash value savings.

Teachers

Teachers face strains like chronic vocal damage that can threaten occupational disability from permanent voice loss. Coverage coordination with provincial pension plans is also an important consideration.

Policy Options:

• Longer-Duration Term Life Insurance: Provides coverage for 20 or 30 years to match the career span.
• Waiver of Premium Disability Rider: Waives life premiums if disabled. Helpful addition given disability risks.

Emergency Personnel (Firefighters and Police Officers)​

Firefighters face risks like extreme heat stress, exposure to hazardous materials, cardiac triggers from exertion, and acute injury risks. Applicants must pass stringent medical, physical, and neurological exams.

Police officers face higher risks of cardiac events, cancers, post-traumatic stress, and violent injuries. Screening checks fitness levels, mental health support, and de-escalation training.

Policy Options:

• Accidental Death Insurance: Provides a payout if death is due to a covered accident. Useful given the high risk.
• Term Life Insurance: A 10 or 20-year term can provide foundational coverage. Look for policies without occupational exclusions.
• Waiver of Premium Rider: This rider is crucial. It ensures your life insurance premiums are waived if you become disabled and cannot work.

Underwater Divers

Underwater divers face risks like life-support equipment failures, surfacing too rapidly, and decompression sickness (“the bends”). Respiratory risks like pneumothorax can also be deadly. Insurers verify certifications, emergency protocols, and equipment maintenance records.

Policy Options:

• Simplified Issue Term Life: Offers coverage with limited underwriting questions, ideal if diving is a hobby.
• Accidental Death Insurance: A primary option for commercial divers where traditional coverage may be declined.

Skydivers

Skydiving is an extremely high-risk activity. Even experienced skydivers face risks from technical failures, sudden weather changes, and errors. There are very few policies available due to the danger.

Policy Options:

• Accidental Death Insurance: The only option most insurers will offer to cover skydiving deaths.

Long-Haul Truckers

Long-haul truckers face a high risk of highway collisions. In federally regulated workplaces, the Road Transportation industry accounted for almost half of the fatal work injuries in 2023. Fatigue, long hours, and remote routes all contribute to crash risks.

Policy Options:

• 10 or 20-Year Term Life Insurance: Provides longer protected periods.
• Accidental Death Insurance: Pays out if death is due to a covered accident.

Overall, strategic planning enables the vast majority of occupations to secure life insurance in Canada despite potential challenges.

You may also want to know: Life Insurance for High Net Worth Individuals

Why People with High-Risk Jobs Need Life Insurance

Canadians employed in high-risk occupations have elevated needs for life insurance protection. The inherent hazards present on the job make adequate coverage critically important.

Replace Lost Income. High-risk professions often provide significant wages to support families. The premature death of a breadwinner would leave a massive hole in household finances. Life insurance proceeds enable dependents to maintain their standard of living.

Cover Final Expenses. Funeral costs in Canada can be expensive. Life insurance can pay these final expenses so survivors aren’t burdened. Outstanding debt, like mortgages and loans, can also be paid off.

Support Dependents. Even if a high-risk worker passes away, continued resources for daily living expenses, children’s education, healthcare needs, and more must be provided. Life insurance delivers funds to cover these recurring family expenses.

Peace of Mind. Being insured alleviates workers’ worries about leaving loved ones unprovided for. This allows workers to focus entirely on hazardous duties with less financial stress.

Limited Safety Nets. Many dangerous occupations lack substantial employer benefits or pension plans if injury or death occurs. Government survivor benefits also have eligibility conditions and income caps. Life insurance offers guarantees.

Why Specifically Life Insurance? Unlike health insurance, life insurance pays out upon death when income ceases. Locking guaranteed premiums also avoids steep rises later in life when coverage needs to persist, but costs escalate. Canadians with dangerous jobs require specialized planning to secure life insurance their families can rely on. With the right approach, adequate and affordable policies are within reach.

Strategies for Obtaining Coverage in High-Risk Fields

The following tactics can help those in hazardous vocations get insured:

Highlight Mitigating Factors. Don’t just state your job title. On your application, provide context that demonstrates a commitment to safety. Mention your advanced certifications, years of incident-free experience, role as a safety supervisor, or the robust safety protocols your employer follows.

Optimize Your Health. While you can’t change your job’s inherent risks, you can control your health. A non-smoker with healthy blood pressure and cholesterol will partially offset the occupational risk, resulting in a better overall rating and lower premium.

Research Thoroughly. Compare policies from a wide range of insurers, as underwriting criteria vary.

Leverage Your Group Benefits. If your employer offers group life insurance, sign up for it. This coverage is often guaranteed and can form a solid base of protection, which you can then supplement with an individual policy.

Be Completely Honest. Never hide your occupation, duties, or hazardous hobbies. If the insurer discovers misrepresentation after your death, they have the right to deny the claim. It is always better to pay a higher premium for a valid policy than a lower premium for one that won’t pay out.

Why Using an Insurance Broker Can Help

With hundreds of insurers and policies in Canada, an independent broker is your best supporter when navigating options. Their expertise helps:

• Compare quotes across a multitude of carriers to identify savings
• Guide you in optimizing your application to meet underwriting requirements
• Coordinate coverage across group benefits, individual policies, and government plans
• Incorporate insurance into estate planning, succession, and other financial components
• Regularly review and update your policies as needs evolve

This experience ensures you find affordable solutions tailored to your occupation’s risk.

Conclusion: Protection is Within Reach

While some careers face obstacles, with proper support, nearly all occupations in Canada can obtain life insurance tailored to their budget and needs. A persistent approach, controlling health factors as much as possible, finding the right carrier, and utilizing an expert advisor make coverage attainable.

Your occupation shouldn’t be a barrier to peace of mind; it should be the primary motivation for ensuring your loved ones are financially secure, no matter what.

FAQs on Life Insurance Coverage for Your Career in Canada​