Issue link: http://clhia.uberflip.com/i/578791
5 In addition, people in Nova Scotia paid $1.1 billion in premiums (including premium equivalents of $533 million for uninsured contracts administered by life and health insurers) for policies reimbursing them for health products and services not covered by government programs, such as drugs and dental treatment, and replacing income lost if the individual is unable to work due to disability. Insured (group and individual) plans accounted for 53% of the total health premiums. About 84% of the insured premiums was from group contracts with employers, unions or other sponsoring organizations while the remainder was for individual health insurance policies. Of the total premiums (and premium equivalents) received for health benefit plans, 17% was for disability income, 52% for medical/hospital coverage (including drug expense), 19% for dental care, and the remainder for other coverages. Policy Payments During 2014, the people of Nova Scotia received $2.2 billion, or about $42.9 million a week, in benefit and dividend payments from life and health insurance policies, as well as annuities. Nationally, the figure was $83.5 billion for the year. Of these payments, almost one dollar in every ten was paid out as death benefits to beneficiaries under life insurance policies or under comparable benefits provided in health insurance contracts. The remainder, more than nine of every ten dollars, went to living policyholders as annuity and disability benefits, reimbursement or payment of health care costs, dividends to policyholders, cash surrender values and matured endowments. Payments under life insurance policies and annuity contracts totalled $281 million and $968 million for the year, respectively. Payments under health and disability benefit plans amounted to $885 million in 2014, including payments of $508 million under uninsured contracts for which life and health insurers provide administrative services only. Of the total payments under insured and uninsured plans, the key components were disability income,