Lost Your Group Benefits?
Changing jobs, retiring or aging off a parent’s plan can leave you without health, dental and life coverage overnight. We connect Ontario residents with licensed advisors who help you replace it before important deadlines pass.
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What to Do When Your Group Benefits End
Group benefits usually end on your last day of work, when you retire, or when you age off a parent’s plan. The gap can catch people off guard, especially if they take regular medication, have ongoing dental work or have a health condition that makes new coverage harder to get.
The most important thing to know is that timing matters. Many options are only available for a short window after your coverage ends, and acting within that window can mean coverage without medical questions.
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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.
Your options after group coverage ends
Converting your group coverage
Many group plans include a conversion privilege for life insurance and sometimes health coverage. It lets you move to an individual policy without proving your health, but you usually have to apply within a short period after your coverage ends, often 31 days. Check your plan booklet or ask your former employer’s plan administrator.
Plans for people leaving a group plan
Several insurers offer individual health and dental plans designed for people whose group coverage has ended. If you apply within the window the plan allows, often 60 or 90 days, you can be accepted without medical questions, including for existing conditions.
Medically underwritten plans
If you are healthy, a medically underwritten plan may offer richer coverage or a lower premium. The trade off is that you answer health questions and can be declined or have conditions excluded.
Common situations
You lost or left your job
Check whether your employer continues benefits for any period under your severance package, then line up individual coverage to start the day group coverage ends.
- Ask for your plan booklet and end date in writing
- Note the conversion and guaranteed issue deadlines
- Refill prescriptions before coverage ends if you can
You are retiring
Some employers offer retiree benefits, but many do not. At 65, Ontario residents become eligible for the Ontario Drug Benefit program, which covers many prescriptions, but it does not cover dental, vision or paramedical care, so many retirees add an individual plan.
You are aging off a parent’s plan
Dependants usually lose coverage on a parent’s plan at an age set by the plan, often older for full time students. OHIP+ covers eligible prescriptions for people 24 and under who are not covered by a private plan, and it ends on your 25th birthday.
You started your own business
See our self-employed health insurance guide for individual plans, health spending accounts and tax considerations.
Your first 30 days checklist
Work through these steps as soon as you know your coverage is ending.
Get the details
Confirm the exact date your coverage ends and request your plan booklet.
Note the deadlines
Write down the conversion and guaranteed issue deadlines for life and health coverage.
List what you use
Prescriptions, dental work in progress, therapy and devices, so you can compare plans properly.
Talk to an advisor
A licensed advisor can compare options before your window closes.
Lost Group Benefits FAQs
How long do I have to get coverage after my group benefits end?
It depends on the option. Conversion privileges often require you to apply within about 31 days, and plans designed for people leaving a group often accept applications without medical questions for 60 or 90 days. Check the deadlines as soon as possible.
Can I keep my group life insurance when I leave my job?
Many group life plans let you convert to an individual policy without a medical exam if you apply within the conversion period. Converted policies can be expensive, so compare them with individual term insurance if you are healthy.
What does the Ontario Drug Benefit cover?
The Ontario Drug Benefit program covers many prescription drugs for eligible Ontario residents, including people 65 and older. It does not cover dental, vision or paramedical services.
Is there help with high prescription costs?
The Trillium Drug Program helps Ontario residents whose prescription costs are high relative to their household income. OHIP+ covers eligible prescriptions for people 24 and under without a private plan.
Will a new plan cover my existing health conditions?
Plans designed for people leaving group coverage may cover existing conditions if you apply within their window. Medically underwritten plans may exclude them.
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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