Even with government-provided healthcare, Canadians spends an average of $2,000 on health care costs each year. On top of that, they pay $5,789 a year on private insurance premiums.
While 65% percent of Canadians have private health insurance through their employers, the rest pay for individual plans.
Private insurance supplements Canada’s primary health coverage. Examples of services not covered are things like corrective lenses, home care, and medications.
Private insurance offsets those expenses. If you’re looking for supplemental insurance in Canada, you’ll need to research medical ins quotes to find the right plan for you.
This article contains everything you need to know about getting quotes for health insurance in Canada.
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Reasons to Seek Private Insurance
Canadian public health insurance isn’t always enough. It may not cover the procedures, prescriptions, or specialized care you need. Many people don’t have other avenues for extra health insurance like employer-provided coverage.
If you're one of them, you should consider applying for supplemental health insurance.
What Public Health Doesn’t Cover
Currently, medical insurance in Canada doesn’t cover hospital rooms, dental costs, eyeglasses, ambulance services, or all prescription drugs. Rather than paying for all those services out-of-pocket, invest in private health insurance.
Employer Benefits
If your employer offers health benefits, you’re obligated to take them rather than buy a private policy. Though, you may lose your job or take a leave of absence due to illness or disability.
Then, you are free to shop for private, supplemental insurance. An exception to this is spousal/common-law coverage. Your spouse may have access to lesser-expensive insurance with lower deductibles than your employer offers.
In that case, you can opt-out of your company’s plan and go with your spouse’s.
Private Personal and Family Health Insurance
Another name for individual health insurance is personal or family health insurance. These types of insurance plans have similar basic benefits that go beyond provincial insurance.
Some of this coverage will be optional depending on the plan.
Benefits Provided
The benefits include prescription drug coverage and vision care, including exams and eyeglasses. Then there are dental benefits, from preventive care to major dental surgeries.
If you need specialized therapies, you can find plans that cover massage therapists, chiropractors, and physiotherapists.
Many people with chronic conditions need durable medical equipment. Example include breathing machines, prosthetics, and wheelchairs. For them, it’s worth finding a supplemental plan that offers comprehensive benefits.
Personal plans also include travel insurance and upgraded private or semi-private hospital rooms. Finally, supplemental coverage for ground and air ambulance transportation is another sought-after benefit.
Guaranteed Issue Health Insurance
Often, people who need supplemental health insurance have pre-existing conditions. Pre-existing conditions can be problematic when applying for personal health insurance.
One option is to buy a guaranteed health insurance plan. You don't need to complete a medical exam. Guaranteed health covers medications for your pre-existing conditions.
A second option is to buy a standard, underwritten health plan. You do have to fill out a medical questionnaire, and the plan will not cover your medical condition.
If your employee benefits terminated within the last 90 days, you qualify a type of no-medical health insurance called conversion benefits.
Getting Medical Ins Quotes
In Canada, many private insurers are available. They provide benefits that go beyond the scope of provincial health insurance. Thus, you have choices when it comes to private insurance.
Many websites can help you compare prices as well as benefits, including our own. Next is information on some of the largest private insurance companies in Canada.
Manulife
Manulife offers Flexcare Health and Dental insurance as a type of mix-and-match insurance plan. It contains several base products such as dental services and prescription drug coverage.
You can add on vision care as well as extended-health coverage. Extra options are travel insurance and hospital care.
FollowMe
FollowMe is another health plan Manulife offers. It offers individuals and families comprehensive health and dental coverage. You don’t have to complete a medical exam or questionnaire if you apply within 60 days after your group health care coverage ends. If you apply past the 60 days, Manulife requires full medical underwriting.
CAA
CAA offers more than vehicle-related services. As a subset of Manulife, CAA has a health insurance branch. Their plans target specific age groups.
Beginning with the Basic Health Care Plan, you move to your age group. There, add-ons are available that correspond with your age group. That means you can build a healthcare plan to your individual needs.
Ontario Blue Cross
Are you looking for health insurance in Ontario? Ontario Blue Cross is a long-standing insurance provider in this province. They offer several plans, including the Basic Blue Choice and the Basic Plus.
More plans are the Blue Choice Balance and Blue Choice. Most of these plans come as pre-set packages. Though, Blue Choice is the exception. This plan allows you to make individual choices for differing coverage.
Sunlife Financial
Sunlife Financial is another well-known insurance provider. They provide health insurance, which they call extended health care insurance. Their plans cover individuals as well as families.
They include dental care as well, but not as a standalone service. It comes as part of their extended health insurance plan.
GreatWest Life Assurance Company
GreatWest Life offers health care coverage packages for individuals and families.
Core Packages
Under these plans, the company offers the Core, Core Plus, and Core Elite packages. They each over different amounts of coverage. From there, you can choose some add-ons.
Plan Direct
Plan Direct is another package offered through GreatWest Life. It’s for people who are retiring or leaving one company for another. You do not need to complete a medical exam. And, they accept pre-existing medical conditions.
Green Shield Canada
Green Shield Canada has offered SureHealth extended health care plans for many years. They offer two types of plans, the Zone and the Link.
The Zone
The Zone is for individuals who are new to extended health care coverage. It includes benefits for medical supplies, eye exams, hearing aids, and physiotherapists.
Some optional services include dental benefits, medications, and semi-private hospital accommodations.
The Link
The Link is transitional private health insurance. It’s for people who are leaving a private health care plan but want to continue their private coverage. Someone who is retiring fits this profile. For more information, go to SureHealth.ca.
Group Medical Services (GMS) Health Insurance
GMS focuses on extended healthcare. Their three plans, the OmniPlan, ExtendaPlan, and BasicPlan are well-known supplemental health plans.
OmniPlan
The OmniPlan® offers extensive health coverage. Benefits include massage therapy, physiotherapy, preferred hospital rooms, and vision care.
ExtendaPlan
The ExtendaPlan® is another comprehensive plan package. Its benefits include medical emergency coverage, glasses and eye exams, and medical supplies.
BasicPlan
The BasicPlan provides excellent coverage for unexpected emergencies. It covers things excluded from your provincial health plan. Examples are ambulance services and preferred hospital rooms.
Added GMS Coverage
You can augment any of these three plans with optional coverage. GMS options include coverage for dental care, prescription drugs, travel insurance, and hospital care.
Scotia Life Health and Dental Insurance
Scotia life offers extended healthcare for individuals and families in three plans.
ScotiaLife® Hospitalization Insurance
This plan delivers a cash benefit if you are hospitalized due to a covered accident or sickness. You can use the money for anything you wish, medical bills or otherwise.
ScotiaLife® Critical Illness Insurance
The Critical Illness plan provides financial protection for during a severe medical event.
For example, recovering from a heart attack, or stroke creates a financial impact. Rising bills and lost wages can create a financial crisis.
ScotiaLife® Health & Dental Insurance
This is a traditional, comprehensive healthcare plan. It provides standard benefits for your health care needs. There are several health and dental plans available from which you can choose.
Comparing Private Insurance Plans
Most insurance companies allow you to compare plans and benefits on their web sites. Of course, the websites limit you to their plans only. A better way to find the best plan for you is to run a comparison of many companies.
We offer a free search for the best and lowest medical insurance quotes.
Fill out the form with your contact information and the type of insurance you’re looking for. You will receive quotes as well as side-by-side comparisons of your best options.
As a Canadian, you enjoy the benefit of free basic health care. Though, it’s wise to seek a private health insurance plan that best fits you and your family’s needs. If you have any questions about getting medical ins quotes, please contact us.
