Super Visa Insurance for Parents & Grandparents
The Super Visa lets your parents stay up to five years at a time — but only with the right medical insurance. Compare compliant plans, understand what they really cover, and get your confirmation letter today.
Reviewed by Pankaj Bhatia, PFA, CHS · Last updated October 2026
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What is Super Visa insurance?
Quick answer
Super Visa insurance is private emergency medical insurance that parents and grandparents must buy to get a Canadian Super Visa. It must give at least $100,000 of coverage for health care, hospitalization and repatriation, be valid for at least one year from entry, and come from a Canadian insurer or an OSFI-authorized foreign insurer.
Visitors aren't covered by provincial health plans like OHIP. If your mother needs her appendix out or your father has a heart scare during a visit, the hospital bills you directly — and those bills can reach tens of thousands of dollars in days. IRCC makes insurance a condition of the visa so families aren't left facing that alone.
It's not the same as the travel insurance you'd buy for a holiday. It has to meet IRCC's specific rules, and the details that matter — stability periods, deductibles, side-trip limits, refund terms — differ a lot between insurers.
IRCC Super Visa insurance checklist
Before you submit the application, make sure the policy:
- Is from a Canadian insurance company, or a foreign insurer authorized by OSFI that issued it through its Canadian business
- Names the insurance company (the underwriter), not just the broker
- Gives at least $100,000 of emergency coverage per person
- Covers health care, hospitalization and repatriation
- Is valid for at least one year from the date of entry
- Is paid in full, or in instalments with a deposit
- Is valid each time your parent enters Canada
Full details, with what IRCC actually checks: Super Visa insurance requirements 2026.
What a Super Visa plan typically covers
| Benefit | What it usually means |
|---|---|
| Hospitalization | Semi-private room, nursing, surgery and anaesthetist fees for an emergency |
| Doctor & clinic visits | Emergency visits to a physician, walk-in clinic or ER |
| Diagnostics | Lab work, X-rays, ultrasound and scans ordered for the emergency |
| Prescriptions | Drugs prescribed for the emergency, usually a limited supply |
| Ambulance | Ground ambulance; air ambulance when medically necessary |
| Emergency dental | Accidental injury to teeth, plus a smaller amount for pain relief |
| Repatriation | Returning remains home, or medical return to the home country |
| Side trips | Short trips outside Canada, if most of the stay is in Canada (never the home country) |
What it doesn't cover matters just as much: routine check-ups, ongoing treatment of a known condition, unstable pre-existing conditions, and anything not reported to the insurer's assistance line when required.
Single vs couple Super Visa insurance
Each parent needs their own $100,000 minimum, but you don't always need separate policies. Some insurers issue one policy for a couple and price it slightly lower. When there's a big age gap — say 62 and 74 — or only one parent has health conditions, two single policies are often cheaper because each is priced on its own risk. We always quote both ways.
Pre-existing medical conditions
Most parents applying for a Super Visa have something on their medical history — blood pressure, diabetes, cholesterol, a heart condition. That doesn't rule out coverage. It means choosing a plan that covers stable pre-existing conditions and answering the medical questions carefully.
"Stable" has a precise meaning in each policy: no new symptoms, no new or changed medication, no new tests or referrals for a set period — usually 90, 180 or 365 days. A dosage change three weeks before the policy starts can make a condition unstable. Read how stability periods work before you buy.
Waiting periods when you buy after arrival
If your parents are already in Canada and the policy starts after arrival, most insurers apply a waiting period — commonly 48 hours, and longer for some ages or plans — when illness isn't covered. Injuries from accidents are usually covered right away. The simple fix: buy before they fly, or renew before the old policy ends with no gap. More in buying after arrival.
How to apply for Super Visa insurance
Check eligibility
Confirm your parent qualifies for a Super Visa and you meet the income requirement.
Compare quotes
Use the quote tool to compare plans for your parent's age, coverage and deductible.
Answer medical questions
Go through the health questions with your advisor so the policy is valid when you claim.
Buy and get your letter
Pay in full or monthly; the policy and confirmation letter arrive by email.
Submit with your application
Upload the insurance proof with the Super Visa application and carry a copy when travelling.
Plans from Canadian travel-medical insurers
- Secure Travel (RIMI)
- Manulife
- TuGo
- Allianz Global Assistance
- GMS
- 21st Century
- Destination Travel
- Travelance
- JF Insurance
- TravCare
- AwayCare
- MSH Discover Canada
- Trustone Health
- 2 Visit Canada
Secure Travel by RIMI — underwritten by Lloyd's
Super Visa and visitor plans with monthly payment options and a 10-day cooling-off period. Ask Pankaj whether it suits your parents' ages and health history.
Plan availability depends on the traveller's age, health questions and province. Names are trademarks of their owners.
Super Visa insurance FAQs
How much Super Visa insurance coverage do I need?
The legal minimum is $100,000 per person. Many families choose $150,000 or $200,000 for parents over 70 or with health conditions, because a serious hospital stay can pass $100,000. The price difference between $100,000 and $150,000 is often smaller than people expect.
Does Super Visa insurance have to be for exactly one year?
It must be valid for at least one year (365 days) from the date your parent enters Canada. You can buy longer. If your parent stays beyond the first year, they must keep valid insurance for the rest of the stay — see renewing and extending.
Can I buy Super Visa insurance from an insurer outside Canada?
Since January 28, 2025, IRCC accepts policies from foreign insurers only if they're authorized by OSFI to provide accident and sickness insurance and issued the policy through their Canadian business. A regular health policy from your parents' home country won't qualify.
Can I pay Super Visa insurance monthly?
Yes, if the insurer offers instalments. IRCC accepts a policy paid in full or in instalments with a deposit. Monthly plans usually carry a setup fee, so compare the total cost. Read our monthly payment guide.
Are pre-existing conditions covered?
They can be, if the condition has been stable for the plan's required period — commonly 90, 180 or 365 days before the policy starts — and you choose a plan that includes them. A change in medication or a new test result can restart the clock, so we check each condition before you buy.
What if my parents are already in Canada?
You can still buy, but most policies bought after arrival have a waiting period — often 48 hours, longer for some ages — during which illness isn't covered (accidents usually are). Buying before they travel avoids this. See buying after arrival.
Is there a refund if the Super Visa is refused?
Most insurers give a full refund when you send the IRCC refusal letter before the policy's start date. Monthly-plan setup fees may follow different rules. Details in the refund guide.
Should I buy single or couple coverage?
Some insurers price couples together or offer a small discount, but each person needs their own $100,000 minimum. If there's a large age gap or one parent has health conditions, two single policies can be cheaper. We price it both ways.
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