GreenShield review
Self-employed & guaranteed acceptance
Our rating · #4 of 6 for health insurance
At a glance
The bottom line
GreenShield is Canada’s only national not-for-profit health payer, and now investment-grade rated. Its individual lineup is the standout for hard-to-place buyers: ZONE for the self-employed, LINK for group leavers, and Prism for guaranteed acceptance with pre-existing conditions. Its “payvider” model integrates claims with actual mental-health, telemedicine and pharmacy delivery. The trade-off is a smaller balance sheet than the Big Three and a DBRS-only rating that dates only to 2026.
- Self-employed & guaranteed acceptance
- No traditional AM Best/S&P rating (DBRS only, since 2026)
The expert assessment
How our analysts score GreenShield’s health insurance — 85.2/100 across six weighted pillars.
Inaugural DBRS rating on GSCI (MCT 300%). No AM Best/S&P rating — DBRS only, and only since 2026.
Source: https://dbrs.morningstar.com/research/472910
What experts like
- Best guaranteed-issue individual lineup (Prism) for pre-existing conditions
- Not-for-profit “payvider” — integrates coverage with real care delivery
- Strong value on accessible individual plans (ZONE)
Watch-outs
- No traditional AM Best/S&P rating (DBRS only, since 2026)
- Smaller balance sheet than the Big Three
What GreenShield's health insurance policy wording actually says
Read from GreenShield ZONE plan comparison chart (2025 chart; states it does not constitute a contract. Two eligibility quotes are from the fuller ZONE brochure hosted by TD Insurance (01/25)), not the brochure. Each answer is the contract's own sentence with its page number.
- No-medical-questions option
- ZONE 1 to 3 and Fundamental: guaranteed acceptance with no deadline tied to a group plan
Read the clause
“your acceptance is guaranteed — no medical exams or questions when you apply (as long as GreenShield receives your initial payment).”
p. 3 - Pre-existing conditions
- ZONE 4 to 7 are underwritten: the offer excludes current medications and those for pre-existing conditions; no lookback stated
Read the clause
“GreenShield will send you an offer for coverage that excludes medications you're currently taking and those approved by Health Canada to prevent or treat the pre-existing medical conditions.”
p. 3 - Dental waiting periods
- No waiting period on basic; ZONE 4 has no major or orthodontics; ZONE 5 to 7 major from year 3 at 50%
Read the clause
“Available in Year 3 – Plan pays 50%, subject to annual max.”
p. 2 - Dental maximum and coinsurance
- ZONE 4 (mid tier): $700 in year 1, $900 in year 2, $1,100 from year 3; basic 80%; comprehensive basic 60% then 70% then 80%
Read the clause
“Year 1: $700 per person / Year 2: $900 per year / Year 3+: $1,100”
p. 2 - Premium changes
- Premium-change right not stated; only benefit changes carry 30 days' notice
Read the clause
“Benefits are subject to change; GreenShield will notify policy owners with thirty (30) days written notice.”
p. 3 - Coverage ends at
- None; lifetime coverage while premiums are paid
Read the clause
“your plan will cover you for life – no matter what your age or any future changes in your health – as long as your payments are made.”
p. 5
All 13 questions for GreenShield, and the same questions for 6 other insurers →
GreenShield health insurance in detail
Scored on our health insurance Expert Score — see the full health insurance ranking.
Ranked #4 of 6 health insurance providers we rate
4.3Good for self-employed & guaranteed acceptance
GreenShield is Canada’s only national not-for-profit health payer, and now investment-grade rated. Its individual lineup is the standout for hard-to-place buyers: ZONE for the self-employed, LINK for group leavers, and Prism for guaranteed acceptance with pre-existing conditions. Its “payvider” model integrates claims with actual mental-health, telemedicine and pharmacy delivery. The trade-off is a smaller balance sheet than the Big Three and a DBRS-only rating that dates only to 2026.
- Best guaranteed-issue individual lineup (Prism) for pre-existing conditions
- Not-for-profit “payvider” — integrates coverage with real care delivery
- Strong value on accessible individual plans (ZONE)
- No traditional AM Best/S&P rating (DBRS only, since 2026)
- Smaller balance sheet than the Big Three
How to buy GreenShield health insurance
Buy direct online through GreenShield's quoter, by phone at 1-844-855-7873, through a broker, or white-labelled via TD Insurance. LINK plans are guaranteed acceptance if you apply within 90 days of your group insurance end date. All 13 provinces and territories are offered; you must be a Canadian resident under 80 with provincial coverage. Quebec residents need RAMQ, which pays drug claims first.
GreenShield health insurance plans
LINK 1-4 (group conversion)
The leaving-group family, all four guaranteed acceptance within 90 days of your group end date. Drugs at 80% across all tiers, from $500 rising to $800 by year three on LINK 1, up to $2,300 rising to $2,700 by year four on LINK 4. Dental from none on LINK 1 to $1,750 by year three on LINK 4. Hospital accommodation at $200/day for 30 days is included in every LINK plan.
Best for Anyone inside the 90-day window after leaving an employer plan, especially with a health history.
Not for Healthy buyers who would qualify for an underwritten ZONE plan at a lower price.
ZONE 1, 2, 3 and ZONE Fundamental (guaranteed acceptance)
No health questions, designed to cover pre-existing conditions up to stated maximums. ZONE 1 has no drug or dental at all, just vision, paramedical and travel. ZONE 2 and 3 add dental rising to $800 and $1,000 by year three. Only ZONE Fundamental includes drugs, at 70% to roughly $650 by year three.
Best for Someone with pre-existing conditions who wants dental and paramedical without underwriting.
Not for Anyone whose main need is prescription drugs, since three of these four barely cover them.
ZONE 4 and 5 (underwritten, mid-tier)
A health questionnaire is required and GreenShield may issue a counter-offer excluding pre-existing conditions. ZONE 4 covers drugs at 80% to $2,500 rising to $3,500 in year three, with no dental. ZONE 5 covers drugs at 90% to $5,000 plus dental to $1,100 by year three, with major dental at 50% from year three.
Best for Healthy buyers who want far more drug coverage per dollar than guaranteed-issue plans give.
Not for Applicants with any condition likely to trigger an exclusion on the counter-offer.
ZONE 6 and 7 (underwritten, top tier)
The strongest individual drug coverage on the Canadian market: 90% coinsurance to $10,000/year on ZONE 6 and $20,000/year on ZONE 7. Dental reaches $1,300 and $1,500 by year three with six-month recall, major dental at 50% and orthodontics at 50% to a $2,000 lifetime maximum from year three. ZONE 7 pays paramedical at $50/visit to $2,000 combined.
Best for People with high ongoing drug costs who can pass underwriting.
Not for Anyone needing coverage immediately for crowns, bridges or braces.
Optional hospital accommodation (ZONE 4-7 only)
A paid add-on priced at about $6/month, available only on the four underwritten ZONE plans and requiring its own medical underwriting. Worth knowing that the same benefit is bundled free into every LINK plan at $200/day for 30 days a year, which is a genuine structural advantage of the conversion family.
Best for ZONE 4-7 buyers who want semi-private hospital cover for a few dollars a month.
Not for Guaranteed-acceptance ZONE buyers, who cannot purchase it at all.
What GreenShield health insurance costs
Community-rated on age band, province and family size only. Health status does not change the premium even on plans that ask health questions; underwriting changes what is excluded, not what you pay. Two findings stand out. First, guaranteed acceptance has a real price: ZONE 4 (underwritten) quotes $81/month against ZONE 3 (guaranteed) at $106 and ZONE Fundamental at $123, so a healthy applicant pays less for more drug coverage by accepting underwriting. Second, the drug-heavy plans peak in the 55-64 band and then fall at 65+ — LINK 4 drops from $338 to $297 and LINK 1 from $154 to $134 — while ZONE 1, which carries no drug benefit, keeps rising. Provincial senior drug programs absorbing the drug risk is the likely explanation, though GreenShield does not state this. The practical takeaway: the worst time to buy is 55-64, and it is worth requoting at 65.
| Profile | Premium | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Single adult, Ontario, age 18-44, ZONE 1 | $48/month | View source |
| Single adult, Ontario, age 18-44, ZONE 6 | $175/month | View source |
| Single adult, Ontario, age 18-44, LINK 1 | $118/month | View source |
| Single adult, Ontario, age 55-59, LINK 4 | $338/month | View source |
| Single adult, Ontario, age 65+, LINK 4 | $297/month | View source |
| Family of four (2 adults, 2 children), Ontario, age 18-44, ZONE 7 | $579/month | View source |
Premiums are the figures published or quoted at the sources above as at September 2026. Insurance is priced individually — treat these as a realistic benchmark, not a quote.
What GreenShield health insurance customers say
GreenShield's review evidence splits harder than any other insurer here. The GreenShield+ app holds 4.76 out of 5 across 21,799 App Store ratings and 4.67 across 5,900 on Google Play — both independently verified. Against that, its Trustpilot and BBB customer-review pages sit near the bottom of the scale. Those measure different things: the app scores rate a claims-submission interface, the others rate what happens when a claim is denied or you need a person.
Two things argue against reading the low scores as GreenShield being unusually bad. The whole Canadian category sits in the same low band on public review sites, so GreenShield is mid-pack rather than an outlier, and its BBB complaint volume is low for an insurer serving millions, against an A+ accredited grade. The counterweight: the app's lifetime aggregate appears inflated by in-app rating prompts, since recent written reviews skew far more negative than the headline number, suggesting reliability has regressed. Most reviewers are also employer-plan members who never chose GreenShield, a structurally angrier group than people who bought their own policy. Important caveat: the Trustpilot and BBB ratings and counts behind the negative half of this picture could not be independently reproduced, as both sites block automated access, so no numeric figure from either is cited and the complaint themes below should be re-verified before publication.
- Apple App Store (GreenShield+) 4.76/5 21,799 reviews
- Google Play (GreenShield+) 4.67/5 5,900 reviews
- Easy claim submission. Reviewers say submitting a claim takes moments and the app is straightforward, which is what carries the 4.7-plus store ratings.
- Strong individual front-line agents. One five-star Trustpilot reviewer praises a named representative's patience while noting that not all representatives match her skill.
- Non-profit structure. Buyers cite GreenShield reinvesting 15 to 20% of pre-tax earnings into health programs as a reason to prefer it over shareholder-owned insurers.
- Hours-long phone waits. A BBB reviewer reports waiting two hours and eleven minutes to reach anyone; a Trustpilot reviewer waited 90 minutes and was transferred four times.
- Specialty drug denials. One reviewer describes being denied eight times for a medication for brain lesion pain.
- App reliability regression. Recent written reviews say the app now freezes specifically at claim submission, with several noting it used to work well.
- Premiums climbing as value shrinks. A ZONE 2 policyholder since 2014 reports seven increases taking the premium from $56.80 to $95 a month for less value.
GreenShield: frequently asked questions
Can GreenShield be trusted to pay out a claim?
On the evidence, yes: GreenShield holds an A (Stable) FSR financial-strength rating from DBRS Morningstar (Jan 2026) — an independent agency’s verdict on its ability to pay claims. Inaugural DBRS rating on GSCI (MCT 300%). No AM Best/S&P rating — DBRS only, and only since 2026.
Who is GreenShield health insurance a good fit for?
GreenShield stands out for self-employed & guaranteed acceptance. Best guaranteed-issue individual lineup (Prism) for pre-existing conditions, and not-for-profit “payvider” — integrates coverage with real care delivery. If those things matter most to you, it’s worth a close look; if your priority is something else, compare it against the companies that rate highest on that pillar.
What are the downsides of GreenShield health insurance?
The watch-outs we found: no traditional AM Best/S&P rating (DBRS only, since 2026); smaller balance sheet than the Big Three. We spell these out so you can weigh them before buying — every insurer has trade-offs, and knowing them upfront is the point of a real review.
How does GreenShield compare to other health insurance companies in Canada?
GreenShield ranks #4 of the 6 health insurance providers we scored, at 85.2/100. It’s strongest on availability and has the most room to improve on financial strength.
Does GreenShield really have no waiting period?
Only in the narrow sense that coverage starts the first of the month after approval, with no blackout before you can claim. But major dental — crowns, onlays, dentures, bridgework — is explicitly "available in Year 3" on ZONE 3, 5, 6, 7, LINK 3 and LINK 4, and orthodontics likewise on ZONE 6, ZONE 7 and LINK 4. That is a two-year wait in practice. Annual maximums and coinsurance also ramp: ZONE 2 comprehensive basic dental pays 50% in year one, 70% in year two and 80% from year three. If you need a crown this year, no GreenShield plan will pay for it.
How long do I have to convert after leaving my employer plan?
GreenShield's LINK benefit documentation states all four LINK plans offer guaranteed acceptance provided you apply within 90 days of your group insurance end date and GreenShield receives your initial payment — no health questions. Be careful here: GreenShield's website cards phrase it as being for people who "recently lost or will lose employee benefits within 90 days," which reads ambiguously, and the 90-day figure does not actually appear on their group-conversion landing page. The benefit document is the operative wording. Confirm your specific date with GreenShield at 1-844-855-7873 rather than relying on the marketing copy.
Which GreenShield plans skip the health questions?
Eight of twelve. All four LINK plans are guaranteed acceptance, as are ZONE 1, ZONE 2, ZONE 3 and ZONE Fundamental — GreenShield states these are designed to cover pre-existing conditions up to the stated maximums. ZONE 4 through 7 require a health questionnaire, and GreenShield may respond with a counter-offer that excludes your pre-existing conditions. One inconsistency worth knowing: GreenShield's own FAQ page lists the guaranteed plans but omits ZONE 1, while their benefit PDF includes it. Treat the benefit document as authoritative and confirm before applying.
Is it cheaper to answer the health questions?
Often, yes, and by a surprising margin. For a single Ontario adult aged 18-44, ZONE 4 — which requires underwriting and covers drugs at 80% up to $3,500 by year three — quotes about $81 a month. The guaranteed-acceptance ZONE 3, which includes no drug coverage at all, quotes about $106, and ZONE Fundamental about $123. So a healthy applicant willing to answer questions gets materially more coverage for less money. Guaranteed acceptance is insurance against being refused, and you pay a real premium for it. If you are healthy and outside any conversion window, get the underwritten quote first.
How does GreenShield work if I live in Quebec?
Differently, and you need to plan for it. To be eligible for LINK or ZONE prescription drug coverage in Quebec you must be covered by RAMQ, and your drug claims must be submitted to RAMQ first. GreenShield then coordinates the unpaid balance, including co-payments and deductibles, so you may be reimbursed up to 100% of the eligible expense. If a drug is not covered by RAMQ at all, the plan's standard co-pay applies. In effect GreenShield is a secondary drug payer in Quebec, which is why some Quebec premiums differ from Ontario's for the same plan.