The Road to a $20,000 Benefit

When a family loses a loved one, the days that follow are filled with phone calls, travel and difficult decisions. For DHRLife members, a $5,000 benefit has helped carry part of that weight. Now, community leaders, representatives and registered members from across Canada want to go much further.

Following several intensive brainstorming sessions, they have proposed and agreed on a comprehensive framework that would raise the DHRLife bereavement benefit fourfold — from today's $5,000.00 CAD baseline to $20,000.00 CAD per registered member.

This grassroots proposal is a collective community initiative, built to strengthen the financial protection families can count on in their hardest moments.

Please note: this is a community-driven proposal. It has not yet been adopted by DHRLife leadership, the Executive or the Board of Directors. Nothing changes until the General Assembly votes on it.

A model built to grow safely

The delegates designed the framework so that benefits rise only as fast as the community can sustain them. It rests on three pillars.

1. The path to 5,000 active members

The model is built on scale. As membership grows toward 5,000 active participants across Canada and North America, each member's share of a payout becomes far smaller — so a small contribution from every member would be enough to fund the full $20,000.00 benefit.

The larger our community grows, the less each family pays — and the more each family receives.

2. Tiers that reward loyalty

The system is designed to benefit those who stay on the platform longer and pay their contributions regularly. Members would be grouped into levels, or tiers, based on their contribution history — and the higher the tier, the greater the benefit.

The proposal sets out five benefit tiers, each one a step towards the full $20,000:

• Tier 1: $5,000.00 CAD — today's benefit, where every member starts
• Tier 2: $7,500.00 CAD
• Tier 3: $10,000.00 CAD
• Tier 4: $15,000.00 CAD
• Tier 5: $20,000.00 CAD — the maximum benefit

How members move up

Qualifying for the next tier would depend on a combination of three things:

• Time on the platform — how long you have been a member;
• Consistency — paying your contributions regularly;
• Contribution record — the number of contributions you have made.

Stay active to keep your tier. A member who deactivates their membership and later reactivates it would start again at Tier 1, the lowest tier. The longer you stay and the more consistently you contribute, the more your family is protected.

3. Keeping every member informed

Members receive regular emails about their status and contributions. Their group administrators, who have access to the DHRLife portal, can also check a member's standing and answer questions at any time.

Support for households and group leaders

To keep coverage affordable for families and to recognise the people who keep the network running, the delegates also proposed:

• Family and dependent micro-rates: children aged 18 and under pay 50% of the adult rate, keeping coverage affordable for multi-member families.
• Credits for group administrators: administrators who manage or grow their groups would earn credits that are applied to their own contributions. Those managing 50 or more active members would receive further tiered waivers and discounts, in recognition of the work of keeping rosters active and up to date.
• Referral benefits: members who refer new members, or bring in new groups of 25 or more members, would earn rewards such as contribution waivers and referral incentives.

The road ahead: General Assembly and a January 2027 target

The next step is to present the roadmap directly to the General Assembly for review and a formal vote.

1. General Assembly vote: the proposal will be submitted to the General Assembly, where registered members and representatives will vote on whether to adopt it.
2. By-law amendments: if the General Assembly approves it, the DHRLife by-laws will be formally amended to set the legal and operational foundation for the $20,000 package.
3. Implementation: the goal is to complete all platform, CRM and governance updates so the $20,000.00 benefit plan can take effect by January 2027.

Until the General Assembly decides, the current benefit and contribution rules stay as they are.

Have your say

This proposal came from the community, and its future will be decided by the community. Share your questions and ideas with your group administrator or write to info@dhrlife.com — and stay tuned to DHRlife.com for updates leading up to the General Assembly review.

Not a member yet? Registered members are the ones who will vote on this proposal. Joining DHRLife is free, and your whole family can register under one email — become a member today and make your voice count.