Who needs visitors to Canada insurance?
Anyone in Canada who is not covered by a provincial or territorial health plan pays for medical care directly. That includes:
- parents, relatives and friends visiting on a visitor visa or an electronic travel authorization
- Super Visa holders, who must have it (see Super Visa insurance)
- people on work or study permits who are not eligible for provincial coverage
- Canadians returning after a long absence who are not yet covered again
A regular visitor visa does not require insurance the way a Super Visa does. It is still the difference between a hospital bill the family pays and one the insurer pays.
What does it cover?
Plans differ, but most cover the emergency itself: hospital stay, physician fees, diagnostic tests, ambulance, prescription drugs for the emergency, emergency dental after an accident, and the cost of bringing the visitor home if medically necessary.
Most plans do not cover routine check-ups, care that can wait until the visitor returns home, pregnancy and childbirth, or conditions that were not stable before the start date.
When should the policy start?
Buy the policy before the visitor arrives and set it to start on the arrival date. When a policy is bought after arrival, most insurers apply a waiting period before sickness is covered. Injuries from an accident are usually covered from the start date.
What changes the price?
Age, length of stay, coverage amount, deductible, and whether stable pre-existing conditions are covered. The same logic as Super Visa insurance applies, and it is explained on the cost page.
Common questions
Can I buy insurance after my parents have landed?
Yes, most insurers allow it, but a waiting period for sickness usually applies. It is better to arrange the policy before they travel.
Does visitor insurance cover a stopover or a side trip?
Some plans cover side trips outside Canada as long as most of the coverage period is spent in Canada. Tell me about any planned trips so I quote a plan that covers them.
How much coverage should a visitor have?
There is no legal minimum for a regular visit. The right figure depends on the visitor's age, health and length of stay. I show the price at two or three coverage levels so you can compare.
Can the policy be extended if they stay longer?
Usually yes, if you ask before the policy ends and there has been no claim. If there was a claim or a change in health, the insurer may need to approve the extension.
Sources
Written and reviewed by Sandeep Singh Pawar, licensed life insurance agent in Ontario. Last reviewed .