How much does critical illness insurance cost in Canada?
For $100,000 of critical illness coverage on a 10 year term, a non smoker in Canada typically pays about $25 to $30 a month at age 30, $35 to $50 at 40 and $70 to $100 at 50. Price depends on the same things as life insurance, such as age, sex, smoking, term and amount, but two of them work differently: on 10 and 20 year terms women get little or no discount before their mid-40s, and smoking costs less extra than it does for life coverage. What the policy covers, explained in our guide to how critical illness insurance works, matters as much as the price.
Typical premiums by age
$100,000 of coverage, non smoker, full plan covering about 25 conditions, no riders, monthly:
| Age | 10 year term | 20 year term |
|---|---|---|
| 30 | ~$25 to $30 | ~$35 |
| 35 | ~$30 to $35 | ~$45 |
| 40 | ~$35 to $50 | ~$60 |
| 45 | ~$60 to $65 | ~$90 to $95 |
| 50 | ~$70 to $100 | ~$120 to $145 |
| 55 | ~$135 to $180 | |
| 60 | ~$185 to $250 |
For a smaller amount, one online provider’s published 2026 rates for $50,000 on a 20 year term were roughly $20 a month at 30, $35 at 40 and $65 to $75 at 50. Price does not halve with the amount: in those rates, halving the coverage cut the premium by only about 35 to 45 percent at ages 30 to 40.
Where these figures come from. We compiled the ranges in October 2026 from critical illness rates published between 2024 and 2026 by licensed Canadian brokers and by one online provider for its own product. Figures for older ages and for coverage to 75 or to 100 rely on one broker’s 2024 tables. The sources do not all state the health class used, rates vary by province, and insurers price the same applicant differently, so treat the figures as approximate. None of these numbers is an offer of insurance.
Coverage to 75 or for life
Longer coverage costs more each month but locks in the price. For $100,000 of coverage, non smoker:
| Age | To age 75 | To age 100 |
|---|---|---|
| 30 | ~$60 to $70 | ~$75 to $85 |
| 40 | ~$95 to $110 | ~$110 to $125 |
| 50 | ~$140 to $180 | ~$190 to $220 |
| 60 | ~$215 to $295 | ~$305 to $420 |
These ranges come from one broker’s tables published in 2024, the most recent long-term tables we found; the lower figure in each range is for women and the higher for men. We found no 2026 tables for this coverage, but the same broker’s 2024 rates for 20 year terms are within about $6 a month of a provider’s 2026 rates.
The comparison that matters is over the long run. In one broker’s published example, a man who renews a 10 year term from age 25 to 75 pays about $98,000 in total, against about $35,000 for coverage to 75 bought at 25. Short terms are cheapest at the start and most expensive over a lifetime.
What moves the price
- Age. Price rises about 1.5 to 1.8 times from 30 to 40, roughly doubles from 40 to 50, and rises 2 to 2.6 times from 50 to 60.
- Sex, working differently than for life insurance. On 10 and 20 year terms, women typically pay about the same as men until their mid-40s, and sometimes more. That pattern is consistent with Canadian Cancer Society statistics showing cancer rates are higher in women than men between ages 15 and 59, partly because of breast cancer. From about 50, women typically pay 10 to 30 percent less. For coverage to 75 or to 100, women paid about 10 percent less even at 30 in the tables we found. For life insurance, by contrast, women pay less at every age, as our guide to life insurance costs shows.
- Smoking. Roughly 10 to 35 percent more up to about age 30, rising to about 40 to 60 percent more at 35, and to about twice the non smoker price from the mid-40s. That is a smaller gap than for life insurance, where smokers pay two to three times as much.
- Term length. A 20 year term costs about 1.2 to 1.5 times a 10 year term at the same age; coverage to 75 or to 100 costs more again at younger ages, with the gap narrowing as you get older.
- Plan type. Basic plans covering a few core conditions cost less than full plans covering about 25.
- Health. Ratings and exclusions from underwriting change the price, and family history can matter.
Return of premium riders
A return of premium rider refunds premiums if you never claim, and its cost depends on when it pays. In one broker’s published examples for coverage to 75 (published in 2023 and updated in 2024):
- Refund on death added about 3 to 8 percent.
- Refund at expiry added about 30 to 35 percent at age 35, 50 to 60 percent at 45, and 100 to 140 percent at 55.
- Refund on cancellation after 15 years added about 75 to 85 percent at 35 and 125 to 170 percent at 55.
The cost rises steeply with age, so the rider is cheapest for younger buyers who expect to keep the policy, and can double the premium for an older buyer. Neither the Canada Revenue Agency nor Revenu Québec has formally ruled on how a refund is taxed, as our pillar guide explains.
Simplified issue critical illness
Simplified products skip the medical exam and ask a short questionnaire. They usually cover fewer conditions rather than costing less: one simplified plan covering 8 conditions costs about the same as a fully underwritten plan covering 25. Some simplified products also raise premiums every year or every few years, or exclude pre-existing conditions for a period, so compare the terms, not just the starting price.
Critical illness compared with life insurance
Per dollar of coverage, critical illness costs much more than term life. In one provider’s published example of an average policy for a 35 year old non smoker in Ontario, $100,000 of 15 year critical illness coverage cost about $37 a month, more than the $28 for $500,000 of 15 year term life. That is one reason people often size critical illness coverage to the cost of a period of illness and recovery rather than to a lifetime of income.
Frequently asked questions
How much does critical illness insurance cost per month in Canada?
For $100,000 of coverage on a 10 year term, a non smoker typically pays about $25 to $30 a month at age 30, $35 to $50 at 40 and $70 to $100 at 50, based on rates published by Canadian brokers and providers between 2024 and 2026. Longer terms and lifetime coverage cost more.
Do women pay less for critical illness insurance?
Not on 10 and 20 year terms at younger ages. Women typically pay about the same as men until their mid-40s, and sometimes more, which is consistent with cancer rates being higher in women than men between ages 15 and 59. From about 50, women typically pay 10 to 30 percent less.
How much more do smokers pay for critical illness insurance?
Less of a gap than for life insurance at younger ages: roughly 10 to 35 percent more up to about age 30, about 40 to 60 percent more at 35, and about twice the non smoker price from the mid-40s.
Is critical illness insurance more expensive than life insurance?
Per dollar of coverage, yes. In one provider’s published example for a 35 year old non smoker, $100,000 of critical illness coverage cost more per month than $500,000 of term life insurance over the same 15 year term.
How much does a return of premium rider cost?
It depends heavily on the type and your age. In one broker’s published examples for coverage to 75, a refund on death added only a few percent, a refund at expiry added about 30 to 35 percent at 35 and roughly doubled the premium at 55, and a refund on cancellation cost more again.
What to do next
The cheapest critical illness quote is not always the best one: definitions, partial benefits and riders differ between insurers. A licensed advisor can price several insurers side by side for the amount and term that fit your situation.
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