Your “Savvy Retiree” Newsletter for December 2025
To facilitate the reading of the different articles, just click on one of the titles below
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Summary of the Year 2025
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New intermediaire module
- Enhancement of coverage within existing modules
- New pricing as of January 1, 2026
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Compensation Fund for Customers of Travel Agents
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Departure of Two Representatives
- Happy Holidays - Wishing You a Happy and Healthy New Year 2026
- Updates and Enhancements to Your Group Insurance Plan
The priority in 2025 was conducting a consultation with all insured members to enhance our insurance plan. Beginning in January 2025, the working committee met with the consulting actuary to launch the project. The consultation took place in July 2025, and nearly 45% of insured members participated. After analyzing the results, we presented proposed changes to the basic plan and the enriched plan to representatives from the Secrétariat du Conseil du trésor (SCT) and Beneva. In addition, we introduced an intermediate module. We are confident that the revised accident and health insurance plan will meet the expectations of our insured members.
In early October, following the enhancement work, we were ready to begin discussions with Beneva to negotiate the renewal terms for 2026 and integrate the updates to the plan. Since the 2024 deficit was smaller than in 2023, it was easier to obtain a lower premium increase than the one applied in 2024. We then incorporated the modifications resulting from the consultation, which represent 1.9% of the total premium for 2026.
In agreement with the insurer, we have launched an information campaign to ensure all insured members can make an informed decision in light of these changes. We encourage you to review this information carefully.
If you have any questions, we recommend contacting Beneva’s customer service first (1-888-235-0606). If, after that, you feel you have not received all the information you need, you may contact the coordinator, Ms. Line St-Cyr (info@ccr-quebec.com / 1-888-777-5546).
Once again this year, the coordinator responded to many members and supported them in their dealings with the insurer to ensure their needs were adequately addressed.
The introduction of the intermediate module now provides an additional option between the basic plan and the enhanced plan. As its name suggests, this module offers coverage that goes beyond the basic plan, while not including all the protections offered under the enhanced plan. Please take the time to carefully review the coverage under each module before adjusting your protections.
Alongside the introduction of the intermediate module, certain benefits, as well as reimbursement limits and percentages, have been improved in both the basic and the enhanced modules. These adjustments make the overall coverage more advantageous and provide an additional reason to carefully compare the three available modules in order to choose the protection best suited to your needs.
On August 29, Beneva submitted to the SCT representatives and the retirees’ representatives the renewal conditions for the group insurance plan effective January 1, 2026.
The combined results as of December 31, 2024, for the health and insurance benefits show that, overall, the contract generated a deficit of $2,264,732 for the 2024 year, representing 4.8% of participating premiums. This deficit was almost entirely absorbed by the stabilization fund. A residual deficit of $25,713 remains as of December 31, 2024.
Based on statistics from the first six months of 2025, the 2025 fiscal year could generate a slight surplus. This surplus would eliminate the remaining deficit and modestly replenish the stabilization fund as of December 31, 2025. This situation allowed us to enter negotiations in a more favorable position than last year. Indeed, Beneva had requested a 33.7% increase for 2025. For 2026, the requested increase was 7.9%.
For the overall health insurance plan, the agreed adjustment represents a 4.0% premium increase, compared to Beneva’s initial request of 7.9%. When adding the enhancements to the basic and enhanced modules, along with the introduction of the intermediate module, the total increase amounts to 5.9%.
A premium holiday of 3% will be offered to all plan members, except those who pay the surcharge. The estimated cost of this measure is approximately $1.2 million (including the 9% sales tax).
Life insurance plan
The premium rates for retiree life insurance and additional life insurance for a retiree’s spouse will remain unchanged.
The premium rate for dependent life insurance for retirees will increase by 20%. Beneva’s initial request was 40%.
Links to the 2026 Documentation:
Your plan « At a glance » / January 2026
As promised last year, we are providing you with the latest updates. As with any legal matter, progress occurs in stages. Beneva has informed us that no settlement is expected before 2030, or possibly even later.
Should there be a change of government in 2026, it may be possible to ask the newly elected officials to reassess the position taken by the previous government. We remain confident that these amounts are rightfully owed to us, and we will continue to assert our position with determination.
Mr. Claude Ménard, representative of the Association des cadres retraités de l’enseignement du Québec (ACREQ), has completed his second term on the Retirees’ Advisory Committee. We extend our sincere thanks for his work on the working committee responsible for enhancing our insurance plan, and we wish him continued success in all his future endeavours.
Mr. Daniel Poirier, representative of the Association du personnel d’encadrement retraité du Québec (APERQ), has completed his fifth term on the Advisory Committee, marking ten years of highly active and greatly appreciated contribution. A true custodian of the committee’s collective memory, Mr. Poirier has played an essential role over the years. We offer him our heartfelt thanks and wish him all the best moving forward.
On the occasion of the holiday season, your representatives wish you a wonderful time with family and friends.
Daniel Dubé, CCR Spokesperson
Your Representatives:
Paul-René Roy, Deputy Spokesperson
Micheline Chamard
Christine Cloutier
Luce Gervais
François-Michel Bolduc
Jacques Fortin
Robert Gendron
Line St-Cyr, Coordinator
Some changes made to your group insurance plan have been added to the Understanding Your Group Insurance page on our website. This page, designed for keyword searches, allows you to quickly find the information you need.
This simplified tool provides a quick overview of the coverage included in each module and highlights their key differences. However, it does not replace the At a Glance leaflet or the official brochure.
Please take the time to carefully review the coverage in each of the three modules (Basic, Intermediate, and Enhanced) to determine which one best meets your needs before making any adjustments to your protection.
As part of the campaign related to the new intermediate module, individuals currently enrolled in the basic plan may exceptionally increase their coverage to the intermediate module by completing the Special Campaign Change Form by March 31, 2026.
Individuals enrolled in the enhanced plan may, as of January 1, 2026, request at any time to reduce their coverage to the intermediate module using the Simplified Change Form.
Please note that after March 31, 2026, the usual contractual rules will apply: coverage may only be increased once, within 30 days following your 65th birthday, while a reduction in coverage remains permitted at any time.
Links to the 2026 Documentation:
Your plan « At a glance » / January 2026