Health Insurance Between Jobs in Canada
If you have been searching for the Canadian version of COBRA, here is the short answer: there is none. The United States lets departing employees stay on the company plan at their own cost. Canada handles the same problem differently, and arguably better. Your provincial health plan never stops covering doctors and hospitals no matter what happens to your job, and insurers offer special conversion plans you can buy after group benefits end, with no medical questions asked, if you act within the deadline.
That deadline is the single most important fact on this page. Most carriers give you 60 days from the day your group coverage ends to apply for a guaranteed-issue conversion plan; some products extend it to 90. Inside the window, your health history is irrelevant and acceptance is automatic. Outside it, every application faces medical underwriting. Whether you are unemployed, on severance, or just waiting out a probation period at a new employer, the clock matters more than anything else here.
Who this coverage is for
This page is for anyone whose group benefits just ended or are about to: people who were laid off, resigned, or took a package; new hires waiting out the typical three month benefits eligibility period at their next employer; and people leaving employment to study, travel or care for family. It is also worth reading if your spouse's plan currently covers you and their job is uncertain, since losing spousal coverage can open the same conversion options.
The 60 to 90 day conversion window
Conversion plans, sometimes sold under names like FollowMe, exist for exactly one scenario: you had group benefits and now you do not. Apply within the eligibility window and the insurer accepts you with no health questionnaire, which means pre-existing conditions cannot be excluded or declined. For anyone with a medical history that would complicate ordinary underwriting, this is the rare moment the market treats you the same as someone with a spotless chart.
The window is unforgiving. It is measured from the date group coverage actually ends, which is not always your last day of work; severance arrangements sometimes continue benefits for a period, and the window starts when those continued benefits stop. Confirm the exact end date with your former employer's HR in writing. If you are healthy, also compare ordinary medically underwritten plans before defaulting to conversion, since they often carry higher maximums for a similar premium. The window's real value is that it guarantees you an option while you decide.
What you keep, what you lose, and the bridge in between
Losing a group plan never touches your provincial coverage. Physician visits, emergency rooms and hospital stays remain covered while you job hunt. What stops is everything the group plan layered on top: the drug card, dental, paramedical visits, vision, disability coverage and out-of-country emergency medical. Fill outstanding prescriptions and book pending dental work before your end date if you can, then decide how to bridge the gap.
How long the bridge needs to be should drive what you buy. If a signed offer starts in six weeks with benefits from day one, the cheapest sensible move may be a basic plan or simply accepting the gap with caution, especially around travel. If the search is open-ended, or your new role has a three month waiting period, a conversion plan keeps real coverage in place without betting your savings on staying healthy. Individual plans have no minimum term, so you can cancel once new group coverage begins.
Top plans for between jobs
These picks are guaranteed-issue conversion plans: built for people leaving group benefits, with no medical questions when you apply inside your 60 or 90 day window.
Sun Life
Sun Life - Health Coverage Choice - Plan B (With Dental)
Must apply within 60-days of employee group benefits terminating.
View plan detailsCanada Life
Canada Life - Freedom to Choose - Guaranteed Plus
Must apply within 60-days of employee group benefits terminating.
View plan detailsManulife
Manulife - FollowMe - Enhanced
Must apply within 90-days of employee group benefits terminating.
View plan detailsPrices depend on your age, province and who is on the policy, so rankings can only go so far. Browse the full plans directory or get personalized quotes to see what these plans cost for your situation.
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Frequently asked questions
Is there a COBRA equivalent in Canada?
No. Canadian employers are not required to let former employees stay on the group plan, and most group coverage ends on or shortly after your last day. The Canadian substitute is the conversion plan: insurers guarantee acceptance into a designated individual plan, with no medical questions, if you apply within 60 days of group coverage ending, or 90 days for some products. Provincial coverage of doctors and hospitals continues regardless of employment.
How long do my benefits last after I leave a job?
Typically until your last day of employment or the end of that month, depending on the plan, though severance agreements sometimes continue benefits for a negotiated period. Never assume; get the exact termination date of each benefit in writing from HR, because your conversion window is measured from the day coverage actually ends. Claims for services received before that date are still payable, so submit anything outstanding promptly.
What is a guaranteed-issue conversion plan?
It is an individual health plan an insurer promises to issue without medical underwriting to people who recently lost group coverage. Because there is no health questionnaire, pre-existing conditions cannot be used to decline you or carve out coverage. In exchange, maximums are generally more modest than fully underwritten plans. For applicants with health issues, conversion is often the strongest coverage they can get; for the perfectly healthy, it is worth comparing against the open market.
I start a new job soon. Is coverage for a short gap worth it?
Weigh the gap length against what could go wrong inside it. A two week gap with no travel plans and no ongoing prescriptions is a risk many people accept. A three month probation period is long enough for a dental emergency, a new prescription, or a trip across the border, any of which costs more than a few months of premium. Individual plans have no lock-in, so covering the gap and cancelling when group benefits begin is a normal pattern.
What if I missed my 60 day conversion window?
You can no longer use the guaranteed-issue route tied to your old group plan, but you are not out of options. If you are healthy, medically underwritten plans remain open and often offer better value anyway. If your health makes underwriting a problem, guaranteed acceptance plans take all applicants with no medical questions, with lower maximums and graded early coverage as the trade-off. Apply soon either way, since waiting only adds risk while you are uninsured.