You have found a health and dental plan that looks suitable. Before starting the application, make a short record of the exact coverage you chose, check the eligibility rules and gather the information the insurer requests. This helps you carry the right plan into the application and resolve questions before you submit it.
This checklist is for individual health and dental insurance. The required information and application process depend on the insurer and product. Use the current application instructions for your selected plan.
Save the exact plan you intend to apply for
A carrier name alone is not enough to identify your selection. Save a quote or write down:
- The insurer, product family and plan tier
- Each health, prescription drug and dental option, plus any add-ons
- Who the quote includes and the province used
- The quoted premium, payment frequency, quote date and proposed start date
- The reference number, if one is provided
Keep this recap beside you when moving from a comparison page to an insurer's application. If the application asks you to choose coverage again, check each selection against it. A familiar plan name is not a reason to overlook a changed option or price.
Still deciding between plans? Use our two-plan comparison checklist first. An application is easier to review when the coverage decision is already clear.
Check eligibility before starting a medical application
Read the requirements for your exact product, including age, residence, provincial health coverage and any rules for dependants. If you are replacing workplace benefits, confirm the actual date those benefits end. It may differ from your last working day.
Ask whether the deadline applies to submitting an application, starting coverage or both. For example, Sun Life's Health Coverage Choice eligibility information says applicants must apply within 60 days of their group plan ending and must have had similar group coverage. GMS Replacement Health says coverage must start within 90 days of leaving a group plan. These are product-specific conditions, not a single deadline that applies to every insurer. Other eligibility rules also apply.
The order of applications can matter. Sun Life also states that someone denied its Personal Health Insurance is not eligible to apply for Health Coverage Choice. If you are considering both routes, get advice on eligibility before submitting an application. Do not assume a replacement plan will remain available after a decline.
Gather your records without sending them too early
Use this as a preparation list, then provide only what the selected application requests:
- Applicant details: legal names, dates of birth, address and contact information
- Eligibility details: information needed to answer the insurer's residence, provincial coverage and dependant questions
- Existing benefits: the current insurer, policy or group information, benefits summary and confirmed end date if coverage is ending
- Health information: for a plan that asks medical questions, accurate medication and relevant medical-history details within the question's stated scope and time period
- Payment information: the accepted payment method, ready for the insurer's authorized payment process
Preparing records does not mean attaching them all to an inquiry. Keep health records, identification and payment details out of a general contact message. Ask for the appropriate secure process before sharing sensitive information.
If a question is unclear, pause and ask the insurer or advisor what it means. Do not guess a date or leave out information because you think it is unimportant. The Financial Consumer Agency of Canada advises answering application questions completely and honestly and warns that inaccurate answers can affect a policy or claim.
Confirm the application route and who will help
If you want help through Get Health Coverage, contact an advisor before applying. Include the insurer, product, tier, province and any deadline you need help checking. You can ask how to provide the other application details securely.
Use the application instructions or link provided for that product. If the next page uses a different business name, asks you to choose a plan again or shows unexpected advisor information, confirm that you are in the intended process before entering personal information.
Useful questions to ask are:
- Is this the correct application for my selected product and options?
- Will an advisor help with this application, and who should I contact with questions?
- Is any advisor information required on the application?
- If I stop, how should I resume without creating another application?
Do not invent or copy an advisor code from an unrelated page. Follow the instructions supplied for your application. Ask about compensation if you want to understand the advisor's role; an advisor may be paid a commission when a policy is placed.
Review the application before submitting
Check the final plan selection against your saved recap. Review the applicants, requested start date, premium, payment schedule and every answer. Read the declarations and consent wording before agreeing to them.
Resolve any unanswered coverage question before proceeding. For example, if a particular prescription or planned treatment is the reason you want insurance, ask how the selected policy would treat it. A completed application does not answer that question by itself.
After submission, save the confirmation, application reference and contact details for follow-up. Record any next steps the insurer gives you. If you are unsure whether submission succeeded, check before starting again.
Confirm when coverage actually begins
A quote, application confirmation and issued policy serve different purposes. FCAC explains that applicants must meet the insurer's conditions before the insurer issues a policy. Follow the insurer's confirmation process and check the effective date and any outstanding requirements.
When the policy arrives, compare it with your intended selection and read the coverage terms, exclusions and waiting periods. Ask about anything that differs. If replacing an existing individual policy, confirm the new coverage and the implications of cancellation before cancelling the old one.
The next step should fit what you still need. Compare health and dental plans if you have not selected one, or ask for application help with your plan recap and unresolved questions. Clear preparation helps you submit the application you intended and understand what happens next.
Frequently asked questions
What should I have ready before applying for health and dental insurance?
Save the exact insurer, product, tier, options and quote details. Check the selected application for required applicant information, eligibility details, existing coverage records and payment instructions. Prepare medical information only as required by the questions for that product, and use the designated secure process to provide sensitive details.
Is the application deadline the same as the coverage start deadline?
Not always. Sun Life Health Coverage Choice requires applying within 60 days of group coverage ending, while GMS Replacement Health requires coverage to start within 90 days. These are examples, not universal rules. Confirm both dates and all other eligibility requirements for the exact product before applying.
Does an application confirmation mean my insurance is active?
Do not treat an application confirmation alone as proof of active coverage. Follow the insurer’s confirmation process, check the effective date and outstanding requirements, and review the issued policy. Ask the insurer if the status is unclear.