Understanding psychotherapy insurance coverage with Canada Life

Most extended health care benefit plans with Canada Life cover some form of psychotherapy. The type of psychotherapy covered and the maximum number of sessions per year may vary depending on the individual plan. However, coverage for psychotherapy is becoming increasingly common as the mental health benefits of treatment are better understood. Psychotherapy can be an effective treatment for a variety of mental health conditions, including anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. It can also help to improve coping skills and promote emotional well-being. If you are considering seeking psychotherapy, check with your extended health care provider to see if your plan provides coverage.

What’s included and how it works

Canada Life’s psychotherapy coverage is included within their health benefits plan under the “Health Professionals” claim category. Psychotherapy services are eligible for reimbursement if they are provided by licensed and regulated health professionals listed in Canada Life’s benefits portal. This includes:

  • Counsellor
  • Psychologist (office visits and testing)
  • Psychotherapist
  • Social Worker

Common Types of Psychotherapists Covered:

Types of Covered Psychotherapy Services:

Coverage and Reimbursement Details

Most benefits plans have an overall maximum, which sets a lifetime dollar limit that each insured person can claim. Psychotherapy coverage is generally reinstated annually, so any unused portion will not carry over into the next calendar year.

Psychotherapy services are typically reimbursed at 100% but are subject to Canada Life’s customary charges (updated for 2026), which are as follows by province:

Canada Life Customary Charges for Therapy by Province & Mental Health Professional:

Psychotherapist:

$132.00 per 30 minutes
$173.00 per 45 minutes
$203.00 per hour

Social Worker:

$130.00 per 30 minutes
$170.00 per 45 minutes
$200.00 per hour

Counsellor:

$137.00 per 30 minutes
$179.00 per 45 minutes
$210.00 per hour

Psychologist:

$143.00 per 30 minutes
$187.00 per 45 minutes
$220.00 per hour

Psychotherapist:

$116.00 per 30 minutes
$152.00 per 45 minutes
$179.00 per hour

Social Worker:

$104.00 per 30 minutes
$136.00 per 45 minutes
$160.00 per hour

Counsellor:

$127.00 per 30 minutes
$166.00 per 45 minutes
$195.00 per hour

Psychologist:

$151.00 per 30 minutes
$198.00 per 45 minutes
$232.00 per hour

Psychotherapist:

$98.00 per 30 minutes
$128.00 per 45 minutes
$150.00 per hour

Social Worker:

$103.00 per 30 minutes
$134.00 per 45 minutes
$158.00 per hour

Counsellor:

$120.00 per 30 minutes
$157.00 per 45 minutes
$185.00 per hour

Psychologist:

$140.00 per 30 minutes
$183.00 per 45 minutes
$215.00 per hour

Psychotherapist:

$112.00 per 30 minutes
$146.00 per 45 minutes
$172.00 per hour

Social Worker:

$96.00 per 30 minutes
$125.00 per 45 minutes
$147.00 per hour

Counsellor:

$113.00 per 30 minutes
$148.00 per 45 minutes
$174.00 per hour

Psychologist:

$133.00 per 30 minutes
$173.00 per 45 minutes
$204.00 per hour

Psychotherapist:

$107.00 per 30 minutes
$139.00 per 45 minutes
$164.00 per hour

Social Worker:

$114.00 per 30 minutes
$149.00 per 45 minutes
$175.00 per hour

Counsellor:

$122.00 per 30 minutes
$160.00 per 45 minutes
$188.00 per hour

Psychologist:

$131.00 per 30 minutes
$172.00 per 45 minutes
$202.00 per hour

Psychotherapist:

$109.00 per 30 minutes
$143.00 per 45 minutes
$168.00 per hour

Social Worker:

$107.00 per 30 minutes
$139.00 per 45 minutes
$164.00 per hour

Counsellor:

$118.00 per 30 minutes
$154.00 per 45 minutes
$181.00 per hour

Psychologist:

$130.00 per 30 minutes
$170.00 per 45 minutes
$200.00 per hour

Psychotherapist:

$112.00 per 30 minutes
$147.00 per 45 minutes
$173.00 per hour

Social Worker:

$112.00 per 30 minutes
$147.00 per 45 minutes
$173.00 per hour

Counsellor:

$124.00 per 30 minutes
$162.00 per 45 minutes
$191.00 per hour

Psychologist:

$137.00 per 30 minutes
$179.00 per 45 minutes
$210.00 per hour

Psychotherapist:

$109.00 per 30 minutes
$143.00 per 45 minutes
$168.00 per hour

Social Worker:

$107.00 per 30 minutes
$139.00 per 45 minutes
$164.00 per hour

Counsellor:

$118.00 per 30 minutes
$154.00 per 45 minutes
$181.00 per hour

Psychologist:

$130.00 per 30 minutes
$170.00 per 45 minutes
$200.00 per hour

Psychotherapist:

$120.00 per 30 minutes
$157.00 per 45 minutes
$185.00 per hour

Social Worker:

$114.00 per 30 minutes
$149.00 per 45 minutes
$175.00 per hour

Counsellor:

$134.00 per 30 minutes
$175.00 per 45 minutes
$206.00 per hour

Psychologist:

$156.00 per 30 minutes
$204.00 per 45 minutes
$240.00 per hour

Psychotherapist:

$94.00 per 30 minutes
$123.00 per 45 minutes
$145.00 per hour

Social Worker:

$96.00 per 30 minutes
$126.00 per 45 minutes
$148.00 per hour

Counsellor:

$114.00 per 30 minutes
$150.00 per 45 minutes
$176.00 per hour

Psychologist:

$137.00 per 30 minutes
$179.00 per 45 minutes
$210.00 per hour

Psychotherapist:

$103.00 per 30 minutes
$135.00 per 45 minutes
$159.00 per hour

Social Worker:

$98.00 per 30 minutes
$128.00 per 45 minutes
$150.00 per hour

Counsellor:

$107.00 per 30 minutes
$139.00 per 45 minutes
$164.00 per hour

Psychologist:

$117.00 per 30 minutes
$153.00 per 45 minutes
$180.00 per hour

Psychotherapist:

$107.00 per 30 minutes
$139.00 per 45 minutes
$164.00 per hour

Social Worker:

$102.00 per 30 minutes
$133.00 per 45 minutes
$157.00 per hour

Counsellor:

$114.00 per 30 minutes
$149.00 per 45 minutes
$175.00 per hour

Psychologist:

$130.00 per 30 minutes
$170.00 per 45 minutes
$200.00 per hour

Psychotherapist:

$109.00 per 30 minutes
$143.00 per 45 minutes
$168.00 per hour

Social Worker:

$107.00 per 30 minutes
$139.00 per 45 minutes
$164.00 per hour

Counsellor:

$118.00 per 30 minutes
$154.00 per 45 minutes
$181.00 per hour

Psychologist:

$130.00 per 30 minutes
$170.00 per 45 minutes
$200.00 per hour

These customary charges may differ depending on your coverage and are subject to change.

Insured with Canada Life?

Contact a Canada Life customer service representative to ask about the details of your therapy coverage.

Canada Life Insurance

Benefits General Inquiries

1-800-957-9777
Weekdays from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM ET

We Got You Covered

Therapists listed and verified with Canada Life

Submitting your psychotherapy claim to Canada Life

With Canada Life’s GroupNet portal, you’ll be able to submit claims electronically, monitor your psychotherapy coverage balances, and set up direct deposit for claim payments. To submit psychotherapy fees to Canada Life’s GroupNet portal, you’ll need to visit the login page for GroupNet plan members or download the GroupNet app.

5 simple steps to submit your psychotherapy claim to Canada Life Insurance

The GroupNet login page will guide you through the process of establishing an account. Enter your email address and password, then click “Sign In”. If you have not yet registered, you’ll need to register. Be sure to keep your plan number and member ID handy as the registration process will ask you for this information.

Once you’ve signed in, select the “Make a Claim” button and “Start online claim”.

Select the person the claim is for. Then you’ll choose a plan for this claim. Psychotherapy services fall within the ‘Health’ plan, however, it is also possible to use your Healthcare Spending Accounts (HCSA) or Wellness and Lifestyle expense accounts to help you cover psychotherapy expenses.

Choose your claim category. Psychotherapy coverage is grouped within the ‘Health professionals’ claim category. This includes a list of mental health providers (psychologist, psychotherapist, social work and mental health counsellors).

Choose an existing provider, or add a new psychotherapy provider. Input the information for the Registered Psychotherapist you are working with. Refer to your invoice for this information including your psychotherapists registration number (if required).

Enter all the details of your expense. You will need to provide information such as service type and amount. If you need to claim another expense under the same benefit type, you can click “Add another expense”. Once you’ve finished, click “Continue”.

You will attach your receipt and supporting documents. Check your email or your online booking account for an invoice for your psychotherapy session.

You should take the time to review all your psychotherapy claim information and make sure it’s correct. Once satisfied, click “Submit Claim”. To check the status of your claim, click on “Claim History” in the top left corner.

Canada Life provides a variety of health and wellness benefits to its policy holders including coverage for mental health support. In the past couple of years, Canada Life has built and improved a system to support psychotherapy services and claims.

What is Canada Life GroupNet?

GroupNet is a free, easy-to use platform that provides you access to your group benefits plan and the ability to submit psychotherapy claims with no hassle. You can view a summary of coverages, check remaining balances and view claim submissions.

How long after I submit my psychotherapy claim will Canada Life reimburse me?

Canada Life strives to provide timely reimbursement for psychotherapy expenses. The length of time it takes to process a claim varies depending on a number of factors, such as the type of expense and the date it was incurred. In most cases, Canada Life will issue a decision within 2-5 days of receiving a complete and accurate claim form. You can submit your Canada Life psychotherapy claim online and receive a reimbursement through direct deposit directly into your bank account.

If you have any questions about the status of your claim, you can contact Canada Life Customer Service for assistance. By working with your insurance provider, you can ensure you receive the reimbursement you are entitled to in a timely and efficient manner so that you can continue to focus on your treatment plan.

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This article’s coverage details, reimbursement rates, and claims procedures were verified through with Canada Life. Provincial customary charges and eligible provider types were confirmed via their benefits inquiry line (1-800-957-9777)

Sukaina Nathoo, Clinical Director, Registered Psychotherapist
Sukaina Nathoo, Clinical Director, Registered Psychotherapist

Sukaina Nathoo

Clinical Director, Registered Psychotherapist

Sukaina Nathoo

Clinical Director, Registered Psychotherapist

Sukaina Nathoo is a registered psychotherapist in Ontario, Canada with over 20 years of experience in the field of mental health. Sukaina regularly works with clients who submit psychotherapy claims to Canada Life and other major Canadian insurers.