Visitors to Canada Insurance Defined
A visitor to Canada insurance is an emergency medical health insurance coverage for individuals who intend to travel to Canada. Tourists and student visa holders are not covered by the Manitoba provincial healthcare system and therefore need a private health insurance plan that covers emergency medical expenses that arise while in the country.
Click here to get free online visitors to Canada insurance quote.
What is Visitor Visa?
A Visitor Visa is also popularly referred to as a Temporary Resident Visa. It is a type of visa that allows individuals from countries without a visa-exempt to visit Canada for a specified period of time depending on the validity of the visa.
Unlike the Super visa, which may allow visitors to stay in Canada for up to two years at a time, the duration for most visitor visas varies between three days to one year, although the most common duration is six months. If you wish to continue to remain in Canada after this period, then you will need to apply for an extension of stay.
Who Needs Visitors to Canada Insurance?
There are various types of temporary residents to Canada, most of whom require a visa depending on their purpose of visit. There is a student visa, a tourist visa, work permits, and a lot of others.
Whatever the type of temporary resident visa you are considering, it is important to have at least an emergency medical insurance coverage implemented before you and/or loved ones arrive in Canada.
Visitors to Canada insurance is not required to apply for a temporary residence visa but it is important as it protects you and your loved ones from the unexpected costs of medical services which could result from an injury or illness during the trip.
While medical services and hospitalization are free to Canadian residents and work permit holders, these services aren’t free to visitors and international students studying in Canada and the costs can be prohibitive if you don’t have emergency medical coverage such as a visitor to Canada insurance.
How Much Visitors to Canada Insurance Coverage Do You Need?
Unlike super visa insurance, which requires a minimum coverage amount of $100,000.00, there is no specific requirement for the amount of coverage when it comes to visitors to Canada insurance; it is advisable, however, to have at least $100,000.00 worth of coverage to sufficiently protect you and your visiting loved ones from emergency medical costs which may result from illness or injury while staying in Canada.
If budget is a concern, we suggest not go lower than $50,000.00 of coverage amount because, as mentioned above, the costs of medical services can be prohibitive in Canada if you’re not covered by provincial health insurance.
If on the other hand, budget is of no concern, the maximum coverage you can implement is up to $150,000.00.
It is also advisable that you implement visitors to Canada insurance that covers the tourist or visitor throughout his or her stay in Canada.
How Much Does Visitors to Canada Insurance Cost?
The cost of a Visitor to Canada insurance policy depends on the following factors:
- Age
- Health
- Smoking Status
- Number of people who needs coverage
- Deductible option (Ranges from $0 to $10,000.00)
- Amount of Coverage
- Type of Visitors to Canada Insurance (Essential / Premiere)
Below is a sample Visitors to Canada insurance Quote for a 61-year-old male who’s looking to stay in Canada for 184 days which is a little over than 6 months:
Click here to get a free visitor to Canada quote for your specific situation.
How to Choose a Visitors to Canada Insurance
To choose an insurance policy that meets your needs, you need to consider the following:
- The Type of Temporary Residence Visa Applied for – The most common temporary resident visa that needs emergency medical coverage for visitors are the ones that fall under the tourist visa and student visa classes. A work visa holder qualifies for provincial health care coverage but can still implement visitors to Canada insurance policy while waiting for their provincial health coverage.
- Coverage Amount – it is advisable to take a policy that has a minimum of $50,000 coverage. This will give you a decent amount of coverage.
- Coverage Period –Ideally, you should be covered with a visitor to Canada emergency medical insurance during your entire stay here in Winnipeg or whichever part of Canada you’re going to stay when you arrive.
- Time of application – your visitor to Canada insurance plan will vary depending on when you wish to obtain the policy. There are limitations for individuals implementing an insurance plan after arrival to Canada such as a waiting period depending on how long the visitor has stayed in Canada before applying for coverage; The waiting period is usually between 48 hours to seven days.
- Exclusions of pre–existing medical conditions – basic visitors to Canada insurance policies such as an Essential Plan does not cover pre-existing medical conditions, if you or your visiting loved ones have pre-existing medical conditions, it is wise to implement a more comprehensive policy that covers pre-existing conditions such as a Premiere Plan. (Please carefully read the policy wording(s).)
How to get a Visitors to Canada Insurance
You can purchase visitors to Canada insurance online or in person. If you’re the visitor yourself and you’re looking to implement such a policy for yourself from outside Canada, purchasing it online is the fastest and easiest way.
If on the other hand, you’re a Canadian resident who wishes to get a policy for your loved ones who are coming to Canada, you have the option of acquiring it online, via phone, or in person.
You can get a tourist insurance quote and purchase your insurance policy from our partner provider through this link.
The process usually involves filling out a form with the visitor’s details such as first and last names, dates of birth, smoking status, type of coverage, amount, and length of stay. When you’re satisfied with the quote and you’re ready to purchase, all you have to do is to press the “Buy Now” button to purchase the policy online.
Below is a list of emergency medical health insurance providers for non-residents visiting Canada:
- Travelance
- Manulife
- GMS
- Allianz
Whichever company you prefer, it is important to always read the insurance policy wording before you make your purchase so you know exactly what is and isn’t cover.
Who Needs Visitors to Canada Insurance?
Anyone visiting or residing temporarily in Canada who is not (or not yet) covered by provincial health insurance needs to have a visitor to Canada emergency medical insurance policy.
You may be…
- A tourist, visiting Canada to simply tour the country
- Friends and/or relatives of a Canadian resident or citizen visiting Canada to reunite with your loved ones.
- Returning Canadians who have to wait for or are not covered by the Canadian government healthcare insurance plan
- Individuals who hold a Canadian work visa and are still waiting for their provincial benefits to kick in.
- International students who come to Canada to study.
- Landed immigrants who await their provincial health benefits.
Visitors to Canada Insurance Requirements
For most instances, if you’re applying for a visitor to Canada insurance online, you will need the visitors’ full legal names, dates of birth, expected date of arrival to Canada, and expected date of return to their home country.
If you’re applying for visitors to Canada insurance online, you will need a computer, tablet, or any form of electronic device, an internet connection, and a credit card to purchase such a policy on your own.
If on the other hand, you prefer to meet with an insurance professional, all you need is a credit card and the visitor’s information to implement a plan.
You must also be aware of the visitors’ health conditions as any pre-existing conditions need to be declared before-hand.
What Does Visitor to Canada Insurance Cover?
Visitors to Canada insurance, though not required by Canadian immigration, is very crucial when it comes to protecting your and your loved ones’ financial well-being while visiting or hosting a visitor in Canada.
The costs of medical services in Canada is one of the highest in the world, and since visitors or temporary resident aren’t covered by Canada’s universal healthcare insurance, it is important for visitors to be covered by a visitor insurance policy during the length of their stay.
Visitors to Canada Insurance Benefits:
Emergency Medical Coverage
Visitors to Canada emergency medical insurance includes emergency ambulance transportation, treatment by physicians, hospitalization, and follow-up visits (limitations apply)
Accidents and/or Injury
Your visitor to Canada insurance also covers injury which may result from a fall or accidents which includes emergency dental and accidental death or dismemberment up to the plan limit (maximum of $100,000.00)
Emergency Return, Burial Benefits, and Return of Remains
Most visitors to Canada insurance plans include emergency returns to the home country, repatriation of remains, cremation, and/or burial at the destination.
For a full list of coverage with our partner provider, please download the policy wordings:
- Essential Plan
- Premier Plan (Covers stable pre-existing conditions)
Do I Qualify for a Visitor to Canada Insurance?
Individuals who may not be eligible for a visitor to Canada insurance if they fall into specific categories such as :
- A person diagnosed with a terminal illness
- A person with Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS)
- a person who has undergone an organ transplant
- People with a kidney condition or those who undergo dialysis
- Individuals who require home oxygen
- Individuals who stay in a rehabilitation center or nursing homes
- Persons over the age of 86 years.
- Canadian residents who are eligible for the Government Health Insurance Plan
If you’re unsure as to whether or not you qualify, you can download the medical questionnaire here, answer all the medical questions, scan and submit it to us so we can have it evaluated by the provider’s underwriters before you apply for coverage.
How Long can I use the visitor to Canada plan
Usually, the visitor to the Canadian insurance plan ends on the day of departure from Canada or the return date shown on the visitor’s declaration page.
Visitors to Canada visa usually allows you to stay a maximum of 6 months at a time, which can be renewed.
The maximum coverage of visitors to Canada insurance policy is one and a half years or a maximum of 558 days per contract.
Types of visitors to Canada insurance plans
Generally, there are two types of visitors to Canada policies. One covers pre-existing conditions, and the other does not.
Pre-existing condition means that a person has an illness or medical condition which has been diagnosed from his or her home country and has received treatment or care and is considered stable in the last 180 days (6 months) before the effective date of the policy.
- Essential Plan – offers no coverage for a pre-existing medical condition and is recommended for visitors who are generally healthy, who do not have any pre-existing medical conditions.
- Premiere Plan – offers coverage for a pre-existing medical condition. If the person being insured has some sort of health condition (diabetes, heart, high blood pressure, etc) which has remained stable in the last 180 days before the effective date of coverage, such pre-existing condition is covered under the policy.
What is a Pre-Existing Condition?
A Pre-Existing Condition* is a medical condition for which treatment has been received or taken or which exhibited symptoms, before the policy start date and within the period specified, and includes a medically recognized complication or recurrence of a medical condition.
- For example, if a policy has a stability period of 90 days and during those 90 days the insured is diagnosed and treated for high blood pressure, this condition would be excluded during the upcoming trip, as it was not stable and controlled for the 90 days prior to the departure date. In short, if you’ve visited the doctor during the stability period, be sure to tell your insurance broker and provide details about the visit.
Stable and Controlled* means the medical condition is not worsening and there has been no alteration in any medication for the condition or its usage or dosage, nor any treatment, prescribed or recommended by a physician or received within the period specified in the policy, before the policy start date.
- In other words, if the insured has had a change in medication (new prescription, increase/decrease or discontinuation), experienced a new medical condition, had an existing condition recur, or has any pending test or treatments, the associated condition would be not be considered stable and controlled under the policy and therefore not covered under the given policy.