Employee Benefits in Ontario
Offer the health, dental and life coverage that helps you hire and keep great people. We connect Ontario employers with licensed benefits advisors who design plans around your team and budget.
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Employee Benefits for Ontario Businesses
A good benefits plan is one of the most effective tools a business has to hire and keep people. It covers the costs OHIP does not, like prescription drugs, dental care, physiotherapy and vision, and it can protect employees and their families if someone becomes sick, disabled or passes away.
Benefits plans are sold and serviced by life and health licensed advisors, and the right plan depends on your team size, budget and goals. We connect Ontario employers with advisors who design plans for businesses like yours, from a two person company to a growing team of fifty or more.
Connect NowHow CommercialInsurance.ca works
We are not an insurer or an advisor. We find you the right one.
Matched by need
We connect you with an advisor who works with businesses and families like yours.
Licensed life and health advisors
Life and health insurance advisors in Ontario are licensed by the Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario (FSRA).
Fast follow up
Once we receive your information, a professional in our network will connect with you within 24 hours.
No cost to be matched
Our referral service is free. You deal directly with the advisor for quotes and coverage.
Explore employee benefits
Start with the guide that matches where your business is today.
Small business group benefits
Health, dental, life and disability plans for teams of 2 to 50 employees.
Health spending accounts
A tax efficient way for owners and small teams to pay for health and dental costs.
Group life and disability
Life, AD&D, short and long term disability for your team.
Group retirement plans
Group RRSP, DPSP and group TFSA with employer matching.
Key person and buy-sell insurance
Protect the business from losing an owner or key employee.
Review or switch your plan
Unhappy with your renewal? Compare the market.
Individual insurance
Coverage for self-employed people and anyone without a group plan.
Benefits by industry
Plans designed around how your team works.
Construction companies
Benefits for field crews, trades and office staff.
Restaurants
Plans for managers, kitchen teams and part time staff.
Tech startups
Modern, flexible benefits to compete for talent.
Clinics
Benefits for healthcare teams and support staff.
What an employee benefits plan can include
Extended health and dental
The core of most plans. Extended health covers prescription drugs, paramedical practitioners such as physiotherapists, chiropractors, massage therapists and psychologists, vision care and medical equipment. Dental covers preventive and basic care, with major work and orthodontics often available as options.
Life, AD&D and disability
Group life and accidental death and dismemberment insurance pay a benefit to an employee’s family. Short and long term disability replace part of an employee’s income if illness or injury keeps them off work.
Health and wellness spending accounts
A health spending account gives each employee an annual amount to spend on eligible medical and dental expenses. It can stand alone for very small businesses or top up a traditional plan. Wellness accounts cover lifestyle expenses such as fitness, but are taxable to the employee.
Mental health, EAP and virtual care
Employee assistance programs, counselling coverage and virtual doctor visits have become standard expectations for many employees, and are often inexpensive to add.
What group benefits cost in Ontario
Every plan is priced on its own design and group, but published Canadian industry guides put combined health and dental coverage at roughly $150 to $600 per employee per month. The low end reflects basic single coverage and the high end reflects comprehensive family coverage for very small groups. Your quote will depend on:
Plan design
Which coverages you include, the maximums for drugs, dental and paramedical services, and whether dental includes major work.
Your team
Group size, ages, single versus family coverage, and your industry. Smaller groups are usually pooled with other small employers.
Cost sharing
How the premium is split between the business and employees. Many small employers pay most or all of the cost, while others share it.
Employee Benefits FAQs
Are employers required to offer benefits in Ontario?
No. Ontario law does not require employers to provide health or dental benefits. Most employers who offer them do so to attract and keep staff.
How small can a business be to get group benefits?
Many insurers write plans for groups as small as two or three people, and some programs accept a single incorporated owner. Health spending accounts are another option for very small businesses.
Are employee benefits a taxable benefit?
Employer paid health and dental premiums are generally not a taxable benefit to employees. Employer paid group life insurance premiums are taxable. An advisor can explain how each part of your plan is treated.
How does the Canadian Dental Care Plan affect my employees?
The federal Canadian Dental Care Plan is for residents with adjusted family net income under $90,000 who do not have access to dental insurance. Employees who have access to dental coverage through your plan generally are not eligible.
Can I change benefits providers?
Yes. Many businesses review their plan at renewal, especially after a large increase. An advisor can market your plan to other insurers and manage the transition so employees are not left without coverage.
What to expect from a benefits advisor
A licensed advisor handles the details so you can make a clear decision.
1Discovery call
Share who needs coverage, what matters most and your budget. For businesses, bring your current plan and renewal if you have one.
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2Plan design
Your advisor recommends coverage levels and cost sharing that fit your needs, and explains the trade offs in plain language.
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3Compare insurers
Your advisor gathers quotes from multiple insurers and compares price, coverage and service side by side.
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4Enrol and support
Once you choose, your advisor handles the application and enrolment, and stays available for claims questions and renewals.
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