Your health should be covered, when visiting Canada is a fabulous experience, whether you are visiting your family, spending time with your loved ones, it is always exciting. Travelling to Canada for a business trip, or for any other purpose, more rejoicing, working, attending meetings while exploring the country`s natural beauty.
As we know the Canadian healthcare system is best in the world, but it is expensive for uninsured patients. Healthcare treatment is mostly free for Canadian residents, having provincial health care insurance, is worry free life in Canada.
So that is why having good visitor to Canada medical insurance for your trip is best decision you made. A quality product protect you from unexpected medical bills. A day in hospital can cost 5 to 10 thousand dollars, while your whole trip to Canada may not cost 2 to 5 thousand dollars.
Whether you’re visiting for a few weeks, several months, or waiting for your provincial health coverage to begin, this guide explains everything you need to know about travel medical insurance for visitors to Canada, including coverage options, costs, comparisons, and the best insurance companies in Canada.
The table below provides a general comparison of some of Canada’s most popular visitor insurance providers.
Top Canadian Companies – Cheapest Onwards
| Provider – $100K Price | Coverage Amount | Plan Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| Trustone / Ingle Price from $45/Month – Get Quote No Health Issues Get Quote With Health Issues | $25,000 to $200,000 | High approval rate, good support, monthly payment options. Up to 85 years, under written by IA |
| RIMI / Secure Travel From $80/Month Check Price and Policy Wording | $25,000 – $1M | Only the company with $1 Million coverage, Flight accident, AD&D included, easy monthly payments, smooth refunds. Coverage up to age 89, under written by IA |
| Travel Shield Plan from $80/Month – Check Here | $25,000 – $300,000 | Quick refunds, easy application, offer walk in clinic, monthly payments, upto age 85 |
| Travelance – Plan from $120/Month – Get A Quote | $25,000–$300,000 | Family-friendly rates, easy installments, good company, quick support, upto age 84, Old republic is underwriter |
| GMS Plans from $130/Month – Your price is here | $25000 – $300,000 | Simple claim process, one plan for all, easy application, up to age 79 |
| Destination Travel Coverage from $130/Month – Price and Policy Wording | $15,000 – $300,000 | Good prices, monthly payment, quick support. |
| Manulife – Options from $150/Month Check Price here | $100,000–$300,000 | Strong network, flexible top-ups, Manulife brand, great company |
| Allianz Global Plans from $180/Month Your Quote Here | $25,000 – $300,000 | Worldwide assistance, global recognized provider, up to age 80 |
| Tugo -From $180/Month Price and Policy Wording here | $100,000 onwards | Good company for short stability periods, under written by IA |
Table of Contents
Why Do Visitors Need Medical Insurance in Canada?
If we think that we will be covered for medical emergencies in Canada, as you land, we are in wrong belief. it is not like this.
Canadian citizens, permanent residents, work permit holders and others(those have provincial health cards) are generally covered for medical emergencies. Other visitors, tourists, business visitors, non resident family members of Canadian residents, spouses, international students, and other non insured travelers to Canada are not covered by OHIP.
Please note visitor insurance is mandatory for super visa applicants.
Visitors to Canada medical insurance offer safeguard against following unexpectencies:
- Emergency room visits
- Ambulance services
- Hospital admission
- Diagnostic tests
- Surgery
- Prescription medication during treatment
- Physician services
- Followup emergency care
Who Should Buy Visitor Insurance?
Almost all, uninsured travelers to Canada, those are not covered by provincial health care plan, specifically :-
- Tourists
- International students waiting to start their classes
- Parents, Grandparents, relatives visiting family
- Business travelers
- New immigrants waiting for provincial health coverage
- Temporary foreign workers
- Spouses of Canadian residents(especially the spouse of temporary residents)
- Returning Canadians waiting for provincial benefits
- Visitors applying for Super Visa
- Students on applied status waiting for job letter
Whether you’re staying for a week or six months, travel and health insurance Canada helps protect you from unexpected medical costs.
What Does Visitor to Canada Medical Insurance Cover?
It all depends upon the plan type, basic plans are good for healthy people, enhanced plans covers people with pre existing health issues. Notable coverages are:-
- Emergency Medical Treatment – Any unexpected sickness, medical attention, injuries are covered in all plans.
- Hospitalization – Almost all hospitalizations, either due to injury or illness, cover nursing care, emergency room treatments.
- Ambulance Services – Air and surface ambulance transportation services are covered by most visitor to Canada medical insurance plans.
- Diagnostic Tests – CT Scans, blood tests, ultrasounds, Xrays, and other medical lab tests are covered provided required for emergency medical treatment.
- Prescription Medication – Medications prescribed by hospital doctors, within policy dollar amount limits
- Surgeries – If needed, they cover it, should not be intentional
- Follow up visits – Some enhanced plans also cover follow up visits after any incident.
- Medical Evacuation and Repatriation – Almost all visitor to Canada medical insurance companies offer return to home country, identification of remains, and transportation to the bedside are covered under most plans.
Visitor to Canada emergency medical insurance exclusions
Understanding policy exclusions is just as important as understanding what is covered.
Most visitor insurance plans do not cover:
- Routine medical checkups
- Cosmetic procedures
- Elective surgery
- Normal pregnancy
- Preventive care
- Medical treatment related to undisclosed preexisting conditions
- Highrisk activities excluded by the policy
All exclusions, limitations mostly defined in all policy wordings, so read it carefully before spending a dime.
Cost of visitor to Canada medical insurance
The biggest question everyone asks is “How much does visitor insurance cost?”
The answer is it depends on following factors:
- Age of insured
- Duration of stay in Canada
- Amount going to purchase
- Deductible
- Pre Exiting health coverage
- Stability of preexisting conditions
- Type of visitor insurance plan
For example, a healthy 35yearold staying in Canada for one month will generally pay much less than an 80yearold visitor requiring coverage for six months.
Tips to lower premiums
- Choose a deductible – Most common to get about 10% discount, go with 250 deductible. Higher the deductible, lower the premiums, but keep note that you have to pay up to deductible out of pocket if you need to claim.
- Compare multiple companies – The best way to find affordable coverage is to compare quotes from several insurance companies rather than purchasing the first plan you find.
- Type of plan – Plans with pre existing medical conditions are bit expensive then basic plans. The wise decision is instead of purchasing based only on cost, compare:
- Coverage limits
- Emergency medical benefits
- Stability requirements
- Deductible options
- Claims process
- Policy extensions
- Refund options
we are here to find a best plan for you, just whatsapp your needs.
What is covered in visitor to Canada medical insurance?
Several Canadian insurance companies offer plans that may cover stable preexisting medical conditions, provided the condition has remained stable for a specified period before your policy starts.
Each insurance company has different eligibility requirements and stability periods, so it’s important to compare policies carefully.
When applying, always answer all medical questions honestly. Failing to disclose a medical condition could result in a denied claim.
If you have a preexisting medical condition, we recommend comparing Trustone, Manulife, Travel Shield, Travelance, TuGo, and other insurers to find the most suitable coverage.
How to Choose the Right Visitor Insurance
Before purchasing a policy, consider the following factors:
- Amount of Coverage – Always choose adaquate amount of coverage, I reccommend going with minimum $100K, how ever companies such as RIMI offer up to $1 Million.
- Length of Stay – Cover your full stay, from the date of leaving your home country and landing back there.
- Deductible – Selecting a deductible can reduce your premium, but you’ll pay that amount if you make a claim.
- Medical History – Do not try to save on premiums, although cost is lower without pre existing health conditions, but your claims may be denied.
- Compare Multiple Companies – We are here to shop around, a comparison table on the top of this page might be good enough if you want to do it yourself.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is visitor to Canada medical insurance mandatory?
If we think about healthcare expense in Canada for uninsured travelers, then it is more then mandatory. As per immigration Canada requirements, it is not required, but, it is strongly recommended because visitors are responsible for their own medical expenses in Canada.
Does visitor insurance cover hospital stays?
Yes visitor insurance cover eligible hospitalizations, as per policy wording and conditions.
Can I buy visitor insurance after arriving in Canada?
You can buy anytime, but if you buy after landing in Canada, waiting period may apply. Mostly it is 48 hours in RIMI, if bought within 30 days of landing, it is 8 days, if bought after 30 days of landing in Canada. Note that the price will be same, so why to pay for uncovered waiting periods, the best is to buy before leaving your home country.
What coverage amount should I choose?
Coverage needs vary depending on your age, health, and travel plans. Many visitors choose between $100,000 and $300,000 in emergency medical coverage.
Can I extend my visitor insurance?
Yes , you can extend it, but if there is a claim, you might need approval from the insurer, even they can deny the extension, so the best is to buy once for your complete stay in Canada. There are some automatic extension clauses in some policies, subject to conditions such as common carrier delay, weather reasons etc., refer to policy wording for complete information on automatic extensions.
Which visitor insurance company is best?
All insurance companies are best when coverage is bought as per health conditions and needs. There may be no single best company, read there google reviews to decide, but our recommendation is RIMI Secure Travel, best and cheaper.
Why Buy Your Visitor Insurance Through BHFlights?
We work with all top visitor to Canada medical insurance companies. We are here to shop around for you, and you get :
- Quotes from multiple Canadian insurance companies
- Competitive pricing
- Plans for visitors with and without stable preexisting medical conditions
- Assistance choosing the right coverage
- Help with policy extensions
- Support before and after your purchase
Instead of visiting multiple insurance websites individually, you can find all companies in one place, in above table.
Purchasing Visitor to Canada Medical Insurance is one of the most important steps before travelling to Canada. Medical emergencies are impossible to predict, but having the right insurance can protect you from significant financial expenses and provide access to quality healthcare when you need it most.
Whether you’re visiting family, taking a vacation, travelling for business, or waiting for provincial healthcare coverage, comparing plans from multiple Canadian insurance companies helps you find the right balance between coverage and cost.
We work with leading providers, including Trustone, Manulife, RIMI, Travelance, Travel Shield, GMS, Destination, TuGo, and Allianz, making it easy to compare plans and purchase the policy that best meets your needs.
Get your visitor insurance quote today and travel to Canada with confidence, knowing you’re protected against unexpected medical emergencies.