We understand that the sudden, unexpected loss of a family member can be emotionally and mentally exhausting. We’re here to help during this difficult time.
We will do our utmost to assist you — with compassion, courtesy and discretion.
Throughout the claim process, a case manager will answer any questions you have and help you in completing the necessary paperwork. As much as possible, we will work at a pace that suits you.
This section, which includes information from our Support Guide for Fatality Claims, explains the entitlements available to immediate family members under the Personal Injury Protection Plan (PIPP), as well as the criteria used to determine the financial and other assistance available.
Your MPI case manager will meet with you to review this information and explain the entitlements and supports offered under PIPP.
Funeral expenses
PIPP provides a payment for funeral expenses.
Arrangements can be with your case manager to make funeral expense payments directly from PIPP or the estate will be reimbursed based on copies of invoices or receipts submitted for expenses incurred.
Funeral expenses can include the costs of transporting the deceased, funeral home services, cremation, a cemetery burial plot and a grave marker. Your case manager can advise what other related expenses may also be considered under this coverage.
Each year on March 1, we use the Consumer Price Index to adjust the funeral expense coverage. Please refer to the PIPP Benefits outline for the current payment rate.
Grief counselling
Family members are entitled to grief counselling by a professional counsellor. This includes a social worker, psychologist or member of the clergy. Associated medication costs are also included.
An additional benefit per person is available for accommodation, meal expenses and pre-approved travel expenses incurred when a family member must travel more than 50 km (one way) from their home community to attend grief counselling.
This financial support, offered under PIPP, is available for an indefinite period of time until the maximum payment amount is reached.
Arrangements can be made to have PIPP pay for the counselling sessions directly or to reimburse family members based on receipts submitted for expenses incurred.
Your case manager can answer questions about finding a counsellor and arranging to have the cost of the counselling covered directly by PIPP.
Please refer to the PIPP Benefits outline for the current payment rate.
Payments to immediate family
Spouses, common-law partners, dependants and, in some cases, grown children and parents of a person who was fatally injured, are eligible for lump-sum payments under the PIPP.
The amounts paid depend on the deceased’s age, gross yearly employment income and the age(s) of the dependent children.
If there are dependent children but no spouse or common-law partner, the dependent children share the amount that otherwise would have been paid to the spouse. This amount is in addition to the payment they receive as dependants.
If there is no spouse, common–law partner or dependants, then non–dependent children and parents are eligible to receive a payment.
If there is no immediate family, no lump-sum payments are made.
Payments to spouse or common-law partner
PIPP pays a lump-sum to a spouse or common–law partner. The amount paid depends on the age and income of the deceased at the time of the accident.
A spouse is someone who was married to and living with the person at the time of the fatal injury.
A common-law partner is someone who was living with the person in an unmarried, conjugal relationship at the time of the fatal injury AND the relationship involved any of these three circumstances:
- the common-law relationship had been registered under section 13.1 of The Vital Statistics Act
- the partners had been living together for at least three years at the time of the accident
- the partners had been living together for at least one year at the time of the accident and had parented a child together
Determining the payment amount
If the deceased was employed at the time of the accident, the payment is based on the person’s gross yearly employment income and age.
To calculate the amount that a spouse or common-law partner will receive, we multiply the gross yearly employment income by a payment factor from 1 to 5. The highest payment factor of 5 applies when a person is fatally injured at age 45.
If the deceased had been unemployed at the time of the accident and would not have been entitled to income replacement benefits, the spouse or common-law partner receives the minimum lump-sum payment. Please refer to the PIPP Benefits outline for the current payment rate.
Payments to dependants
PIPP pays a dependant a lump-sum depending on the dependant’s age at the time of the accident.
A dependant can be any of the following:
- a child who was under 18 at the time of the accident
- a child who was substantially dependent at the time of the accident
- someone married to the deceased but legally or otherwise separated from that person
- someone divorced from the deceased and who, at the time of the accident, was entitled to receive support payments according to an agreement or court judgment
- a parent who was substantially dependent at the time of the accident
Disabled dependants
A disabled dependant is entitled to an additional payment.
Disabled dependants have a mental or physical disability that prevents them from being financially self-sufficient. Their disability must have existed at the time of the accident. Your case manager will discuss the ways in which this entitlement can be confirmed.
Payments to dependants of a single parent
When a single parent is fatally injured, PIPP provides two payments to dependent children:
- The payment that would have been made to a spouse or common-law partner, if there had been one, is divided equally among the dependent children.
- The regular payment made to a dependent child.
This payment structure recognizes that dependants of a single parent could have limited financial resources and provides some additional financial support in consideration of these circumstances.
Please refer to the PIPP Benefits outline for the current payment rate.
Payments in other situations
When the deceased had no spouse, common-law partner or dependants, then non-dependent parents and non–dependent children will each receive a lump-sum payment. Please refer to the PIPP Benefits outline for the current payment rate.
Payments to caregivers
If at the time of the accident the deceased’s main occupation was to care for a child under 16 or a disabled adult without pay, then the new primary caregiver may be entitled to compensation under PIPP. See information on caregiver coverage or talk to your case manager for more information.