Visitors to Canada aren't covered by OHIP or other provincial health plans, so the right plan matters. Answer 4 quick questions to get a recommended coverage amount, deductible and plan type, then compare live prices. Below are the 7 things that make the biggest difference at claim time.
Choose the type of visit, then enter the visitor's details.
Answer 4 questions. The recommendation updates instantly.
General guidance from a licensed broker, not a recommendation for your situation. Prices, limits and rules differ by insurer; read the policy wording before you buy.
Two plans at the same price can pay very differently at claim time. Compare these.
How much the plan pays in total. A few days in hospital can pass $20,000, and intensive care in one Ontario hospital is $5,750 a day for visitors.
Our tip: Older visitors and longer stays: choose more. Super Visa needs at least $100,000.
Whether conditions your visitor already has are covered, and for how long they must be stable first. On one plan we sell, it's 90 days up to age 69 and 180 days from 70 to 84.
Our tip: Any regular medication? Choose a plan that covers stable pre-existing conditions.
What you pay first before the insurer pays. Higher deductible, lower price. Check whether it applies per claim or per policy.
Our tip: Short visit or older visitor: $0 to $500 is usually safer.
Plans bought after arrival don't cover sickness right away. On one plan we sell, it's 48 hours if bought within 30 days of arrival and 8 days after that.
Our tip: Buy before the flight.
Trips outside Canada during the visit (for example to the US) are limited. One plan we sell allows 30 days.
Our tip: Planning a US trip? Check the side-trip rule and limit.
Most plans require a call to their emergency assistance line before treatment. Late notice can cut payment; on one plan, to 80%, up to $25,000.
Our tip: Save the emergency number in the visitor's phone.
Most insurers refund unused days if the visitor leaves early and made no claim, minus a small fee. Extensions are usually possible before the policy ends.
Our tip: Ask about the refund fee and extension rules before you buy.
| Visitor insurance | Super Visa insurance | |
|---|---|---|
| Who it's for | Anyone visiting Canada: parents, relatives, tourists | Parents and grandparents on a Super Visa |
| Minimum coverage | No legal minimum | $100,000 for health care, hospital and repatriation |
| How long | The exact dates of the visit | At least 1 year from entry |
| Insurer | Any insurer selling in Canada | Canadian or OSFI-authorized insurer |
| Payment | Usually paid in full | Paid in full, or monthly with a deposit |
| Required by IRCC? | No, but strongly advised | Yes, with the application |
One Ontario hospital charges visitors $3,750 a day for a ward bed and $5,750 a day in intensive care in 2026–2027, plus doctors' fees.
Try the hospital cost calculatorOur October 17, 2026 quotes for a 66-year-old with $100,000 of coverage ranged from $1,620.60 to $2,801.56 a year.
See all 13 real quotesStart with the visit: who is coming, for how long and on which visa. Then choose the coverage amount, decide whether you need pre-existing condition coverage, pick a deductible you can afford, and check the waiting period, side-trip and refund rules. Use the plan chooser on this page for a recommendation.
There's no legal minimum for a regular visitor visa, but hospital care is expensive: one Ontario hospital charges visitors $3,750 a day for a ward bed and $5,750 a day in intensive care in 2026–2027. Many families choose $100,000 to $150,000 for older parents. Super Visa applicants must have at least $100,000.
Not for a regular visitor visa, but visitors are not covered by provincial health plans such as OHIP, so medical bills are paid out of pocket without it. It is mandatory for the Super Visa.
Only plans with pre-existing condition coverage do, and the condition must be stable for the plan's stability period before the policy starts. Plans without it cost less but exclude anything related to existing conditions.
A deductible lowers the price, but you pay that amount first. For short visits and older visitors, a low or $0 deductible is usually safer. Try the deductible calculator in our Super Visa mistakes guide.
Yes, but a waiting period usually applies to sickness. On one plan we sell, it is 48 hours if bought within 30 days of arrival and 8 days after that. Buying before the flight avoids this.
Usually yes, for the unused days, if no claim was made. Insurers charge a small administration fee. Ask us before the visitor travels home.
Super Visa insurance is visitor insurance that meets IRCC's extra rules: at least $100,000 of coverage, valid one year from entry, from a Canadian or OSFI-authorized insurer. Regular visitor insurance can cover any length of trip and any amount.
Plan examples (stability period, waiting period, side trips, late-notice limit) come from one plan we sell as of October 2026; every insurer's rules differ. Last reviewed October 17, 2026 by Pankaj Bhatia, PFA, CHS. More: Visitors to Canada insurance · 12 Super Visa insurance mistakes · Emergency medical insurance for parents
Send us the visitor's age, dates and medications on WhatsApp. We'll compare plans and explain the differences, free.
