Best Health Insurance in Ontario (2026): Where OHIP Coverage Stops

Health insurance in Ontario 101

Ontario’s public health system, called OHIP, covers medically necessary services for residents with a valid health card. These generally include hospital care, doctor and specialist visits, diagnostic tests (X-rays, MRIs), surgeries, and emergency care.

OHIP doesn’t cover most day-to-day health expenses outside a hospital setting, like dental care, prescription drugs for people under 65, vision care, cosmetic surgery, and paramedical services like chiropractors, naturopaths, and physiotherapy.

It’s also worth noting that while OHIP coverage doesn’t change dramatically by age for basics like doctor visits, hospital care, and diagnostic tests, coverage for prescriptions, dental care, and other extras can vary significantly depending on how old you are. This is where gaps typically happen.

• Children and youth (0–24): Kids and youth under 24 generally have the highest level of coverage because of public programs like OHIP+, which provides prescription drug coverage to young people who don’t have private insurance. 
• Adults (25–64): This group often has the largest coverage gaps. Most prescription drugs aren’t covered by OHIP unless you qualify for special programs (like the Trillium Drug Program). Dental, vision, and paramedical services are also not covered. Many adults rely on employer benefits or private plans to supplement where OHIP leaves off.
• Seniors (65+): Public health coverage generally expands again after age 65. Seniors are automatically enrolled in the Ontario Drug Benefit (ODB) program, which helps cover many prescriptions. OHIP also covers routine eye exams and some additional health services. Even still, services like dental care, hearing aids, most paramedical services, travel medical insurance, and many home support services will require private insurance or must be paid out-of-pocket.

Because of these age-based differences, the need for supplemental private coverage tends to peak during the working-age years, when public coverage is more limited and workplace benefits aren’t always available.

If you don’t have employer benefits or want to avoid out-of-pocket expenses, private health insurance can bridge these gaps; the key is to use private coverage to supplement OHIP, not replace it. Private plans start around $134/month with PolicyMe and can expand your coverage and reduce out-of-pocket costs, building on your free provincial coverage without duplicating it.

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How private health insurance fills Ontario’s coverage gaps

OHIP covers medically necessary care, but you may have to pay out of pocket for certain dental, vision, drug, and paramedical services. Private plans are a smart supplement, saving money on out-of-pocket costs and building on public coverage without replicating it.

What’s the best health insurance in Ontario?

In Ontario, the best health insurance plan depends on when OHIP stops covering you. We’ve identified the best private health insurance plans in Ontario by analyzing over 1,700 quotes covering 50+ private health insurance products from the seven biggest providers in Canada, sourced from official product websites and supplemented with customer ratings from Google.

To identify the best plans for the average Ontario resident, we focused on plans with: 

• Excellent coverage for adults: Adults aged 18–14 are most overlooked by government health care coverage, making them prime candidates for private health insurance. 
• Complete coverage: We prioritized insurance options that include coverage for both prescription drugs and dental services in addition to other extended health benefits. 
• Mid-tier pricing: We focused on plans with mid-range pricing that’s competitive in the industry in order to deliver the highest value for the largest number of Canadians. 
• Non-replacement plans: We’ve recommended plans designed for Canadians without existing workplace health benefits, rather than those seeking to replace previous employer-sponsored plans.  

The result is a ranking system of the best health insurance plans for Canadian parents, single parents, self-employed workers and seniors living in Ontario.

^{* Premiums reflect the approximate monthly cost for an 18-year-old adult living in Ontario.}

^{** Comparison reflects the total amount of prescription drug, dental, vision, paramedical, mental health, accidental dental, and ambulance coverage versus the industry average for comparable plans.}

Best for adults without employer benefits: Guaranteed Issue Classic from PolicyMe

^{* Premiums reflect the approximate monthly cost for an 18-year-old adult living in Ontario.}

‍Our expert take: The sweet spot for most customers, PolicyMe’s Classic plan combines best-in-class affordability with robust coverage. Key advantages of this plan include a high reimbursement rate and generous annual maximums for paramedical services and mental health care, along with excellent insured benefits for ambulance services and most dental care.

Available products from PolicyMe: 

• Guaranteed Economic, Classic, and Advanced: A series of guaranteed health insurance plans with comprehensive coverage for prescription drugs, dental care, and more
• Dental Care: A guaranteed health insurance plan with no coverage for prescription drugs‍
• Protect Economic, Classic, and Advanced: A series of replacement health insurance plans with comprehensive coverage for prescription drugs, dental care, and more

Best for older adults and seniors: ZONE 5 (Choice) from GreenShield

^{* Premiums reflect the approximate monthly cost for an 18-year-old adult living in Ontario.}

‍Our expert take: GreenShield’s ZONE 5 (Choice) plan may be a good option for seniors, frequent travelers, or anyone in search of an affordable health insurance plan to supplement Ontario Health Services Insurance. Prescription drugs, dental care, and mental health services are weak spots for this plan, but emergency dental and travel coverage are competitive.

Available products from GreenShield: 

• LINK 1, 2, 3, and 4: A series of replacement health insurance plans with complete and no-dental options.
• ZONE 1, 2, and 3 and Zone Fundamental: A series of guaranteed health insurance plans with complete and no-drug options.‍
• ZONE 4, 5, 6, and 7: A series of underwritten health insurance plans with complete and no-dental options.

Best for Scotiabank customers under 65: Health Insurance Plan with Dental Insurance from ScotiaLife

^{* Premiums reflect the approximate monthly cost for an 18-year-old adult living in Ontario.}

‍Our expert take: The biggest drawback of ScotiaLife’s health insurance plan is that it’s only available to Scotiabank customers. If you’re in that group, however, it’s an excellent option for those in search of low-priced, straightforward health coverage to supplement existing benefits.

Available products from ScotiaLife: 

• Health Insurance Plan: A guaranteed no-dental health insurance plan with a single dental option available only to Scotiabank customers, their spouses, and dependent children

Best for Ontarians with generic prescription needs: ExtendaPlan with Basic Prescription Drugs and Dental Care from GMS 

^{* Premiums reflect the approximate monthly cost for an 18-year-old adult living in Ontario.}

Our expert take: The ExtendaPlan from GMS is a good budget pick that’s better for prescription drug coverage than for dental services. If you don’t visit paramedical professionals often, only need basic preventative care for dental, and just want a few counseling sessions a year when it comes to mental health coverage, the ExtendaPlan could be a good fit.

Available products from GMS: 

• BasicPlan, ExtendaPlan, and OmniPlan: A series of guaranteed, no-drug health insurance plans with complete coverage options.‍
• EssentialPlan, ChoicePlan, and PremierPlan: A series of replacement health insurance plans with no-drug and complete coverage options.

Best for balanced family coverage: ComboPlus Basic Plan from Manulife

^{* Premiums reflect the approximate monthly cost for an 18-year-old adult living in Ontario.}

‍Our expert take: Manulife offers a wide range of private health and dental insurance plans. We think the ComboPlus Basic plan offers the best value for money for families in Ontario, with particularly strong dental and mental health coverage and a surprisingly long list of customization options to tailor your coverage to your personal needs.

Available products from Manulife: 

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• Flexcare ComboPlus Starter, Basic, and Enhanced Plan: A series of complete health insurance plans with guaranteed options.
• Flexcare DentalPlus Basic and Enhanced Plan: A pair of guaranteed, no-drug health insurance plans.
• Flexcare DrugPlus Basic and Enhanced Plan: A pair of no-dental health insurance plans.
• FollowMe Basic, Enhanced, Enhanced Plus, and Premiere Plan: A series of complete replacement health insurance plans.
• Guaranteed Issue Enhanced: A complete, premium health insurance plan with guaranteed acceptance.

Compare the top 3 health insurance plans in Ontario

^{* Premiums reflect the approximate monthly cost for an 18-year-old adult living in Ontario.}

How much does health insurance in Ontario cost?

According to our research, the premiums for a guaranteed acceptance health insurance plan start around $90/month for a basic plan, $95/month for a mid plan, and $196/month for a premium plan for an 18-year-old in Ontario. 

The costs for a 65-year-old applicant increase to $152–$278/month, while kids below 17 can get covered for an average of $57–$163/month.

In 2023, the average household spent around $3,143 on out-of-pocket medical expenses (including private health benefits) in Ontario, compared to $3,087 for the average Canadian household. With the Guaranteed Issue Classic plan from PolicyMe, you could claim around $1,680 of the average drug, dental, vision, paramedical and medical equipment expenses per year. 

As for what you’d pay, here’s a comparison of the monthly health insurance quotes* for the top 3 health insurance plans in Ontario:

^{* Prices reflect the approximate costs for residents in the relevant age group in Ontario. These quotes are current as of March 2026. Your own quotes may differ.}

What does the Ontario Health Insurance Plan cover?

Provincial healthcare in Ontario covers all medically necessary services through the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP). With a valid health card, you’re covered for 100% of:

Although they aren’t covered by OHIP, ambulance services are heavily subsidized in Ontario. 

Outside of Canada, provincial health insurance covers emergency and non-emergency physician and hospital services, but only up to the rate normally paid at home. For example, OHIP reimbursement for emergency hospital services is capped at $400/day. Unless you bought travel insurance before going abroad, you’ll have to deal with the rest of the bill.

Read on for a quick overview of OHIP, including what it covers and for whom:

Additional government assistance programs 

You can also get coverage through the following assistance programs:
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Who doesn’t need private health insurance in Ontario?

Not everyone in Ontario needs private health coverage. If OHIP and existing benefits cover most of your expected healthcare costs, you may not need a private plan.

• People with strong employer or spousal group benefits: If you have coverage under a comprehensive workplace insurance plan (your own or a partner’s), you probably already have dental, vision, prescription drug, and paramedical coverage. Buying a separate policy could mean overpaying for duplicate coverage.
• Children under 25: Because children 24 and under are automatically enrolled in OHIP+, most kids and young adults don’t need private coverage until they turn 25. 
• Healthy adults with minimal healthcare costs: Some people rarely use services beyond what OHIP covers. If you don’t expect regular dental care, prescriptions, or paramedical services, monthly premiums could cost more than occasional out-of-pocket expenses.
• Seniors with modest healthcare needs: Seniors 65 and older are eligible for the Ontario Drug Benefit program and expanded eye exams that fill some major coverage gaps. Seniors with limited dental or paramedical needs may find that public programs cover most of their routine expenses.

Remember: Private healthcare insurance in Ontario is meant to fill specific gaps in OHIP coverage, not replace it. If your current benefits and public coverage already bridge those gaps, or if you have minimal healthcare costs, you may not need an individual insurance plan at all.

How to find the best health insurance for you

The secret to buying health insurance is to know your needs and do your research. Here are 5 steps to finding the right fit for you and the most important questions at each stage:

1. Find your existing coverage: Take a look at your province’s public healthcare plan and your employer’s group health benefits to identify the coverage you already have. Are you using it completely?
2. Tally your existing costs: Add up your health out-of-pocket expenses during the past year (including the receipts for prescription drugs, dental work, and medical equipment) and any successful health insurance claims. Is there anything left over? How much?
3. Identify coverage gaps: These could be leftover expenses from successful claims or services that aren’t covered by public or group healthcare. How much money did you lose to coverage gaps last year? If you divide the total by 12, what’s the monthly cost?
4. Request health insurance quotes: Now that you know your coverage gaps, you can start to look for plans to address them. Do you need supplemental health insurance, vision, dental, paramedical services (like physiotherapy), or do you want to maximize your covered services? Are your expenses eligible? Are the premiums lower than the monthly cost of your coverage gaps? How long is the waiting period for coverage?
5. Calculate your savings: Read the fine print regarding each plan’s maximums, covered services, and fees. If you had bought it last year, how much money would you have paid in premiums? How much money would you have saved?

Don’t forget to take a hard look at the customer reviews for different health insurance companies. Good customer service means peace of mind when the time comes to use your coverage. 

Finally, now is a good moment to consider if you also want other types of insurance, like disability insurance or life insurance. Many providers offer discounts on bundles.

FAQ: Best health insurance in Ontario

Prices listed on this page are based on information available as of March 2026. The prices shown are for general reference only and may vary based on factors like your age, location, and product selection.