Desjardins Financial Security (DFS) has beefed up its critical illness insurance product by offering protection against serious complications caused by West Nile virus, Lyme disease, E. coli infection and necrotizing fasciitis, or flesh-eating bacterial infection.

In the event of a serious complication due to one of the four infectious diseases, DFS will pay 10% of the sum insured, to a maximum of $25,000.

In addition, DFS is offering services from Best Doctors free of charge with all critical illness contracts, including those that are already in force. These services allow an insured client who has been diagnosed with a critical illness to get access to state-of-the-art medical information and a list of renowned specialists.

According to Nathalie Tremblay, Health Product Manager, Individual Insurance, DFS is responding to concerns about infections diseases expressed in a national survey carried out by IPSOS-Reid.

“The survey showed that 64% of Canadians are concerned about infectious diseases, especially the West Nile virus, E. coli infections and water-borne diseases. We are not only responding to the concerns expressed by Canadians, but we are also offering the most complete critical illness coverage on the market,” Tremblay said.

The agreement reached by DFS with Best Doctors gives insured clients access to state-of-the art expertise and the best medical information as soon as their attending physician diagnoses them with an illness covered under their contract (with the exception of the four infectious diseases mentioned above).

DFS says Best Doctors services have been integrated into contracts already in force, free of charge. These services are provided in addition to those already offered by Sigma Assistel, a subsidiary of Desjardins Financial Security.