---
title: Health coverage for employees who are new to Canada
description: Equitable Life has launched InpatProtect to provide temporary coverage to look after basic health needs.
image: https://blog.equitable.ca/hubfs/InpatProtect%20-%20square.jpg
---

- [Log In  ](http://www.equitable.ca)

![](https://blog.equitable.ca/hubfs/Equitable-Apr2017/Images/submenu-arrow.png)

## Group Benefits (EquitableHealth.ca)

Sign in to submit an EZClaim, review coverage and access valuable health resources.

- [Plan members](https://www.equitablehealth.ca/)
- [Plan administrators](https://www.equitablehealth.ca/)
- [Advisors](https://www.equitablehealth.ca/)

## Insurance and Investments

- [Equitable Client Access](https://client.equitable.ca)
  
  Access to your Individual Investment and Insurance policy information such as account activity, balances, coverage and payment details.
- [Advisors (EquiNet)](https://advisor.equitable.ca)
  
  Exclusive advisor resources

Search

Search

[Français](http://www.equitable.ca/fr/à-propos-de-nous/)

[![Equitable Life of Canada Logo](https://blog.equitable.ca/hubfs/Equitable-Apr2017/Images/logo.png)](http://www.equitable.ca/)

- [Home](http://www.equitable.ca/en/)
- [we are](http://www.equitable.ca/en/who-we-are/) 
    - [News](https://blog.equitable.ca)
    - [Our mutuality](http://www.equitable.ca/en/who-we-are/our-mutuality/)
    - [Our financial strength](http://www.equitable.ca/en/who-we-are/our-financial-strength/)
    - [Why do business with us?](http://www.equitable.ca/en/who-we-are/why-do-business-with-us/)
    - [Vision, mission, values](http://www.equitable.ca/en/who-we-are/vision-mission-values/)
    - [Our leadership team](http://www.equitable.ca/en/who-we-are/our-leadership/)
    - [In the community](http://www.equitable.ca/en/who-we-are/in-the-community/)
    - [Works for me](http://www.equitable.ca/en/who-we-are/works-for-me/)
- [products](http://www.equitable.ca/en/our-products/) 
    - [Individual insurance](http://www.equitable.ca/en/our-products/individual-insurance/) 
          - [Term life](http://www.equitable.ca/en/our-products/individual-insurance/term/)
          - [Whole life](http://www.equitable.ca/en/our-products/individual-insurance/whole-life/)
          - [Universal life](http://www.equitable.ca/en/our-products/individual-insurance/universal-life/)
          - [Critical illness](http://www.equitable.ca/en/our-products/individual-insurance/critical-illness/)
          - [Simple issue](http://www.equitable.ca/en/our-products/individual-insurance/simple-issue/)
    - [Savings & Retirement](http://www.equitable.ca/en/our-products/savings-retirement/) 
          - [Guaranteed interest account](http://www.equitable.ca/en/our-products/savings-retirement/guaranteed-interest-account/)
          - [Payout annuities](http://www.equitable.ca/en/our-products/savings-retirement/payout-annuities/)
          - [Registered retirement savings plan (RRSP)](http://www.equitable.ca/en/our-products/savings-retirement/registered-retirement-savings-plan-rrsp/)
          - [Segregated funds](http://www.equitable.ca/en/our-products/savings-retirement/segregated-funds/)
          - [Tax-free savings account (TFSA)](http://www.equitable.ca/en/our-products/savings-retirement/tax-free-savings-account-tfsa/)
    - [Group Benefits](http://www.equitable.ca/en/our-products/group-benefits/) 
          - [Life, accident and critical illness](http://www.equitable.ca/en/our-products/group-benefits/life-accident-and-critical-illness/)
          - [Health and dental](http://www.equitable.ca/en/our-products/group-benefits/health-and-dental/)
          - [Health care spending account](http://www.equitable.ca/en/our-products/group-benefits/health-care-spending-account/)
          - [Disability management solutions](http://www.equitable.ca/en/our-products/group-benefits/disability-management-solutions/)
          - [Health, wellness and online services](http://www.equitable.ca/en/our-products/group-benefits/health-wellness-and-online-services/)
          - [Personal health and dental coverage](http://www.equitable.ca/en/our-products/group-benefits/about-coverage2go/)
          - [myFlex Benefits](http://www.equitable.ca/en/our-products/group-benefits/myflex-benefits/)
    - [Investment Management](http://www.equitable.ca/en/our-products/investment-management/) 
          - [Our approach](http://www.equitable.ca/en/our-products/investment-management/our-approach/)
          - [The funds](http://www.equitable.ca/en/our-products/investment-management/the-funds/)
          - [Key reasons to own](http://www.equitable.ca/en/our-products/investment-management/key-reasons-to-own/)
          - [Why us?](http://www.equitable.ca/en/our-products/investment-management/why-us/)
          - [Frequently asked questions](http://www.equitable.ca/en/our-products/investment-management/faq/)
          - [Commercial mortgages](http://www.equitable.ca/en/our-products/investment-management/commercial-mortgages/)
- [our team](http://www.equitable.ca/en/join-our-team/) 
    - [Explore our organization](http://www.equitable.ca/en/join-our-team/explore-our-organization/)
    - [What we offer](http://www.equitable.ca/en/join-our-team/what-we-offer/)
    - [Follow us](http://www.equitable.ca/en/join-our-team/follow-us/)
    - [Current opportunities](http://www.equitable.ca/en/join-our-team/current-opportunities/)
- [in touch](http://www.equitable.ca/en/get-in-touch/)

# Health coverage for employees who are new to Canada

[Français](https://blog.equitable.ca/fr-enews/une-couverture-dassurance-maladie-complémentaire-pour-les-employés-nouvellement-arrivés-au-canada)

![InpatProtect - header - 1000x360](https://blog.equitable.ca/hs-fs/hubfs/InpatProtect%20-%20header%20-%201000x360.jpg?width=1000&name=InpatProtect%20-%20header%20-%201000x360.jpg)

For a new employee starting to work in Canada, looking after basic health needs can be difficult.

There’s a waiting period for provincial health coverage, and group benefits plans don’t cover the physician, hospital or emergency services that they or their eligible dependents may need during their initial months in the country. They could end up incurring significant unexpected health expenses.

That’s why Equitable Life has launched InpatProtectTM. Available beginning July 2, it provides temporary coverage to look after the basic health needs of employees and their eligible dependents during their transition to Canada. Employers can recruit from outside the country knowing that their employees will have some protection in the event of a medical need, including an emergency.

For up to 90 days, InpatProtect will cover employees and their eligible dependents for basic services that would normally be reimbursed under provincial health plans, such as:

- Physician services 
    - Prescriptions for medications
    - Diagnosis and treatment for illness or injury
- Hospital services 
    - In-patient services
    - Drugs prescribed and delivered as an inpatient in-hospital
    - Out-patient services
- Emergency services 
    - Ambulance services
- Emergency dental services

InpatProtect functions as a separate health coverage plan with its own list of eligible expenses and plan design. As employees incur medical expenses, they will claim them under either their InpatProtect health coverage, or their group benefits plan, depending on the type of expense.

To be eligible, employees must be actively working for the employer in Canada. In addition, employees and their eligible dependents must:

- Have submitted their application for provincial health coverage and not currently be covered under any government sponsored health plan;
- Be under the age of 75;
- Qualify for their employer’s extended health coverage under the employer’s group benefits policy;
- Be living in Canada; and
- Expect to stay in Canada for the minimum provincial approval requirement.

Contact your advisor or Equitable Life representative to learn more about how InpatProtect can help fill the health coverage gap for your employees who are new to Canada.

- [Who We Are](http://www.equitable.ca/en/who-we-are/) 
    - [News](https://blog.equitable.ca)
    - [Our mutuality](http://www.equitable.ca/en/who-we-are/our-mutuality/)
    - [Our financial strength](http://www.equitable.ca/en/who-we-are/our-financial-strength/)
    - [Why do business with us?](http://www.equitable.ca/en/who-we-are/why-do-business-with-us/)
    - [Vision, mission, values](http://www.equitable.ca/en/who-we-are/vision-mission-values/)
    - [Our leadership team](http://www.equitable.ca/en/who-we-are/our-leadership/)
    - [In the community](http://www.equitable.ca/en/who-we-are/in-the-community/)
    - [Works for me](http://www.equitable.ca/en/who-we-are/works-for-me/)

### Follow us

[![](https://blog.equitable.ca/hubfs/Equitable-Apr2017/Images/bg_feed.gif) RSS](https://equitable-3012629.hs-sites.com/blog/rss.xml)

### Archives

- [July 2019 (1)](https://blog.equitable.ca/enews/archive/2019/07)

[![CONTACT US](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/3012629/507abe80-db2a-4be7-870b-5b823c6aad0c.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/3012629/507abe80-db2a-4be7-870b-5b823c6aad0c)

## Contact us

One Westmount Road North

P.O. Box 1603, Stn Waterloo

Waterloo, Ontario  N2J 4C7

Phone: 519.886.5110

Toll Free: 1.800.722.6615

[View map](http://www.equitable.ca/en/get-in-touch/head-office.aspx)

## Current opportunities

[View opportunities](http://www.equitable.ca/en/join-our-team/current-opportunities/)

## Resources

- [Individual rates](http://www.equitable.ca/en/our-products/individual-insurance/rates-performance/universal-life-investments/)
- [Savings & Retirement rates and performance](http://www.equitable.ca/en/our-products/savings-retirement/rates-performance/)
- [Individual forms](http://www.equitable.ca/en/our-products/individual-insurance/forms.aspx)
- [Group forms](http://www.equitable.ca/en/our-products/group-benefits/group-benefits-forms/)
- [NI 24-101 Trade Matching Statement](http://www.equitable.ca/advisorhome/pdf/tools/Trade-Matching-Statement.pdf)

- [Facebook](http://www.facebook.com/EquitableLife)
- [Twitter](https://twitter.com/equitablelife)
- [LinkedIn](http://www.linkedin.com/company/equitable-life)

- [Site Map](http://www.equitable.ca/en/site-map.aspx)
- [Feedback](mailto:webmaster@equitable.ca)
- [Privacy](http://www.equitable.ca/en/privacy.aspx)
- [Security](http://www.equitable.ca/en/security.aspx)
- [Legal](http://www.equitable.ca/en/legal.aspx)
- [NI 24-101 Trade Matching Statement](http://www.equitable.ca/advisorhome/pdf/tools/Trade-Matching-Statement.pdf)
- [Top](https://blog.equitable.ca/enews/health-coverage-for-employees-who-are-new-to-canada#top)

Please refer to our [Legal](http://www.equitable.ca/en/legal.aspx) and [Privacy Page](http://www.equitable.ca/en/privacy.aspx) for the conditions applicable when using this Site.

© Copyright 1999-2017 Equitable Life of Canada