What is visitors to Canada insurance?

Visitors to Canada have different options for insurance coverage to protect them from unexpected expenses that may come up during their trip. Whether you need to see a doctor or buy medication, a sudden turn of events means you have to go home early, or cancelled flights leave you stranded.

As a visitor, you have different travel insurance options to keep you covered no matter what happens. This article will answer all your questions about visitors to Canada insurance.

What is visitors insurance?

Visitors insurance can refer to different types of travel insurance coverage that can protect you during a trip to Canada. It will help reimburse or pay for unexpected out-of-pocket expenses or other non-refundable expenses related to your trip.

Depending on the kind of plan you get, visitors insurance can cover costs related to:

Who needs Canadian visitors insurance?

Travel insurance can benefit anyone coming to or travelling within Canada, including:

• Non-residents/temporary visitors
• International students
• Foreign workers and work permit holders
• New residents
• Athletes
• Grandparents and family members of Canadians
• Canadians who spend a lot of time out of the country

⭐ Tourists and temporary visitors

Anyone who may be going on a vacation to Canada should get travel insurance. Even if you only have a single trip planned. At the very least, an emergency medical plan will help make sure they’re covered if they need medical assistance. And a comprehensive travel insurance plan for tourists will help cover trip interruptions, other unexpected costs too.

⭐ Students

When students come from other countries to study in Canada, they might need extra insurance called travel medical insurance. This is because the health insurance provided by their school might only work during the school term and may not cover everything they need. So, having a Canadian medical insurance for visitors helps students when their school insurance doesn’t cover them.

Read more about travel insurance for students.

⭐ Foreign workers and work permit holders

Some people who come to Canada to perform work for a short period of time will not be able to get a government health insurance plan. They may not need a comprehensive travel insurance that covers everything. But they can make sure they’re protected in case of emergencies by getting their own travel medical insurance plan.

Read more about travel insurance for foreign workers in Canada.

⭐ Newcomers to Canada

New residents of Canada have a unique need — they can get public healthcare, but only a few months after their arrival. They still need medical insurance while they wait for their provincial plan, so visitors insurance can fill in the gap.

Read more about what kind of insurance newcomers to Canada need.

⭐ Athletes

When athletes come to Canada for competitions or practice, travel insurance can help safeguard their equipment and help pay for medical costs if they get hurt. The same is true for people who come to Canada for adventure or extreme sports like snowboarding or skiing.

Read more about travel insurance for athletes and adventure sports. 

⭐ Parents and grandparents on a super visa

A super visa is a special visitors visa for parents and grandparents who come to visit their family in Canada. People who have a super visa can stay for years if they want, but they need to have specific medical insurance. Super visa insurance is a type of travel insurance that covers that.

Read more about super visa insurance and super visa insurance payments.

⭐ Canadian residents who spend a long time outside of the country

Some Canadians spend months outside of the country (like snowbirds, for instance). But their Canadian government health insurance plan can lapse if they aren’t living in Canada for more than 6 months. And they may have to wait another 6 months to get that health coverage back once they return to the country. A travel health insurance plan can cover them while they wait.

How much does visitor travel insurance cost?

The cost of Canadian visitor insurance depends on factors like:

Check out the chart below for an idea of how much travel insurance with emergency medical coverage might cost you if you decide to stay in Canada for just a week or for an entire month, based on your age.

You can also compare the best travel insurance quotes right here on our website, or schedule a call with one of our insurance advisors for more help!

What is the deductible for visitors insurance?

Travel insurance policies have something called a deductible. It’s the amount of cash you choose to pay out of pocket before your insurance coverage kicks in.

You can choose different deductible options based on your insurance company. Some deductibles start at zero dollars, which means you don’t have to pay anything. Others can be really high — even thousands of dollars. It just depends on what works for you.

Each deductible option helps you save a different amount of money on the price you pay for insurance.

The good thing about choosing a higher deductible is that it means you pay less premiums for your visitors insurance. A higher deductible means you are choosing to pay upfront for unexpected costs, no matter what it is. If you choose a zero-dollar deductible, you’ll pay more for your travel insurance plan. But you wouldn’t have to pay any upfront costs at all.

A lot of people choose a higher deductible to lower their premium, and then just pay for small expenses (like one-time prescription drugs) as needed.

Where can I get visitors insurance for a trip to Canada?

There are 4 main ways you can get travel insurance for an upcoming trip to Canada:

1. Insurance broker
✅ Recommended

An insurance broker (like PolicyAdvisor.com) can give you several different options for visitors insurance policies, providers, and premiums. This helps you choose the plan that would best suit your trip and budget. Travel insurance experts like ours can also give you insight about how claims work, and help you know which company would be the best option for a single trip or multiple trips to Canada.

2. Travel agent
❌ Not recommended 

If you booked your trip through a travel agent, they may have access to travel insurance plans. The downside is most travel agents deal with a single insurance provider, so they may not have the best options available.

3. Work benefits
❌ Not recommended

Sometimes you can get travel insurance coverage through your work or another group plan. Or, if you’re part of a group membership like a union, you may be able to buy travel insurance with a certain provider at a discount. But, again, one downside to this is that you may not have as much choice of your provider or coverage options as you would have with an insurance broker.

4. Credit card
❌ Not recommended

If you booked your trip on your credit card, you may get some insurance coverage as part of the benefits. Be very careful to check the details of your policy, though. Credit card travel insurance usually has a lot of limitations and fine print. And you normally don’t have the option to buy extra coverage if you need it or customize what you’re covered for.

Frequently Asked Questions