The beautiful thing about having a best friend is that a ‘bestie’ always has your back when you need it – helping, supporting and protecting you. And, that friend’s care comes free of charge.

Working with a broker is a lot like that. Your insurance broker is there to inform and guide you so you can make the best health insurance plan decision. You can feel confident that your needs will be taken care of respectfully and objectively and that your broker will always use expertise to represent your best interests. By simply asking, you will receive advice on all your options to make sure you don’t miss anything important.

And best of all, that advice is free. What could be better?

Now, you might wonder why a broker like SBIS would help you select health insurance. Here are some reasons.

Not all healthcare in Canada is free

The beautiful thing about healthcare in Canada is that many emergency and physician services are free for permanent residents. Our neighbours to the south often talk about how Canada’s healthcare plan is idyllic. But not everything in Canada related to healthcare is free.

Every province has different coverage, but there are still many routine and emergency medical treatments that Canadians must pay for out of pocket. That’s where health insurance comes in. Having a plan can help you offset the costs of different treatments and items related to keeping you healthy.

When deciding whether or not you should get a plan check your province’s health coverage and see where you could use a top-up.

At SBIS we put together links to provincial health plans so you can check what is and isn’t covered.

Each site should give you an idea of what you are already covered for, and which services are excluded. For a quick summary of each province’s coverage see our resource on Canada’s Provincial Health Plans.

The trouble is, there are many different supplementary plans with different coverages to choose from. How do you choose one that’s perfect for your needs? The search for such a plan can get complicated.

Don’t let the challenge of deciding what to do stop you from getting health insurance coverage

Your body is your temple, so you really have to take care of it. This includes taking medications when you need them and using the expertise of physical therapists and treatments for both your physical and mental health and well-being.

Even if you aren’t injured or sick, you may wish to support your wellness through physiotherapy, naturopathy or chiropractic services. Money should not dictate whether or not you can try to improve your health.

If something does happen to your health and you are without health insurance, your health care costs can really have an impact on your daily budget and on your savings. Do you want to take the gamble of not having a plan to help cover those costs and just hope that nothing bad happens to your health? It’s too big of a risk.

Here’s where to start

Before you decide to purchase a health insurance plan, you should have a good idea of what your needs are. Do you need a plan just for yourself, or do you need coverage for the rest of your family? Are you looking for basic coverage, or do you need a more robust plan that covers prescription and dental care costs?

While there are some plans out there that will allow just one person over the age of 18 to enrol in an individual plan, other insurance companies require everyone in the family to sign up at the same time.

And here’s your next best step: contact SBIS, your broker

An insurance broker like SBIS can make things so much easier – all at no cost to you!

Health insurance brokers work with several providers, giving you a greater variety of plans to choose from. They are familiar with all of the various health insurance plan details.

Your broker will go over some questions and help you figure out what kind of plan would best suit your needs. They will also go over what you need to do if you have a pre-existing condition or if you are leaving a group benefit plan, they will present options for a new individual health plan within 90 days that doesn’t require any medical questions.

The best part is that when you work with a broker, you will get the information needed to compare plans and make the right choices.

Your broker will get to work to educate you on your options, so you don’t have to sift through all the information alone. They will

  • Compare quotes
  • Find specialty coverage
  • Provide online purchase options
  • Talk to you by telephone – only when YOU want to consult with an expert.

At SBIS, we explain what is covered under each plan, such as medications, vision care, specialist treatments and more. We also explain the cost of each plan and what your premium may be.

Once you know what you’ll be paying each month, you’ll probably find that this cost is nothing compared to the potential costs if you didn’t have a health insurance plan at all.

At SBIS, we believe in customer care

After you put your health insurance plan in place, you may need to make changes – and at SBIS we will help you with great customer service for things like

  • Personal Information Changes like a change in dependent status, adding a new dependent or even a name change
  • Changing your address (even if you move provinces, your plan will go with you)
  • Updating you premium payment information like a bank account change
  • Upgrading or downgrading your coverage to fit your needs.

If you have any questions about changes to your health insurance plan, don’t hesitate to call us. We’ll take care of you like you’re family. After all, when you become a customer that’s how we think of you.

What if you have problems with your insurance claim?

If you don’t have a broker working with you, you will be on your own dealing with your insurer.

With SBIS, you have a champion in your corner. We will assist throughout the process and offer tips that can help you make your health and travel insurance claims. If there are any issues you have the real peace of mind that we will work on your behalf to help you get the most out of your insurance coverage. We are your advocate and the industry professional in your corner.

Call SBIS for free advice today. Don’t wait any longer.

SBIS representatives are friendly experts who take your call and help you with your questions. We can even help after you’ve already purchased a plan to make any changes that need to be made. Don’t put off getting the health insurance you need any longer. Call us Monday to Friday 8:45 a.m. – 4:45 p.m. Eastern Time at 1-800-667-0429 or 416-601-0429 – we’re happy to help.

And you can read more about Special Benefits Insurance Services here.