Visitors to Canada Insurance Quotes

Compare visitors to Canada insurance quotes

Enter the traveller's age, coverage amount and dates — prices from multiple insurers appear in seconds.

Quotes are estimates based on each insurer's current rates. The insurer's policy wording and final rate always apply.

What is visitors to Canada insurance?

Quick answer

Visitors to Canada insurance is emergency medical insurance for people who aren't covered by a Canadian provincial health plan. It pays for unexpected illness or injury — hospital, doctors, tests, prescriptions and ambulance — and can be bought for a few days up to a year or more.

Canada's public health care is for residents. A visitor who ends up in an emergency room pays the full bill, and hospitals charge visitors higher rates than residents. Visitor insurance turns that open-ended risk into a fixed daily cost.

Who it's for

Visiting parents & relatives

Family coming for a wedding, a new baby or a summer visit. For stays of a year or more on a Super Visa, see Super Visa insurance.

Tourists & business visitors

Short trips where a few days of cover is all you need.

New immigrants & permit holders

Coverage until provincial health insurance starts — or while your application is processed.

Returning Canadians

Canadians coming home after years abroad who need cover until their provincial plan is reinstated.

Visitor insurance vs Super Visa insurance

	Visitors to Canada	Super Visa
Who	Any visitor without provincial cover	Parents and grandparents on a Super Visa
Minimum coverage	Your choice (often $10,000–$300,000)	$100,000 per person
Length	A few days up to a year or more	At least one year from entry
Required by IRCC?	No (strongly recommended)	Yes

What's usually covered

Emergency hospital care
Physician and walk-in clinic visits
Diagnostic tests and X-rays
Emergency prescriptions
Ambulance services
Emergency dental (accident)
Repatriation
24/7 assistance line

Choosing a plan: what actually changes the price

Age — the biggest single factor; prices step up at 60, 70, 75 and 80.
Coverage amount — moving from $50,000 to $100,000 often costs less than you'd think.
Deductible — a $1,000 deductible can cut the premium noticeably compared with $0.
Pre-existing conditions — covering stable conditions costs more but avoids the most common claim denials.
Start date — buying before arrival avoids the waiting period that applies after arrival.

New immigrants and returning Canadians

Ontario removed its three-month OHIP waiting period, so eligible newcomers are covered once their application is approved — but there's still a gap between landing, applying in person and approval. British Columbia still has a waiting period of the rest of the arrival month plus two months, and other provinces have their own rules. A short visitor policy covers that gap. Read insurance for new immigrants and returning Canadians.

Extending or renewing

Plans change, and visits get longer. Ask to extend before the policy ends — once it lapses, a new policy usually comes with a new waiting period. See how to extend visitor insurance.

Plan availability depends on the traveller's age, health questions and province. Names are trademarks of their owners.

Visitors insurance FAQs

Who needs visitors to Canada insurance?

Anyone in Canada without provincial health coverage: visiting parents and relatives, tourists, people on a work or study permit waiting for coverage, new permanent residents in provinces with a waiting period, and Canadians returning after a long time abroad.

How much coverage should a visitor buy?

Plans usually range from $10,000 to $300,000. For older visitors or longer stays, $100,000 or more is sensible — a few days in hospital with surgery can easily pass $50,000.

Can visitor insurance be bought for just a few days?

Yes. Visitor plans can be bought for as little as a few days, up to a year or more depending on the insurer and age. You pay a daily rate, so you only pay for the days you need.

Can I extend visitor insurance if my relative stays longer?

Usually, yes — ask before the current policy ends. Most insurers allow an extension if there's been no claim, or a new policy can start the day after the old one ends so there's no gap and no new waiting period. See extending visitor insurance.

Does visitor insurance cover trips to the United States?

Many plans cover short side trips outside Canada, including the US, as long as most of the coverage period is spent in Canada and the trip isn't to the visitor's home country. Rules and limits differ, so tell us about any planned trips.

Do new immigrants need private insurance?

It depends on the province. Ontario no longer has a waiting period for OHIP, but you still need to apply and be approved, and some provinces such as British Columbia still have one. Private coverage fills the gap. Read insurance for new immigrants.

Visitors to Canada Insurance