Estimated lifetime support cost
Additional annual cost of raising autistic child
Approximate cost of $1M 20-year term (age 35)
Figures above: Public Health Agency of Canada, 2023 · Buescher et al., JAMA Pediatrics, 2014 (adjusted to 2025 CAD) · Canadian life insurance industry averages, 2025
Guide values reviewed . Program amounts and eligibility can change; confirm them with the administering agency.
The lifetime support costs for an autistic individual in Ontario can range from $1.4 million to $3.2 million depending on the level of support needed, according to research from the Public Health Agency of Canada. Many autistic adults will need some form of support throughout their lives — whether residential support, employment coaching, mental health services, or daily living assistance.
For most families, accumulating this amount through savings alone is not feasible, particularly given the additional costs of raising an autistic child (estimated at $55,000-$90,000 per year above typical child-rearing costs). Life insurance bridges this gap by creating an immediate estate at a fraction of the cost.
Term insurance provides coverage for a fixed period (typically 10, 20, or 30 years) and is significantly less expensive. A 35-year-old parent can purchase $1 million in 20-year term coverage for approximately $40-$60 per month. However, term coverage expires, and if the parent is still alive when coverage ends, the child receives nothing.
Permanent insurance (whole life or universal life) provides lifelong coverage and builds cash value. It costs 5-10 times more than term but guarantees a payout whenever the insured dies. For autism families, permanent insurance ensures the Henson Trust will be funded regardless of when the parent dies.
Many financial advisors recommend a blended approach: substantial term coverage during the child's highest-need years (childhood through early adulthood) combined with a smaller permanent policy to guarantee minimum trust funding at any age.
Never name the autistic child as the direct beneficiary of a life insurance policy. Direct proceeds would count as the child's asset and could disqualify them from ODSP. Instead, name the estate as beneficiary and ensure the will directs the proceeds into the Henson Trust — or name the Henson Trust directly as beneficiary if it is an inter vivos trust.
Joint last-to-die policies (which pay out when the second parent dies) are often appropriate for autism families. These policies are less expensive than individual policies and align with the timing of when the child will actually need trust funding — typically after both parents have died.
Public Health Agency of Canada
Autism Spectrum Disorder among Children and Youth in Canada, 2023 — lifetime cost estimates
Buescher et al.
Costs of Autism Spectrum Disorders in the United States and United Kingdom. JAMA Pediatrics, 2014; 168(8):721-728
Written by Spencer Carroll
Founder & Autism Advocate
Evidence on this page
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$200/month
The Canada Disability Benefit provides up to for eligible Canadians with disabilities
89,799
children are registered in the Ontario Autism Program
1 in 50
According to the 2019 Canadian Health Survey on Children and Youth, about children and youth aged 1 to 17 in Canada had an autism diagnosis
23%
Only 20,633 children have active funding agreements — less than one in four
WHO recommends accessible, community-based early interventions for children with autism — timely evidence-based psychosocial interventions improve communication and social engagement