If you work in Alberta or BC and have been affected by Canadian Natural Resources Limited’s recent group benefits change to Sun Life, you may have been told you could keep your RBC individual disability insurance policy and use it to increase your total coverage.

Many employees were led to believe they could receive both:

• Sun Life group LTD benefits, and

• RBC individual disability benefits

But in many cases, that’s not what actually happens.

Who This Affects

This issue may apply to you if:

• You are (or were) a CNRL employee in Alberta

• You had an RBC individual disability insurance policy

• Your group benefits recently switched to Sun Life

• You were told you could keep your RBC coverage and “top up” your disability income

If that sounds familiar, it’s important to understand how these policies actually work together.

What Employees Were Told

During the CNRL benefits transition, some employees received information suggesting that keeping their RBC policy would:

• Provide additional monthly income on top of Sun Life LTD

• Help “top up” their benefits if they became disabled

• Offer enhanced financial protection

In some cases, examples showed combined monthly payments from both policies.

This created the impression that the two benefits were stackable.

RBC Disability Insurance Offset Explained (Canada)

Many RBC individual disability policies include something called a “Group/Association Offset Amendment”

This means:

• If you receive disability benefits from another source (like Sun Life group LTD),

• RBC can reduce its payment by that amount

In practice, this often results in:

• A reduced RBC benefit, or

• No RBC payment at all

Example:

• RBC policy: $3,000/month

• Sun Life LTD: $3,000/month

• RBC applies offset → pays $0

Even though you’ve been paying premiums.

Why You May Not Receive Both RBC and Sun Life LTD Benefits

The core problem is the gap between what people were told and how the policy actually works.

Many employees:

• Were not clearly told about the offset

• Saw examples showing combined benefits

• Had limited time to decide whether to keep their RBC policy

• Did not receive or review the full policy before deciding

As a result, people reasonably believed they were buying additional coverage — when in reality, the RBC policy may not pay if Sun Life is already paying.

CNRL Benefits Transition: What Went Wrong

If the intention was to allow RBC coverage to supplement Sun Life LTD, the policy could have been changed to remove or adjust the offset.

But in many cases:

• The RBC policy was not amended

• The offset remained in place

• The issue only became clear after a disability claim was made

By then, employees may have paid premiums for months or years.

Legal Issues to Consider

Situations like this may involve:

• Misrepresentation: If RBC disability benefits were presented as combinable with Sun Life without explaining the offset

• Failure to disclose: The offset is a key term that affects whether the policy pays at all

• Bad faith: Collecting premiums for coverage that may never pay in real-world circumstances

• Broker liability: If benefit advisors provided incomplete or misleading explanations

This is especially relevant where the insurer knew the Sun Life group LTD coverage would trigger the offset.

What to Check If Your RBC Disability Claim Was Denied or Reduced

If your RBC disability insurance claim was denied or reduced because of Sun Life LTD benefits, look at:

• Your RBC policy wording (search for “offset” or “group benefit reduction”)

• Any emails or documents showing combined benefit amounts

• What you were told about keeping your policy

• Whether you received the full policy before making your decision

FAQ: RBC and Sun Life Disability Benefits in Canada

Q: Can I receive both RBC individual disability and Sun Life LTD benefits?
A: Often no. Many RBC policies reduce payments based on what you receive from group LTD benefits like Sun Life.

Q: What is a disability insurance offset in Canada?
A: It’s a clause that allows an insurer to reduce your benefit if you receive income from another disability policy.

Q: Why is my RBC disability policy not paying?
A: It may be because your Sun Life group LTD benefits are being treated as an offset, reducing your RBC payment to zero.

Q: Do I still need individual disability insurance if I have group coverage?
A: It depends on the policy terms. Some individual policies provide true top-up coverage, but others include offsets that limit or eliminate payments.

Why This Matters for Alberta Workers

For many CNRL employees in Alberta, this issue only becomes clear after they go on disability — when they expect two sources of income and receive one.

At that point, the financial impact can be significant.

If your RBC disability claim was reduced or denied because of Sun Life group LTD benefits, you may have a legal claim. Speaking with a disability lawyer in Alberta can help you understand your options.

If your RBC disability claim has been denied or reduced due to Sun Life group LTD benefits, Share Lawyers can help. Our team focuses exclusively on disability insurance claims and has helped thousands of Canadians recover the benefits they were promised. We offer free consultations, so you can understand your rights and options with no obligation. Share Lawyers has been recognized as one of Canada’s leading disability law firms, with decades of experience holding insurance companies accountable. If you’re unsure about your situation, it costs nothing to reach out and get clear answers.