All You Need to Know about Individual Health Insurance in Alberta

Try to live without individual health insurance in Alberta, and you will have sticker shock at your first prescription purchase or dental visit. What if you injure yourself while playing sports and need a physiotherapist? Perhaps something tragic has affected your life and you’d love to speak with a mental health professional. The fact is, things happen in life. It’s unavoidable – and it can also be expensive.

Even though the provincial government covers some health costs, your out-of-pocket costs for care could be exorbitant. Individual health insurance in Alberta fills that gap.

Now, let’s bust some myths and learn some important things about individual health insurance in Alberta!

Dental Care is Covered by the Province – Myth Busted! No it’s Not!

In Canada, Albertan’s pay the highest for dental care. A fee guide for dental care in Alberta does exists, but it is not mandated. Therefore, it is up to each dental professional to set their fees. The province only covers emergency dental work, such as trauma to the mouth and teeth from a terrible car accident. That leaves you with a whopping bill for necessary cleanings and orthodontics.

A good dental care plan is a must for each individual health insurance policy in Alberta, especially if you have children.

Options are Limited for Individual Health Insurance in Alberta - Myth Busted!

I say "health insurance" and you think: Blue Cross and Manulife. Honestly, those are great companies but they are not the only ones with a wide variety of individual health insurance plans in Alberta! They are just among the most well-known thanks to a huge customer base and a great marketing strategy. There are, however, plenty of other options that you may not have heard of; for example, Green Shield.

Another option for health insurance in Alberta that is commonly overlooked is the Health Spending Account (HSA). This option can be ideal for small business owners that need protection for their family or for their employees. The HSA is often unnoticed because it is poorly understood. Basically speaking, it redirects personal health related costs through your company, and it provides you with corporate tax credits. It’s very flexible and a great way to step outside of the traditional vision/dental/drug plans – the HSA provides a "money pool" to cover a wide variety of health expenses without the traditional structure of a plan.

Poor Health Means I’m Not Insurable – Myth Busted!

It is more difficult to get a great premium and robust health insurance coverage in Alberta if you are not in the best health of your life (and also young) but there are still options. The life insurance industry has changed dramatically over the years, and most carriers now have a system that allows for more people, regardless of health, to get coverage.

This may mean the exclusion of one specific ailment on your policy, a rating that gets you the benefit of a fully underwritten policy with a slightly higher premium, having the policy for an unwell child underwritten on the life of a parent, no medical life insurance, and much more.

Get the Individual Health Insurance in Alberta you Need

If you have been putting off life insurance in Alberta because of common but outdated myths, stop! Health insurance gives you the peace of mind to mitigate the health risks that simply come with being alive.

Reassured For Life is an Alberta life insurance brokerage providing advisor services ( www.Reassured.Ca/Individual-Health-Insurance-Alberta ) that fit your needs, budget and lifestyle. To know more, visit www.Reassured.Ca/Blog.

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