A lifetime maximum is the total amount an insurance plan will pay for a specific benefit — or for all benefits combined — over the entire life of the policy. Once the lifetime maximum is reached, no further claims will be paid for that benefit regardless of how long the policy remains in force. Lifetime maximums are less common than annual maximums in Canadian health insurance but do appear in some plan designs, particularly for orthodontic coverage (commonly $2,000 to $3,000 lifetime), major dental work, and some extended health categories. In contrast, travel medical insurance and critical illness policies often have their own lifetime or per-occurrence maximums. Lifetime maximums do not reset from year to year.