What’s the Best Health Insurance in Manitoba?

Health insurance in Manitoba 101

What’s covered by the government: The Manitoba Health, Seniors and Long-Term Care (MHSAL) plan covers all medically necessary doctor and hospital services for residents.

It also includes some dental and vision care for children, and certain prescription drugs and supplies for seniors through the Manitoba Pharmacare program. People with disabilities may qualify for coverage on medical equipment and supplies through provincial assistance programs.

What’s not: But if you don’t have extra medical coverage through social assistance or an employer’s benefits plan, you’ll likely need private health insurance to help pay for prescription drugs, dental care, vision care, and paramedical services (like physiotherapy, chiropractic, and massage therapy).

What’s the best health insurance in Manitoba?

Residents of Manitoba have access to a wide range of healthcare options, from the province’s public health care plan to group and private medical insurance. Because the Manitoba Health Services Insurance Plan (MHSIP) primarily covers medically-necessary physician and hospital care for you and your family members, most households in Manitoba have outstanding medical expenses that are best covered by personal health insurance. 

To find the best private health insurance options in Manitoba, we took a close look at plans from dozens of leading insurers in Canada. When evaluating insurance plans, we prioritized three key metrics: 

• Customer service: We took Google reviews, Better Business Bureau Scores, and ratings from Trustpilot and Insureye into account when evaluating how well each company handles customer questions. 
• Value for money: We weighed the value of each plan’s coverage against the combined cost of premiums, copays, and deductibles to find options with the best value for Manitobans. 
• Financial stability: The best health insurers are those that can pay reliably, so we checked A.M. Best ratings as well as scores from Morningstar BRS and S&P Global. 

Based on these areas of focus, we identified three health care plans that offer a good mix of insured benefits and reasonable costs for residents of Manitoba, from Winnipeg to Thompson (and beyond!): 

^{* Prices reflect the approximate costs for residents in the relevant age group in Manitoba.}

1. Guaranteed Issue Classic from PolicyMe

Why is it the best? PolicyMe’s Guaranteed Issue Classic Plan offers the best balance between coverage and affordability, with a swift and convenient online application process. Most applicants complete their online registration in 20 minutes or less — no medical questions required! 

We’ve chosen the Classic plan, which sits at the sweet spot between the Economic plan’s pared-down essentials and the Advanced plan’s higher premiums, as the best pick for most families in Manitoba. The plan includes all the key benefits not covered by the MHSIP, such as prescription drug, dental, and vision coverage, as well as extended coverage for medical equipment and paramedical services. 

Premiums start around $112/month for applicants ages 21-44 in Manitoba.

2. Flexcare ComboPlus Enhanced Plan from Manulife

Why we chose it: The ComboPlus Enhanced Plan from Manulife offers a higher level of coverage for families in Manitoba paying more month-to-month for essentials like prescription drugs and medical supplies, but premiums are still fairly affordable. The plan covers 90% or more of your prescription drug costs, including brand-name drugs, birth control and fertility drugs, and other prescriptions that may not be covered under other plans. 

Premiums start around $153/month for applicants ages 21-44 in Manitoba.

3. Personal Health Insurance Standard Plan from Sun Life

Why we chose it: Sun Life’s Standard plan offers a basic level of coverage at a cost that won’t break the bank for most Manitobans. It’s a little more expensive than PolicyMe’s Classic plan, but comes with a few uncommon perks that could make a big difference to some applicants, like coverage for smoking-cessation drugs and no per-visit caps for paramedical services like physiotherapy. 

Premiums start around $125/month for applicants ages 21-44 in Manitoba.

Shopping on a budget?

If you need a cheap private health insurance policy but aren’t interested in all the bells and whistles of enhanced plans, PolicyMe’s Guaranteed Issue Economic is one of the cheapest private healthcare plans in Manitoba. The plan includes basic drug, dental, and vision coverage with zero medical questions.

What’s the best health insurance for seniors in Manitoba?

In Manitoba, seniors aged 65 and older are eligible for extended health benefits through MHSIP, such as vision care. But benefits for seniors are somewhat limited compared with other provincial plans, meaning that many seniors may want the additional coverage that comes with a private health insurance plan, especially if they’re retired and no longer accessing group benefits. 

Seniors looking for comprehensive coverage should try PolicyMe’s Dental Care plan. You’ll receive 80% of basic and restorative dental services, plus 60% of comprehensive services, up to $750 in Year 1 and $950 in Year 2+; $250 towards prescription eyewear every 2 years; and 80% coverage for paramedical services (to a combined maximum of $750/year).

Premiums for Dental Care start around $97.67/month for applicants aged 65 and over.

^{These quotes were collected October 20th, 2025. Your own quotes may differ.} 

Methodology: Best health insurance

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 Manitoba cost?

Data from Statistics Canada show that households in Manitoba spent an average of $623 on private health and dental insurance premiums in 2023. That’s about $52 per month

The same data shows that in the same year, Manitobans spent an average of $2,482 on out-of-pocket medical expenses in 2023 — nearly four times what they spent on health insurance. That’s a little over 6% more than the nationwide average of $2,332.  

With healthcare expenditures outweighing the cost of coverage so heavily, how much could you save by buying private health insurance in Manitoba?  Based on PolicyMe’s internal analysis of average out-of-pocket costs and coverage levels, the Guaranteed Issue Classic plan could help a typical household in Manitoba save around $1,550 per year in medical expenses not covered by provincial health insurance.

As for what you’ll pay, here’s a comparison of monthly health insurance quotes for the top 3 health insurance policies in Manitoba:

^{* Prices reflect the approximate costs for residents in the relevant age group in Manitoba. These quotes were collected October 20th, 2025. Your own quotes may differ.} 

What does the Manitoba Health Services Insurance Plan cover?

Manitoba’s Health Services Insurance Plan (MHSIP) covers medically necessary care for all residents of Manitoba and their dependents. You’re eligible for insured care if you’ve been physically present in Manitoba for 183 days in a calendar year. 

If you have a valid Manitoba Health Card, you’re covered for: 

Your MHSIP coverage applies if you have a hospital stay or require emergency medical treatment in most other provinces (except for Quebec). If you’re outside of the country, you will have partial coverage for doctor’s visits and hospital bills, but you may have financial responsibilities on top of what Manitoba Health, Seniors and Long-Term Care will pay. 

The table below breaks down key areas of coverage under the MHSIP, as well as who is eligible for coverage. 

The province also offers the following extended health benefits for Manitobans with low income:

How to find the best health insurance for you

Everyone’s health insurance needs are different — but it’s not hard to find the plan that best fits your unique needs. Find a free hour and do the following: 

• Review your current coverage: Are you maximizing the coverage offered by Manitoba's provincial health plan? If you have access to healthcare benefits through your employer, read the details of your coverage carefully to make sure that you’re taking advantage of what’s on offer. 
• Calculate your current spending: Think about what you spend out-of-pocket on medical care in one year. How much are you paying on a regular basis for dental care, prescriptions, medical equipment, glasses or contact lenses, and other things not covered by MHSIP? 
• Identify and measure your coverage gap: Here’s the critical step: Compare what’s covered by your current insurance with what you’re spending out of pocket. Take note of both the total healthcare costs that your current coverage won’t touch and the types of medical care you need covered. 
• Research health insurance companies: Now it’s time to look for a plan. You can use PolicyMe’s recommendations for Manitoba as a starting point or talk to friends and family members about their coverage. Keep your price point and coverage priorities in mind as you compare plan details. Take time to review the coverage and exclusions of each plan to make sure it’s a good fit. 
• Request health insurance quotes: Once you’ve found a few plans that seem like a good fit, request health insurance quotes for those plans. Look for quotes that are lower than the monthly cost of the coverage gap you’ve calculated. 

While saving on healthcare expenses is the point of buying private health insurance, don’t just focus on the math — take time to read customer reviews, financial stability ratings, and other key metrics that indicate how well a health insurance company meets its customers’ needs. 

FAQ: Best health insurance in Manitoba

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