Visitors to Canada Insurance

Canada has one of the best health care systems in the world, but it is expensive. Hospital costs can run over $3,000.00 daily when there is surgery. Residents of Canada have medical coverage under their provincial or territorial plan. Non residents would have to pay these medical costs out of their own pocket.

Visitors travel medical insurance will provide coverage for emergency medical costs caused by either sickness or accident. This insurance can be arranged before or after arrival in Canada. When coverage is arranged after arrival there is a short waiting period for sickness coverage.

Persons requiring coverage would include the following:

• Canadians returning to Canada after living abroad. There is a three-month waiting period in some provinces before the provincial health plan begins.
• Visitors to Canada.
• New immigrants will require emergency medical coverage until they are covered under a provincial health plan.
• International students studying in Canada.

Coverage can be purchased for up to one year at a time depending on the age of the applicant and can be renewed or extended.

Limits of coverage start at $10,000.00 and go up to $300,000.00 with one insurer. We recommend a minimum limit of $50,000.00.

Depending on the applicant's age, visitor's policies will cover pre-existing conditions if stable for a specified number of days. Usually this is 180 days but one policy, Travel Underwriters Platinum, has a 120-day period. Age 79 is normally the limit at which stable pre-existing conditions are covered, but 21^st Century Travel goes up to age 85.

What is a pre-existing condition?

In general terms, a pre-existing condition is an illness or injury requiring either on-going medical treatment, prescription drugs, medical consultation or medical diagnosis.

What is Stable?

Using one company's definition as follows:

"Stable" 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 medical treatment prescribed or recommended by a physician or received within the period specified in the policy before the commencement of a covered trip."

Visitors travel medical insurance policies are meant to cover emergencies. An emergency would be an unexpected event which requires medical attention to maintain a person's health. A routine doctor visit or elective treatment would not be covered under this type of policy.

While stable pre-existing conditions are covered, medical records are not required when you apply for visitors to Canada insurance. Medical records will be required to settle a claim, so if you have them readily available it will speed up the claim.

Should you have a claim the insurance company should be contacted before treatment, when possible, or as soon as possible after treatment. Insured's will be provided with a claims phone number when the policy is purchased.