Combine Public and Private Care to Get the Best Health Insurance in Newfoundland
Health insurance in Newfoundland 101
While provincial health care covers medically necessary services, you’ll need a private health insurance plan if you want coverage for dental, vision, paramedical, and prescription drugs. Private health plans in Newfoundland start around $120 per month per person (for the PolicyMe Guaranteed Issue Classic Plan).
What’s covered by the government: The Newfoundland and Labrador Medical Care Plan (MCP), administered by the Department of Health and Community Services, covers medically necessary physician and hospital services, including surgical, diagnostic, and complete maternity care. Supplemental programs extend additional coverage to low-income residents, seniors, children, and those with certain qualifying conditions and disabilities.
What’s not: Under the MCP, most adults don’t have coverage for prescription drugs or routine dental and vision care unless they meet certain income and disability criteria. The MCP also has limited coverage for out-of-province care, which could lead to steep out-of-pocket costs for Newfoundlanders who travel frequently outside of the province.
Newfoundland provides free healthcare to eligible residents, but the province won’t pay for everything. To close gaps in dental, vision, paramedical, and prescription drugs, you can get a private plan for comprehensive coverage.
What’s the best health insurance in Newfoundland?
We’ve identified the best health insurance in Newfoundland by evaluating 65 products from 9 insurers in 3 categories:
- Customer service averages the scores given in real customer reviews on Google, the Better Business Bureau, Trustpilot, and Insureye.
- Financial stability reports the grade given by reputable credit rating agencies A.M. Best, Morningstar DBRS, and S&P Global.
- Value for money measures how much coverage you can claim in return for every dollar paid in co-payments, premiums, and deductibles.
The result is a definitive ranking of the best health insurance plans for self-employed workers, seniors and everybody else in the province from St. John’s to Labrador City.
* Prices reflect the approximate costs for residents in the relevant age group in Newfoundland. They were last updated December 20th, 2025.
1. Guaranteed Issue Classic from PolicyMe
Why it’s the best: Our top pick balances robust coverage with affordability. PolicyMe’s Guaranteed Issue Classic plan offers generous coverage for key medical expenses that Newfoundland’s MCP doesn’t cover, including dental and vision care, medical equipment, and paramedical services. It’s also one of the most inexpensive mid-range private healthcare plans on the market and doesn’t require a medical exam for approval.
Premiums start around $119.77/month for applicants ages 21-44 in Newfoundland.
2. ComboPlus Enhanced Plan from Manulife
Why we chose it: If you’re willing to pay extra for a private health insurance policy with premium coverage, it’s worth checking out Manulife’s ComboPlus Enhanced Plan. With some of the most comprehensive drug and dental benefits of any health insurance policy in Canada, the ComboPlus Enhanced Plan covers all of the gaps in Newfoundland’s public healthcare program, with the option to purchase additional coverage for an added premium.
Premiums start around $168/month for applicants ages 18-44 in Newfoundland.
3. ZONE 2 (Primary) from GreenShield
Why we chose it: If you’re largely happy with your provincial health coverage but want a few supplement benefits like basic dental and travel insurance without paying too much, GreenShield’s ZONE 2 health insurance plan might be a good fit. It doesn’t include prescription drug coverage, so it’s best for people who are eligible for drug coverage through the Newfoundland and Labrador Prescription Drug Plan.
Premiums start around $77/month for applicants ages 18-44 in Newfoundland.
If affordable coverage is your bottom line, but you don’t qualify for prescription drugs through provincial or federal plans, you may want to consider PolicyMe’s Guaranteed Issue Economic plan, which covers 70% of prescription drug costs. Starting at just $101/month for adults in Newfoundland, it’s one of the cheapest health insurance plans in Canada with drug coverage included.
What’s the best health insurance for seniors in Newfoundland?
Unlike most provincial healthcare plans, Newfoundland’s public health system doesn’t provide many unique benefits for residents aged 65 and older. As a result, seniors in Newfoundland who rely on various healthcare services may need a private insurance plan to avoid steep out-of-pocket costs for services not covered by the MCP, such as dental care, vision care, hearing aids, mobility aids, oxygen supplies, and certain prescription drugs.
Seniors on a fixed income, including retirees, may want to focus on affordable plans with coverage tailored to their unique needs. PolicyMe’s Guaranteed Issue Classic plan, with rates under $150/month for seniors in Newfoundland, is a good option if you’d prefer a moderate level of insurance coverage across all categories, from prescription drugs and dental insurance to extended medical care benefits.
If you’d prefer to mix and match coverage to build a custom policy that covers only the services you need, the BasicPlan or ExtendaPlan from GMS could be a good option. All of GMS’s health insurance plans include paramedical coverage, ambulance services, and preferred hospital rooms as core coverage, but everything else — from dental services to travel insurance, prescription drug coverage, counseling services, and more — depends on the plan you choose and the optional add-ons you select.
GMS’s plans for seniors start as low as $13.25/month for the BasicPlan with no add-ons; the ExtendaPlan with drug and dental coverage starts around $113/month for seniors in Newfoundland.
Methodology
There are many points to consider when choosing a health plan and provider, which we boiled down to three essentials:
Because the Canadian insurance industry is so highly regulated, we take each company's Financial Stability score as a given. Our rankings are based on each company's Customer Service score plus the Value for Money score of its highest-rated plan in the relevant category.
How much does health insurance in Newfoundland cost?
The average cost of private health insurance in Newfoundland depends on the plan you select as well as your age. Among our three top picks, monthly premiums range from $77/month to $242/month or more for adults.
Let’s put that in context: In 2023, the average out-of-pocket spending on healthcare expenses for households in Newfoundland and Labrador was $2,695, or $225/month. By opting for a private health insurance plan, residents of Newfoundland could save $1,000 or more per year. For instance, households that purchase the PolicyMe Guaranteed Issue Classic plan (our top pick in the province) could save a yearly average of $1,375 on out-of-pocket medical costs.
As for what you’ll pay, here’s a comparison of monthly health insurance quotes for our top 3 health insurance policies in Newfoundland:
* Prices reflect the approximate costs for residents in the relevant age group in Newfoundland. They are accurate as of December 2025..
What does public healthcare cover in Newfoundland?
The Newfoundland and Labrador Medical Care Plan (MCP) covers medically necessary physicians’ services in the following categories:
In addition to public medical coverage, all MCP card holders are eligible for coverage of costs associated with a hospital stay through the Hospital Insurance Plan. Newfoundland’s MCP also covers the bulk of road ambulance patient fees, leaving patients responsible for $115 for ambulance response (whether or not the ambulance transports them to a hospital). The entire cost of air ambulance services is subsidized under the MCP.
Out-of-province coverage is one of the biggest gaps in Newfoundland’s public healthcare program. Medical services obtained outside of the province may not be fully or even partially covered by the MCP, meaning that anyone planning to travel outside of Newfoundland for any extended time should invest in private health insurance.
The table below reviews additional benefits and programs that fall under the umbrella of public healthcare in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador:
The province also offers the following extended health benefits for Newfoundland and Labrador residents in low-income households:
How to find the best health insurance for you
No single health insurance provider has the best plan for every person in Newfoundland and Labrador. To find the right fit for your needs, follow the steps below:
- Review your current coverage: Do you have health insurance through your employer (or your spouse’s)? Are you taking advantage of all public health programs you may be eligible for?
- Take stock of spending: In the last 12 months, how much did you spend on out-of-pocket medical costs? Add up your total — and take note of what you’re spending on, not just how much.
- Estimate your coverage gap: How much did you spend last year on medical costs not covered by MCP? Divide that total by 12 to calculate the cost of your coverage gap.
- Compare health insurance plans: Use the plans recommended above as a starting point. Look for plans whose coverage matches your actual spending. For instance, if you’re spending a lot on dental care but don’t take any prescription drugs, you may want to look for a plan without drug coverage to avoid overpaying for insurance you won’t use.
- Request quotes: Once you’ve found one or two plans you like, it’s time to request quotes from those health insurance companies. If you receive quotes for less than the cost of your coverage gap, fill out an application form to start your coverage.
Investing in a private health insurance plan means investing in both wellness and peace of mind. Make sure you’re making the most cost-effective choice for your health. To save even more money, consider if you also need life insurance or critical illness coverage. You can often save when bundling multiple policies from the same life insurance company.
FAQ: Best health insurance in Newfoundland
Bonnie Stinson is an insurance writer and researcher in Toronto with a decade of experience producing helpful, accurate content for Canadians. They have published resources for some of Canada's most innovative and consumer-trusted companies in the health, legal, and fintech sectors.
Bonnie Stinson is an insurance writer and researcher in Toronto with a decade of experience producing helpful, accurate content for Canadians. They have published resources for some of Canada's most innovative and consumer-trusted companies in the health, legal, and fintech sectors.
Prices listed on this page are based on information available as of January 2026. The prices shown are for general reference only and may vary based on factors like your age, location, and product selection.