CAA Health Insurance Review (Updated 2023)

James James updated on 14 December 2022

Did you know that as many as 1 in 3 health procedures in Canada are privately financed, either by individuals or private health care plans? Having the right insurance in place can be crucial if you become sick over a long time and need complicated surgeries or long-term drug treatments. Having the right private insurance in place can make a huge difference to your recovery and the financial burden it places on your household.

In this review we introduce you to CAA private health insurance, take you through what it covers, what its advantages and disadvantages are and how much it costs.

Our CAA health insurance review: the best bundling discounts

The CAA, or the Canadian Automobile Associate, was founded more than 115 years ago. It is one of the largest not-for-profit automobile associations in Canada. It has been helping Canadians with a wide variety of products related to automobile services, but also offers insurance packages, including private health insurance. CAA has partnered with Manulife for over 20 years, allowing them to offer pre-packaged plans mix and match plans tailored to your specific health needs.

They have a 30-day guarantee where if you are not satisfied with the coverage you purchased, you may request a refund within 30 days of receiving your policy. CAA health insurance is a choice for you if you do not have health benefits through your employer, you are losing your group coverage, or if you would like to mix and match prescription and dental coverage. Note that you must have provincial or territorial health and drug coverage to apply for personal health insurance

Pros

  • Ability to mix and match plans
  • Discounts are available when you bundle health and dental

Cons

  • No online claims submission
  • Some CAA health insurance reviews have cited long wait times for dental treatment

Before signing up for a health insurance plan with CAA, compare rates and coverage offerings from the best health and dental plans using our comparison tool.

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What is the cost of CAA health insurance?

A Basic Extended Healthcare policy including basic drug and dental coverage for a 32-year-old single, non-smoker male in Ontario would cost $103.45 per month.

The quote will vary from individual to individual. CAA will weigh a number of factors to determine your premium such as:

  • age
  • gender
  • drug and dental benefits chosen
  • the number of lives on your plan (individual, family, etc.)
  • smoker status

To make sure you are getting the best plan for the best price, you must first establish what you want from your health insurance policy.  Take a look at the table below to see some of the variables affecting pricing.

Non-smoker, Ontario*Basic Extended HealthcareEnhanced Extended Healthcare
30-year-old man
$36.95 / month$142.90 / month
50-year-old man
$41.25 / month$202.85 / month
30-year-old woman
$36.95 / month$142.90 / month
50-year-old woman
$41.25 / month$202.85 / month
CAA health insurance cost

*this assumes that the purchaser is covered by the Ontario provincial health plan (OHIP)

Good to know

The price of health insurance varies greatly between insurers. Your health history, age, the coverage options offered, your province, and more affect pricing. Use our comparison tool to get personalized health insurance quotes, all anonymously.

What does CAA health insurance cover?

CAA health insurance offers both basic and comprehensive plans which also allow you to mix and match dental and drug coverage.

To begin building your plan, you first select which health plan suits your health needs:

  • Basic Extended Healthcare
  • Enhanced Extended Healthcare

Then you can select your drug and dental benefits. Here are some examples of plan choices available to you and what benefits they provide.

TreatmentBasic health & enhanced dental coverageEnhanced health & dental coverageBasic health care & enhanced dental coverage
Health Care
Up to $400 per year per registered specialist, such as massage therapists and chiropractorsUp to $800 per year per registered specialist, such as massage therapists and chiropractorsUp to $400 per year per registered specialist, such as massage therapists and chiropractors
Prescription Drugs
  • 70% coverage for generic drugs, to a maximum of $500/calendar year
  • $6.50/prescription for dispensing fees
  • 75% coverage for generic drugs to a maximum of $5,000/calendar year
  • Full coverage of reasonable and customary dispensing fees
Dental
80% coverage for basic services up to $900 per year80% coverage for basic services up to $900 per year80% coverage for basic services up to $900 per year
Vision
Hospital Stays
Health insurance CAA

What types of health insurance does CAA offer?

CAA allows customers to mix and match the healthcare coverages which interest them or to choose between two pre-packed policies: Basic Extended Health Care and Enhanced Extended Health Care. We have laid out the differences between these policies in the table below:

CoverageCAA Basic Extended Health Care CAA Enhanced Extended Health Care
Lifetime Maximum
$250,000$350,000
Ambulance Services
Registered Specialists
$400/year$600/year
Optometrist Visit
$60/2 years$60/2 years
Accidental Death and Dismemberment
Psychologists
$80 first visit, $60 for other visits$80 first visit, $60 for other visits
CAA health insurance Canada

Interested in seeing how these coverage limits compare to those offered by other leading insurers?

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What extras does CAA health insurance offer?

CAA offers a choice of drug coverage add-ons that you can purchase to keep the cost of fulfilling your prescription low. We have laid out the drug plans and what they cover in the table below.

CoverageDrug Plan 1Drug Plan 2Drug Plan 3
Generic Drugs
70%75%90%
Dispensing Fees
$6.50100%100%
Medical Questionnaire Required
CAA insurance health

CAA also offers optional dental insurance which we have gone into in detail about in the section below.

What does CAA dental insurance cover?

CAA offers supplementary dental plans that you can add to your health insurance policy. When you sign up for a health insurance plan with CAA, you choose between one of three plans which provide partial or full coverage for all types of dental procedures. Knowing the difference in the dental coverage you can choose between each plan is important.

The Dental 1 plan will cover preventative treatment like:

  • dental exams and diagnosis
  • tests, x-rays
  • lab exams
  • fillings
  • scaling
  • extractions

With the Dental 2 plan, you will get more of your preventive dental-care expenses reimbursed than the Dental 1 plan. The most comprehensive plan, Dental 3, adds preventative treatment, restorative treatment and orthodontics (braces). We have laid out the differences between the dental plan options in the table below.

CoverageDental 1Dental 2Dental 3
Ongoing Maintenance
70% of eligible expenses up to:
  • Year 1: $450
  • Year 2: $550
  • Year 3+: $700
80% of eligible expenses up to:
  • Year 1: $650
  • Year 2: $700
  • Year 3+: $900
80% in year 1 and 100% in subsequent years up to:
  • Year 1: $800
  • Year 2: $900
  • Year 3+: $1,200
Specialized
60% of eligible expenses up to:
  • Year 1: $650
  • Year 2: $700
  • Year 3+: $900
60% of expenses in years 1 and 2 and 80% of expenses in subsequent years up to:
  • Year 1: $800
  • Year 2: $900
  • Year 3+: $1,200/year
Restorative
  • 60% of expenses beginning in year 2
  • Major restorative has a maximum of $750 for every 3 years
Check-ups
Every 9 monthsEvery 9 months Every 6 months
CAA health and dental insurance

How to get CAA health insurance?

To get a CAA health insurance quote you can head to the CAA health insurance website and choose from one of their pre-packaged options or mix and match your own. You will be asked for details of your age, sex and medical history. Alternatively, you can call and speak to a representative directly at 1-844-538-7454 between 8:00 am and 8:00 pm EST.

Before signing up for health insurance coverage with CAA, why not compare health insurance options from leading insurers?

CAA health insurance login

screenshot 2022 11 29 at 141202

Use your username or membership number to access your personal profile on the CAA website. This will allow you to check up on how long you have left on your policy, your specific coverages and if you have any upcoming payments to make.

CAA health insurance app

CAA members have access to the Maple Virtual Healthcare app which offers 5 free consultations per year. The Maple Virtual Healthcare app offers 224/7 online healthcare, allowing you and your family to consult general practitioners and manage health from the comfort of your home or on the move.

We have set out the benefits of Maple Virtual Healthcare in the table below:

Offers Detail
24/7 Service
Round-the-clock access to licensed doctors and medical professionals
Digital prescriptions
Have your medicines delivered to your door with Pocket Pills or pick up at your local pharmacy
Family coverage
Add your partner and dependents to your account for free
Shared medical records
Share online prescriptions with your local doctor
Specialist referrals
Get referrals to healthcare specialists
CAA health insurance Canada

Watch out!

Some Maple Virtual healthcare services charge a fee.

Interested in a health care plan with free online resources? Check out our comparison tool and see what other providers have to offer.

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Canada's best health insurance plans

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CAA health insurance customer service

You can contact CAA customer service at 1-877-261-8222. They are available Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm ET. Alternatively, you can fill out a contact form on the website by going to the bottom of the homepage and hitting the Contact Us button. This will take you to a form. Remember to have your policy number to hand.

How to cancel health insurance CAA?

You can cancel your CAA health insurance by calling a CAA representative at 1-800-268-3750. Lines are open Monday to Saturday from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and Sunday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m

Does CAA have travel health insurance?

Yes, you can buy CAA travel insurance either separately, or you can bundle CAA health travel insurance with your existing health insurance policy to save money. Your CAA health insurance policy alone will not protect you while travelling and health expenses can quickly spiral out of control if become sick or are in an accident abroad.

Travel insurance is particularly important in Canada because provincial health insurance plans cover less once you are out of your home province. This means expenses can quickly escalate out of control if you become unwell or suffer an accident while travelling. If you are travelling abroad then you may not have any access to any health care services at all without having an insurance plan in place. In some countries, such as the USA, you will have to pay upfront for any medical treatment that you need.

Are you interested in seeing which other health insurance providers offer bundle deals?

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What are the best alternatives to CAA health insurance?

In order to help you compare health insurance deals, we have included a quick summary of competitors below.

Our Blue Cross health insurance review: the most flexible choice

Blue Cross offers several plans that can include health benefits, drug, and dental coverage for you to choose from depending on what your health insurance needs are. Blue Cross provides an easy-access online portal which includes easy access to your benefit information and allows you to submit a claim online. Their plans allow for the optional add-ons of services such as critical illness coverage and hospital expenses.

Blue Cross private health insurance is intended for people who do not have access to a private group insurance plan, or if they would like additional benefits not offered by their employer’s or province’s health and drug coverage such as dental or medication-only coverage. For freelancers, there is the Blue Cross health insurance self-employed package. Blue Cross student health insurance is an affordable package for those in higher education or those who have recently graduated.

Pros

  • Named Canada's most respected health insurance company in 2022 by the Most Respected Award Program
  • Connected Care digital health platform
  • Self-service options
  • Submit claims online or via the app
  • Mix and match plans as needed

Cons

  • Some Blue Cross Canada health insurance reviews have criticized the customer service
  • Dental coverage is limited
  • Only available to Canadian citizens

Our Canada Life health insurance review: the best guaranteed policies

Canada Life offers a variety of levels of health insurance, all with differing levels of coverage which are designed to suit your needs, including prescription drugs, dental care, vision care and more.

They have comprehensive optional add-ons for you to further personalize your health plan. They also offer a ten-day look-and-see period. You can cancel your policy with no penalty during the first ten days.

Canada Life health insurance is a choice for you if you do not have health benefits through your employer, you are losing your group coverage, or if you would like additional benefits not offered by your employer’s or province’s health and drug coverage. Note that you must have provincial or territorial health and drug coverage to apply for personal health insurance.

Pros

  • Multiple plans that offer guaranteed acceptance
  • Quick and easy online quote and application
  • Comprehensive optional coverage add-ons

Cons

  • Travel medical insurance is not automatically included in their plans (it is an optional add-on)
  • Some Canada Life health insurance reviews have noted long callback times

Our Desjardins health insurance review: the most inclusive choice

Desjardins is a leading provider of insurance in Canada. Desjardins health insurance can be bundled with other insurance policies in order to save money. Compared to competitors, Desjardins premiums are slightly higher however they offer a wider range of coverages. That said, in some ways the company is behind some of its competitors as it does not offer the ability to sign up for a policy online.

Pros

  • Dental, medical, vision and travel insurance included in the standard plan
  • Online health platform and 24/7 telephones assistance
  • High maximum coverage limits
  • Enhanced hospital care

Cons

  • A policy can only be issued on the 1st or 15th of the month
  • Some Desjardins reviews critique the lack of online sign-up
  • Plans not available after 70 years old

Our GMS health insurance review: the best online option

GMS health insurance offers plans ranging from basic coverage to comprehensive, all of which have the option to add dental benefits and/or drug benefits. With GMS, you will be able to tailor a plan to fit your health needs.

They have a comprehensive online portal, My GMS, which allows for easy access to your benefit information and the ability to submit a claim online. Their travel insurance for certain plans automatically adds COVID treatment coverage.

GMS health insurance is a choice for you if you do not have health benefits through your employer, starting your own business, or if you would like additional benefits not offered by your employer’s or province’s health and drug coverage.

Pros

  • My GMS portal access
  • Submit a claim online or via the app
  • Counselling and speech therapy is covered in some plans

Cons

  • Some GMS health insurance reviews have criticized the limited dental plan
  • Some GMS health insurance coverage reviews have noted that hospital benefits are not automatically included
  • Vision and travellers insurance are not included in the Basic plan

Make sure you find the right health insurance for you.

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