Desjardins Group Benefits: What Employers Should Know

Current as of October 2026. Government programs, tax rules and prices change. Check the official sources listed at the end of this page before making a decision, and confirm details with a licensed advisor.

Who Desjardins Insurance is

According to Desjardins, the name Desjardins Insurance refers to Desjardins Financial Security Life Assurance Company, a life and health insurer that is part of Desjardins Group, which describes itself as the leading cooperative financial group in Canada. The company traces its roots to Desjardins Life Assurance, founded in 1948. Desjardins Financial Security was created in 2002, and the company says it joined Desjardins Group in 2009.

Desjardins reports that, as of December 31, 2025, Desjardins Financial Security served over 5 million people and had more than 6,000 employees. It says its products reach clients through the caisse network in Quebec, credit unions in Ontario, agents in select provinces and an independent distribution network across Canada. For a business owner in Toronto or Hamilton, that independent channel is the one most likely to matter, since group plans are commonly arranged through an advisor or broker.

Please note: GroupBenefitPlans.ca is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or a partner of Desjardins Insurance or Desjardins Group. This page sticks to publicly verifiable facts, current as of October 2026, and does not rank insurers.

What Desjardins says it covers

Desjardins' public group insurance pages describe the familiar building blocks of an employee benefits plan. As of October 2026, the coverage types it lists include:

• Extended health care: paramedical services such as massage therapy and physiotherapy, prescription drugs, vision care, medical equipment, hospitalization and home care. Our page on extended health benefits covers the basics.
• Dental care: preventive care, basic restorations, major restorative work and orthodontics, subject to each plan's design. See group dental coverage.
• Disability: replaces a portion of an employee's income during a short or long-term disability.
• Life, AD&D and critical illness: lump sum benefits for families, accidental death and dismemberment, and a benefit on diagnosis of a covered critical illness.
• Travel and trip cancellation: listed with its extended health coverage, with 24/7 assistance. The details of what is covered and where vary by plan.
• Spending accounts: health spending accounts and wellness accounts. Our guide to health spending accounts explains how these work.

Plan styles and options by business size

For medium and large employers, Desjardins describes three broad plan styles. A traditional plan, where the employer chooses what goes in. A modular plan, where employees pick from pre-defined coverage levels. And a flexible plan, where the employer chooses the options and assigns credits that employees spend. If the idea of letting staff choose appeals to you, our page on flexible benefits is a good next read.

For smaller employers, Desjardins markets a solution called PerformPlus, which it describes as customizable and designed for organizations with 3 to 49 employees (as of October 2026). Its public description says PerformPlus can include life, disability, extended health care, dental and critical illness insurance, along with a health spending account, a payment card, travel assistance, online and mobile services, and disability management and prevention services. It also states that health coverage can be offered to all active employees with no age limits, which may be worth asking about if you have team members working past 65.

Desjardins also refers to optional benefit combinations built around specific needs, which it calls Family Focus, Mental Health Focus, Women's Health Focus, Healthy Weight Focus and Cancer Care Focus. Exactly what each includes, and what it costs, is something to confirm in a quote rather than on a marketing page.

Wellness, assistance and support programs

Beyond paying claims, Desjardins lists a set of prevention and assistance programs for group plans. As of October 2026, these include an Employee Assistance Program and a Manager Assistance Program, each described as offering up to 12 hours of counselling in person, by phone or online; virtual health care with 24/7 access to health professionals; a 24/7 health assistance phone line; a platform it calls Health is Cool 360 for navigating the health care system; and absence prevention and accommodation services that support return to work. Our page on employee assistance programs explains why these matter to everyday life, from a stressful family situation to a tough stretch at work.

Availability of each program depends on the plan you buy, so ask which are included and which are optional.

How to evaluate Desjardins for your business

Any insurer can look good in a brochure. What matters is how a real plan works for your people: the parent filling a prescription on the way home, the bookkeeper booking a massage for a sore back, the new hire who needs glasses before their first big presentation. When an advisor brings you a Desjardins quote next to others, compare the same things across each option.

• Plan design: coinsurance, annual maximums, drug formulary, dental recall frequency and any waiting periods.
• Pricing basis: whether your group is pooled or experience-rated, and how renewals are calculated.
• Member experience: how employees submit claims, whether a payment card is included, and what the online tools offer.
• Administration: how you add new hires, remove departing staff and make mid-year changes using the plan administrator tools.
• Provincial reach: if you have staff outside Ontario, how the plan handles multiple provinces.

Questions to ask a licensed advisor

A licensed benefits advisor can request quotes from several insurers, including Desjardins, and explain the differences in plain language. In Ontario, the Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario (FSRA) licenses accident and sickness insurance agents and publishes a list of licensed insurance companies. Our guide on how to compare group benefits quotes can help you prepare. Questions worth bringing:

• Is our business a fit for PerformPlus, or would a different Desjardins arrangement suit us better?
• How does this quote compare, line by line, with at least two other carriers?
• What drives renewal increases for a group like ours, and how are they calculated?
• If we switch from our current carrier, how are employees with ongoing claims or orthodontic treatment handled?
• Which assistance and wellness programs are included, and which cost extra?

If you are a plan member

GroupBenefitPlans.ca cannot help with logins, claims, payment cards or coverage questions for an existing Desjardins plan. Please use Desjardins' official website or the contact details in your benefits booklet, or speak with your plan administrator at work. If a complaint is not resolved with an insurer, the OmbudService for Life and Health Insurance (OLHI) offers free, independent help to consumers.

If you run the business and want a second opinion on your current plan or a first quote, you can get matched with a licensed benefits advisor who can compare Desjardins with other insurers for you.

Common questions

Is Desjardins Insurance the same as Desjardins Financial Security?

Yes. Desjardins states that Desjardins Insurance refers to Desjardins Financial Security Life Assurance Company, the life and health insurer within Desjardins Group.

Does Desjardins offer group benefits for small businesses?

As of October 2026, Desjardins markets PerformPlus, which it describes as a customizable solution for organizations with 3 to 49 employees. A licensed advisor can confirm whether your group qualifies and how it compares with other options.

Is Desjardins only for businesses in Quebec?

No. Desjardins says it serves clients across Canada, including through independent distributors, and its group insurance pages are aimed at employers of all sizes. An advisor can confirm what is available for an Ontario business.

Is GroupBenefitPlans.ca part of Desjardins?

No. GroupBenefitPlans.ca is an independent referral and information service. It is not affiliated with Desjardins or any other insurer and does not sell insurance. It introduces employers to licensed benefits advisors.

I have a Desjardins plan through work. Can you help with my claim?

No. For claims, logins or coverage questions, please contact Desjardins directly through its official website or the details in your benefits booklet, or ask your plan administrator.

GroupBenefitPlans.ca is a referral and information service. Advice and coverage are provided by the licensed professional and relevant providers. An enquiry does not activate insurance.