Sun Life Health Insurance Review

Canada has universal healthcare coverage, but most provincial plans offer only basic coverage for a handful of medical expenses. Many treatments are not covered at all or only partially covered.

Private health insurance help protect you and your family by reducing your out-of-pocket medical expenses. 

If you are looking for a private health insurance plan, Sun Life may be an option for you. Continue reading our in-depth review to find out what it covers, its pros and cons, and the costs. 

Our Sun Life health insurance review

Sun Life has three personal health insurance plans, each offering different levels of coverage. Additional benefits are available with all three, making it easier for you find a health insurance plan that is right for your specific situation. A user-friendly online portal and a mobile app allows you to access your policy and file claim from your phone. 

You may want to consider Sun Life health insurance if you:

• Don’t have group health insurance or your group coverage does not meet all your needs
• Are a small-business owner, self-employed, or a contract worker

Pros

• Three different types of health insurance plans
• The semi-private hospital option available with all the plans
• File a claim online

Cons

• The Basic plan doesn't offer emergency travel medical coverage
• Dental coverage is only available as a paid add-on with the Standard and Enhanced plans

Types of health insurance Sun Life offers

Sun Life offers a Basic, Standard, and Enhanced health insurance plan. Each of them offers a different level of coverage and can be a right fit in certain situations. 

Basic 

Sun Life’s lowest-cost option for personal health insurance, the Basic plan helps you cover basic medical and dental expenses with no deductible. The plan offers 60% reimbursement on both prescription drugs (up to the annual maximum of $750) and dental expenses (up to the annual maximum of $500). Orthodontics and restorative dental coverage are not provided, while semi-private hospital room is included as an optional benefit. The coverage is available to all Canadians aged 69 or younger. 

Standard 

The Standard plan provides more coverage for prescription drugs than the Basic plan. It reimburses 70% of the first $7,000 of eligible medical expenses and 100% of the next $93,000 of expenses. Smoking cessation coverage (up to a lifetime maximum of $250) is included, but preventive dental care is offered as an optional benefit. Like the basic plan, the Standard plan provides semi-private hospital room cover as an optional benefit. To apply for the coverage, you must be a Canadian resident and not be over the age of 69.

Enhanced 

This plan provides the most comprehensive coverage for prescription drugs. It reimburses 80% of the first $5,000 of eligible medical expenses and 100% of the next $245,000 of expenses. (up to $250,000 per year).  Dental coverage, which includes orthodontic and restorative services, is an optional benefit, as is semi-private hospital room coverage. To apply, you must be a Canadian resident and not be over the age of 69. 

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What Expenses are Covered by Sun Life Health Insurance?

Personal health insurance cover from Sun Life helps you pay for many expenses typically excluded from provincial healthcare plans, such as: 

• Prescription drugs
• Supplemental health care
• Dental Care
• Paramedical expense

Here’s a side-by-side comparison of each of the three Sun Life’s health insurance plans. 

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Benefits of Sun Life health insurance

In Canada, healthcare is funded by the government through taxes, but your provincial or territorial plan doesn’t cover everything. Sun Life health insurance can fill in the gaps by providing coverage beyond what’s offered by the government healthcare. 

If you have a Sun Life personal health insurance plan, you will be reimbursed for eligible expenses. This can include medical, vision, dental, and other healthcare expenses not covered by your provincial or territorial health plan. By reducing your out-of-pocket healthcare costs, Sun Life health insurance allows you to focus on getting better without financial worries.

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How to apply for Sun Life Health Insurance?

You can buy Sun Life health insurance online or through a broker like Dundas Life. You can speak to one of their advisors to start the application process. 

How much does Sun Life health insurance cost?

Health insurance premiums are unique to the individual applying for coverage. So even if twin brothers submit an application for the same health insurance plan, they will each receive different premium rates. Sure, the twins are of the same sex and age and may even have similar BMIs and medical histories. Nonetheless, they are still individuals and as such will be evaluated individually. 

Apart from policy-specific details (amount of coverage, coinsurance, etc.), health insurance premiums are based on a number of personal factors. Sun Life will take into account factors such as the following before setting your premium rate: 

• Age: Generally, the younger you are, the more affordable the premiums. 
• Gender: Women tend to receive higher premiums than men because they utilize health insurance 10% more, on average. 
• Adding a dental or prescription drugs benefit: Each add-on will bump up your monthly premium rate.
• Smoker status: Being a smoker doesn’t make you ineligible for health insurance, but you can expect to pay higher rates than non-smokers.
• The number of people your plan covers: A policy covering only you will cost less than one that covers your entire family, other things being equal. 

Before you settle on an offer from Sun Life, it is a good idea to check how its coverage offerings and prices stack up against those of other top Canadian providers using our free price comparison tool. We provide you personalized price quotes based on your unique circumstances to help you pick the best health insurance plan.  

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What is covered by Sun Life Dental Health Insurance?

The Basic plan includes dental coverage by default, but it covers only preventive treatments like: 

• Diagnosis and examinations
• Lab exams, tests, and x-rays
• White fillings
• Minor extractions, scaling

Orthodontics and restorative dental care is not included in the Basic plan. 

The Standard plan provides dental care as an optional benefit and reimburses more of your preventive dental care expenses than the Basic Plan. Orthodontics and restorative dental care, however, are not covered. 

The Enhanced plan also offers dental care as an optional benefit, but covers all the three dental treatments: preventive, restorative, and orthodontics. 

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Alternatives to Sun Life Health Insurance

Sun Life offers three alternatives to personal health insurance: disability insurance, critical illness insurance, long-term care insurance. Let’s look at how each of them works. 

• Disability Insurance: It replaces a fixed percentage (usually anywhere between 60% - 90%) of your pre-disability income for a specific period if you can’t work due to illness or injury. The benefits are usually paid monthly in the case of a long-term disability and weekly or daily for a short-term disability. 
• Critical Illness Insurance: It provides a one-time, tax-free payment if you are diagnosed with a covered condition. The payout can help you pay for medical expenses not covered by your health insurance plan and other expenses. 
• Long-Term Care Insurance: It provides an income-style benefit if you cannot perform day-to-day activities due to aging, a serious illness, or an accident.

‍Conclusion

Sun Life health insurance offers coverage beyond the basic medical services offered by the government healthcare. The insurer offers three personal health insurance plans — Basic, Standard, and Enhanced — with different levels of coverage. All three plans come with various add-ons, so you can easily tailor your plan to your unique needs. 

However, because health insurance premiums vary by insurer, it is best to compare Sun Life’s premiums with other insurers. Dundas Life work with some of Canada’s leading insurers, as well as smaller players, and can help you find the most affordable personal health insurance. Simply get in touch with us for your personalized, free, and no-obligation quotes. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):

Can I customize my Sun Life health insurance coverage?

Yes, Sun Life often allows some degree of customization for health insurance coverage. You may have the option to add optional benefits and raise the benefit level for a specific thing, such as the cost of prescription drugs. Customization options may vary depending on the specific plan and your location

Does Sun Life health insurance cover medical expenses while traveling outside of Canada?

Emergency travel medical coverage is included with Sun Life’s Enhanced and Standard plans, but not with the Basic plan. 

How do I know if personal health insurance is right for me?

Personal health insurance is a good option for you if you: 

• Don’t have access to group health insurance
• Run a small business or are a contract worker or self-employed
• Need more coverage than offered by your group health insurance plan

What’s the difference between life insurance and personal health insurance?

Life insurance is a financial safety net that ensures the well-being of your loved ones in your absence. A life insurance company pays your beneficiary a tax-free, lump-sum amount in the event of your death. The payout can help your dependents live comfortably even when you’re no longer there to take care of them.

Personal health insurance, in contrast, pays out if your health deteriorates and you need treatments. The benefit amount can cover the cost of hospitalization, medical procedures, medical tests, medicines, and more. The idea here is to ensure you are able to access quality healthcare services without looking over the shoulder for funds.