Reviewed by Liane Goulet
What is personal health insurance?
Personal health insurance (also known as private health insurance) is coverage that can help Canadian residents cover the cost of preventive care or medical bills due to an illness. It can help pay for several health-related expenses, including:
- Prescription drugs to treat a chronic or serious health condition
- Dental care such as teeth cleanings, braces, dentures and crowns
- Vision-care needs such as eye exams and prescription glasses
- Emergency travel medical services when you travel to another country
- Physiotherapy to help with injury recovery
- Medical equipment to help with your mobility
Why do you need personal health insurance if you have government healthcare?
Provincial and territorial health plans in Canada provide coverage for certain health expenses, but they generally won’t pay for all your medical bills. In some cases, you may not get any coverage at all and may have to pay out-of-pocket for various health-care costs.
With personal health insurance, you’ll get reimbursed for eligible health expenses. This can include medical, dental, vision and other health-care expenses that aren’t fully covered (or covered at all) by your government healthcare plan.
Benefits of personal health insurance
Pays for eligible expenses your government health plan won’t cover.
Pays for eligible prescription drugs, dental, vision care, physiotherapy and more.
Helps protect you if don’t have benefits through your employer.
Our Personal Health Insurance plans in Canada
Basic
Low-cost plan.
Covers basic medical and dental needs.
Learn more about the Basic plan
Sample contract
Standard
Our most popular plan.
Includes more coverage for prescription drugs than a basic plan.
Comes with emergency medical coverage for travel and optional preventive dental coverage.
Learn more about the Standard plan
Sample contract
Enhanced
Our most comprehensive plan.
Highest amount of coverage for prescription drugs.
Offers optional dental coverage that includes restorative and orthodontic services.
Learn more about the Enhanced plan
Sample contract
Get Personal Health Insurance
Get advice
Not sure what type of insurance you need? A Sun Life advisor can help you figure it out and get you a customized quote.
Apply online
Get a quote and apply online for personal health insurance in minutes.
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Call us
You can give us a call to talk to one of our licensed advisors to get personal health insurance.
1-866-292-2517
Monday - Friday:
8 a.m. - 8 p.m. ET
Leaving your job: What about your insurance?
If you’re leaving your workplace plan (or you left in the last 60 days) from any provider, you may be able to replace it with our Health Coverage Choice option. No medical questions needed.
Get a quote and apply online for Health Coverage Choice
Frequently Asked Questions
How much coverage do I get for prescription drugs?
It depends on the plan:
Basic plan: Offers 60% reimbursem*nt of eligible expenses, up to a yearly maximum of $750.
Standard plan: Offers 70% reimbursem*nt for first $7,000 and 100% for the next $93,000 of yearly eligible expenses.
Enhanced plan: Offers 80% for first $5,000 and 100% of next $245,000 of yearly eligible expenses.
Does personal health insurance cover dental care?
Dental coverage is included with our Basic personal health insurance plan. It includes 60% reimbursem*nt for preventive dental care with a $500 annual maximum. (A 3-month waiting period applies before you can get this coverage.) Learn more about dental insurance.
You can also opt in to have dental coverage in our Standard or Enhanced personal health insurance plan.
Our Standard plan comes with 70% reimbursem*nt for preventive dental care with a $750 annual maximum. (A 3-month waiting period applies before you can get this coverage.)
Our Enhanced plan comes with:
- 80% reimbursem*nt for preventive dental care with a $750 annual maximum. (A 3-month waiting period applies before you can get this coverage.)
- 50% reimbursem*nt for major restorative dental care with a $500 annual maximum. (A one-year waiting period applies before you can get this coverage.)
- 60% reimbursem*nt for orthodontic services, up to a lifetime maximum of $1,500. (A two-year waiting period applies before you can get this coverage.)
Does personal health insurance cover vision care?
Only our Standard and Enhanced plans include coverage for vision care.
Our Standard plan offers 100% reimbursem*nt for vision care, up to $250 maximum every 2 calendar years. (A one-year waiting period applies before you can get this coverage.)
Our Enhanced plan offers 100% reimbursem*nt for vision care up to $300 maximum every 2 calendar years. (A one-year waiting period applies before you can get this coverage.)
Does personal health insurance cover paramedical expenses?
Yes. All our personal health insurance plans cover a certain amount of paramedical expenses.
Our Basic plan includes:
- 60% reimbursem*nt.
- Paramedical practitioner services: $25/visit, up to $250 per year for each type of practitioner.
- Psychology/Social worker services: $35/visit up to a shared maximum of $500 per year.
Our Standard plan includes:
- 100% reimbursem*nt.
- Paramedical practitioner services: up to $300 per year for each type of practitioner.
- Psychology/Social worker services: up to a shared maximum of $1000 per year.
Our Enhanced plan includes:
- 100% reimbursem*nt.
- Paramedical practitioner services: up to $400 per year for each type of practitioner.
- Psychology/Social worker services: up to a shared maximum of $1500 per year.
Does personal health insurance cover medical expenses while travelling outside of Canada?
Only our Standard and Enhanced plans offer emergency travel medical care.
Both our Standard and Enhanced plans offer coverage for the first 60 days of a trip with a $1 million lifetime maximum on emergency travel medical claims.
Can I buy my own personal health insurance in Canada?
Yes, you can. At Sun Life, we offer Personal Health Insurance plans, including Basic, Standard and Enhanced. These plans can help cover eligible health expenses that your government health-care plan won’t pay for. You’ll need to answer some health questions when you apply. Get a quote online or connect with an advisor for a customized quote.
We also offer Health Coverage Choice, which is ideal for anyone planning on leaving their job or retiring. If you’ve left your group plan from any provider in the last 60 days or will be leaving soon, you can replace your current group coverage with this option. You won’t have to answer any medical questions and you won’t have a gap in coverage. Get a quote online or connect with an advisor for a customized quote.
Does Canada still have private health insurance?
Yes, it does. Private health insurance is the same as personal health insurance. At Sun Life, Canadian residents can apply for personal health insurance online or through an advisor.
What’s the difference between life insurance and personal health insurance?
The main difference is that life insurance provides a tax-free lump sum payment to your beneficiaries after you die whereas personal health insurance gives you reimbursem*nt for any eligible health expenses you may currently have. Life insurance financially protects your loved ones; personal health insurance protects you.
How does private health insurance work in Canada?
Private health insurance and personal health insurance are the same thing. It’s a contract between you and an insurance company, in which you agree to pay premiums (monthly or annual fees) in exchange for coverage of eligible health-care expenses.
How much does health insurance cost in Canada?
Health insurance costs can vary depending on a range of factors, such as your age, where you live and whether or not you want to add your spouse and dependents to your plan. This can effect how much you pay in premiums. Some plans may require additional medical tests. Get a quote online or connect with an advisor to find out which plan is right for you.
Other types of health insurance
Disability insurance
Replaces part of your income if you can’t work.
Learn about disability insurance
Critical illness insurance
Covers eligible expenses related to a covered critical illness.
Learn about critical illness insurance
Long-term care insurance
Covers the cost of your care when you can’t perform 2 or more activities of daily living.
Learn more about long-term care insurance
Got more questions?
A Sun Life advisor can answer any questions you have and help you figure out which insurance products are right for you.
