Visitor to Canada Health Insurance

Planning a trip to Canada? One of the most important things to consider is visitor to Canada health insurance. While Canada is known for its excellent healthcare system, it’s not free for visitors. That means if you need medical treatment during your stay, you’ll have to pay out of pocket—unless you have the right insurance.

In this guide, we’ll cover why you need health insurance for visitors to Canada, what it covers, how much it costs, and how to find the best policy for your needs. We’ll also provide tips on saving money, understanding policy exclusions, and choosing the right insurer.

Do visitors to Canada need health insurance?

The short answer: it’s highly recommended that visitors to Canada get health insurance. While regular visitors to Canada (those on a standard visitor visa or Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA)) are not legally required to have medical insurance, it’s a smart investment. Canadian healthcare is expensive, and visitors are not covered under provincial health plans which provide free healthcare to residents.

If you are not coming as a regular visitor then different rules might apply, so check the details of your visa. For example health insurance is mandatory for a Super Visa, which lets family of Canadian residents stay for more than six months. Many insurers offer Super Visa Insurance specifically catered to this.

So if you’re visiting Canada as a normal visitor, the border guard isn’t going to ask to see proof of medical insurance before they let you in, but it’s a really important thing to get unless you want to be hit with potentially huge medical bills. This is what the Canadian Government pretty succinctly says about it.

What does visitor to Canada health insurance cover?

When choosing a policy, make sure it includes the coverage you need. Here are the key factors to compare:

Coverage Amount – Most policies offer between $50,000 and $500,000 in medical coverage. More coverage usually means higher premiums, but it can be worth it for peace of mind.

Medical Services – Check if the policy includes what you need such as hospital stays, doctor visits, diagnostic tests, prescription medications, emergency transportation, and dental care. Make sure the elements you want are included and that you’re happy with the maximum cost the insurer will cover for each of those elements.

Pre-existing Conditions – If you have a medical condition, look for policies that cover pre-existing conditions (more on this below).

Deductible – This is the amount you pay before your insurance kicks in. Policies with a higher deductible tend to be cheaper, but they also require you to pay more upfront if you need medical care.

Emergency Medical Evacuation – Some policies cover the cost of transporting you back to your home country for treatment if needed.

Trip Interruption and Travel Benefits – Some plans may include coverage for trip cancellations, baggage loss, and flight delays.

Understanding health insurance for visitors to Canada with pre-existing conditions

If you have a pre-existing medical condition, you’ll need a policy that specifically covers it. Insurers usually classify policies into two types:

Without pre-existing condition coverage – Cheaper but excludes treatment related to existing health issues.

With pre-existing condition coverage – Costs more but ensures you’re covered for any complications related to your condition.

We’ve bought health insurance for parents visiting Canada that’s included pre-existing conditions. And while it’s more expensive than policies that don’t cover pre-existing conditions, it’s easy to get and there are a good amount of insurers to choose from.

Insurers may ask detailed questions about your condition to determine eligibility and pricing. One key factor is whether your condition is stable – meaning no recent changes in treatment, medication, or symptoms. If it is stable, you’ll have more insurance options and it’ll be cheaper.

My recommendations below for the best health insurance for visitors to Canada cover both pre-existing conditions and not.

Why buy visitor health insurance from a Canadian insurer?

When my family visits Canada, we always buy visitor health insurance from a Canadian provider. Here’s why:

1. Better deals for pre-existing conditions – In our experience, Canadian insurers often offer more affordable rates for visitors with pre-existing medical conditions compared to insurers from other countries.
2. Faster and easier claims processing – Canadian-based insurers will typically have local customer service, making it easier to file and process claims without delays.
3. More reliable coverage – Travel insurance from your home country may be affected by government travel advisories. If your government advises against travel to Canada, your policy might become invalid. A Canadian insurance provider won’t have this issue.

Visitor to Canada health insurance cost

The cost of Canada visitor health insurance depends on several factors, including:

• Length of stay
• Age of the traveller
• Coverage amount
• Deductible
• Pre-existing conditions

The cost of visitor to Canada health insurance for a 14-day trip with $100,000 of coverage and zero deductible should be in the range:

$45 to $70 for one person in their mid-40s with no pre-existing medical conditions.
$85 to $140 for a couple in their mid-40s with no pre-existing medical conditions.
$95 to $150 for a family of three consisting of a couple in the mid-40s and a teenager, all with no pre-existing medical conditions.
$90 to $150 for one person in their early 70s with no pre-existing conditions.
$120 to $180 and above for someone in their mid-70s with a stable pre-existing medical condition. But keep in mind this can vary a lot depending on the condition

These figures are only indicative so as to give you a feel for the cost. It will vary depending on what your situation is and what level of insurance you want.

To get an exact price for your situation, use an insurance comparison website like BestQuote travel insurance. You’ll get multiple quotes from different providers so you can find the best deal (more on this below)

Tips to save money on visitor health insurance

• Choose a higher deductible – Opting for a higher deductible lowers your premium costs.
• Buy early – Purchasing insurance before your trip begins may qualify you for discounts.
• Compare multiple quotes – Don’t settle for the first offer. Use comparison websites to find the best price.
• Look for family plans – Some insurers offer discounts when covering multiple family members.

Best health insurance for visitors to Canada

There’s no single “best” visitor insurance provider because the right policy depends on your needs. That’s why I always recommend using a price comparison website to find the best rates.

I personally use BestQuote Travel Insurance when arranging insurance for visiting family. Their site lets you compare different policies, see coverage details, and purchase insurance online. It’s an easy way to ensure you’re getting the best deal.

It’s particularly handy that you can see a summary of the policy benefits from the BestQuote results page so you can easily compare quotes to see which one works for you.

Once you’ve found the policy that works for you, you can go through the purchase process right from the BestQuote site.

* All of the products and services I recommend on Canada for Newbies are independently selected based upon what I’ve personally found to be useful. If you buy insurance through BestQuote using one of the links in this article, I might earn a small affiliate commission. It won’t cost you anything at all and I would never recommend something I don’t believe in or use myself.

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That’s my overview of visitor to Canada health insurance. I hope you’ve found it helpful.

Please drop me a comment below about any questions or anything – I’d love to hear from you.