Super Visa Insurance Requirements

For more information about the Super Visa process, visit our Super Visa insurance blog page.

Super Visa Insurance: 2024's Best Coverage at the Best Price.

What is the Super Visa?

The Super Visa for grandparents and parents is a temporary resident visa valid for up to ten years (depending on passport expiry date). One of the requirements for the Super Visa is that all applicants must provide proof of emergency health insurance for their stay in Canada.

Super Visa Length

Parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens and permanent residents (PR) can apply for a Super Visa. It is valid for up to 10 years (depending on your passport expiry date) and allows for up to a five-year stay in Canada without the need for a visa renewal.

To get up-to-date Super Visa details, check out the Government of Canada Super Visa page.

Super Visa vs Multiple Entry Visitor Visa

	Super Visa	Multiple entry visitor visa
Length of stay	Visa valid for up to 10 years with multiple entries (depending on passport expiry date). You can stay in Canada for up to 5 years at a time.	Visa valid for up to 10 years* with multiple entries (depending on passport expiry date). You can stay in Canada for up to 6 months at a time.
Fees	Starting from CAD $100	CAD $100
Insurance required	Required	Strongly recommended (required in some cases)

*The multiple entry visitor visa was another route which family members of Canadian permanent residents and citizens. However, in November 2024, it was announced that “multiple-entry visas issued to maximum validity are no longer considered to be the standard document.” This means that it isn’t guaranteed that people applying for the multiple entry visitor visa will receive visas with long-term validity. Immigration officers now have greater discretion in determining visa type and duration.

This announcement has not impacted the Super Visa. So, visitors looking for a longer-term stay in Canada may want to consider applying for the Super Visa instead.

Regardless of whether you will be applying for the Super Visa or a regular temporary visitor visa, you'll find all the visitor to Canada policies from Canadian insurance companies listed here at BestQuote. Just complete the Quote Request Form on the left-side of this page to compare the policy options available.

Super Visa Health Insurance

Super Visa applicants are required to obtain private 'Visitor to Canada' (VTC) health insurance during their stay (a.k.a. 'Super Visa Insurance').

Super Visa Insurance Requirements

There are multiple requirements for Super Visa health insurance. The insurance policy must be:

Minimum $100,000

Policies purchased must provide a minimum coverage amount of $100,000 CAD.

365-day policy

The policy must be valid for a minimum of one year from the date of entry into Canada.

Canadian Insurance

The insurance policy must be from a Canadian company

(or approved by the minister of IRCC).

Coverage must be continuous during the entire length of stay in Canada, meaning that there can be no breaks or gaps in coverage while in Canada on a super visa.

Get a Super Visa Insurance Quote

Super Visa insurance costs vary by age, health, and company. To find the best coverage and price, you need to look through the widest selection of insurance companies possible. Our quote engine can help you review all available options quickly.

All of the insurance options displayed on BestQuote's quote presentation page (from Canada's top travel insurance companies) meet the above Super Visa insurance requirements. We have compiled an exhaustive selection from all of Canada's Super Visa insurance providers — we currently have more policies to choose from than any other online broker in Canada!

You can complete the quote request form on the left-side of this page to get a quick look at pricing options for your trip to Canada.

If you’re unsure about your quote, we can help you if you need:

Advice about coverage for pre-existing medical conditions
Advice about which policy will work best for your situation
Help to understand policy wording and any other quote questions

4 Steps for Purchasing a Super Visa Insurance Policy

Step 1: Generate a quote by filling out our quote request form on the left-hand side of the page. Once you have filled out the quote details, click the blue ‘Get Quote’ button.

Super Visa quote request form

Step 2: You will have multiple policy options to consider. Click the ‘Summary’ button underneath any policy to get a quick summary of coverage details, eligibility criteria, information on pre-existing conditions, and more. You can also select the ‘Policy’ button for policy wording.

Super Visa quote summary button

Step 3: What you need to do next depends on the policy. There are three buttons that could appear on your quote: the 'Answer Medical,' 'Medical Screening,' and 'Buy Now' button.

3a. The red ‘Answer Medical’ button requires you to answer a policy-specific medical questionnaire. This questionnaire will determine the policy premium.

Super Visa quote red answer medical button

3b. The green ‘Medical Screening’ button is for Super Visa applicants with medical conditions. This button will take you to a form where you need to fill out your trip details and all medical conditions and medications. Once you submit the form, one of our BestQuote team members will email you a policy recommendation.

Super Visa quote green medical screening button

3c. The blue ‘Buy Now’ button will take you to the insurance application and payment section. The ‘Buy Now’ button will also appear on policies with the red ‘Answer Medical’ button once you have filled out the medical questionnaire. You click the ‘Buy Now’ button to submit your insurance policy application.

Super Visa quote blue buy now button

Step 4: Once your policy has been processed, you will get your policy documents sent via email. Your email will include your policy number, policy document, and policy wording.

Should You Use a Canadian Company for Super Visa Insurance?

Super Visa insurance must be purchased from a Canadian insurance provider or an insurance company approved by the minister of IRCC.

The advantage of Canadian insurance compared to a plan from one’s home country is that Canadian insurance companies will often include coverage for expenses related to pre-existing medical conditions. In contrast, lower-priced policies from overseas will not.

How to Find the Right Super Visa Insurance

Buying Super Visa insurance won’t be inexpensive, but the price shouldn’t be your only concern. Each policy is different and will offer differing policy benefits.

Key differences to compare include:

Emergency expense benefits
Policy exclusions
Deductible options
Refund details
Coverage for pre-existing medical conditions

The instant online quote you receive from BestQuote allows you to quickly look at a 'summary' of each policy on your quote to see a breakdown of the policy's basic features and benefits. You can also click 'policy' to view the exact policy wordings.

You'll find that our site has the very lowest visitors to Canada insurance costs, that many of our plans can cover illnesses related to pre-existing medical conditions, and that the plans can be purchased easily online without lengthy medical questionnaires. We provide the widest policy choices and personalized advice. We don't always recommend the same company, and we don't sell policies without making all the details available first. Those details will matter at claim or refund time.

We've made it easy to quote, compare and buy online with our secure, Payment Card Industry (PCI) compliant servers, encryption technology and simple online agency storefront system.

Our information page on available insurance rates for Super Visa applicants provides a general summary on super visa costs, but for exact pricing and policy options for you, generate a quote on the left-side of this page.

Frequently Asked Questions About Insurance for Canada's Super Visa Application

Show Is the insurance premium refundable if my parents return home earlier than one year?

That depends. Buying a Visitors to Canada policy for 365 days is a Super Visa application requirement and must be paid for in full at the time of purchase. If the visa is not issued, or for some other reason, the parent(s) decides not to come to Canada, they can cancel the policy and get a refund. The insurance policy won't start until the departure date. If the departure dates end up being different from those stated on the insurance policy, you can contact us through email or over the phone to have the dates on the policy changed to the exact departure dates.

Provided there have been no claims against the policy, the premium is refundable on a pro-rata basis when the travellers leave Canada. Simply send us a copy of the boarding pass(es) showing the travellers' full return trip home. Most policies apply a small admin fee on early return refunds.

Many parents will come to visit for less than a year on their first visit, so being able to obtain a refund for the unused portion of their policy is an important consideration. Typically, the lower the deductible, the better. However, if the 12-month policy costs $2000, and the visitor returns home after 6 months, then about $1000 will be refunded if no claim has been made on the policy. A policy with a $zero deductible (where the insurance immediately pays all eligible expenses) will cost more - but even if a small claim (i.e., visit a medical clinic) could be filed in the first six months, you may not want to file because the $1000 refund would be lost. So, it may be better to use a higher deductible to lower policy costs (by 20% or more) and pay any small expenses to keep the expected refund valid.

Show When I buy a policy from BestQuote Travel Insurance Agency's website or over the phone with BestQuote Travel Insurance Agency, do I end paying extra fees or incurring additional costs? Why wouldn't I call the insurance company directly?

We don't charge any extra fees. The prices on this website are the same that you would get directly from the insurance company or another broker for the same policy. Canadian insurance regulations don't allow insurance companies to charge different rates than brokers, and brokers can't charge extra fees over and above the advertised rates. Nor can brokers rebate part of their commissions and compete against each other based on price. The regulators want to prevent that because 'cutting out the middleman' has proven to not be in the public's best interest.

We have had customers call us after they have tried dealing directly with insurance company representatives who didn't explain important options or 'didn't mention' important details that would affect coverage - usually dealing with pre-existing conditions coverage. The insurance company representatives are paid to sell what the company has to offer - even if it doesn't fit the customer's situation.

By using us as your broker, we work on your behalf to find you the best policy and to help you manage the decisions around your insurance choices. We offer many different policies from Canada's top insurance companies for you to have a wider range of coverage choices, you can conveniently compare prices and coverage details to help come to a good decision. We'll help change dates, get extensions, and advise you during the refund or claim time if you need extra advice - something that the insurance claims adjuster won't do.

We've worked hard to build our website database, which hosts more Super Visa insurance options than any other online resource in Canada - earning your business by helping you during your purchase decision. If you find the website and our toll-free (1-888-888-0510) answers helpful, we'll appreciate you choosing us as your agent.

Show Can I buy a policy from an insurance company in my parent's home country?

The Canadian government has indicated that applicants must show proof of private Canadian health insurance, so using insurance from a country not regulated by Canadian authorities would jeopardize the chances of getting the visa application approved. Don't take that risk!

A border officer at a port of entry speaking to a man holding a passport

Also, Canadian medical providers prefer to work with Canadian insurance companies. There is direct billing between hospitals and Canadian insurance companies. If you have to pay for expenses and then file a claim, Canadian insurance companies will have a faster claim procedure as they can verify Canadian medical expenses faster than providers in foreign countries (so you get reimbursed faster).

Canadian insurance companies are regulated by Canadian regulators at some of the very highest standards around the world. They are also re-insured by Assuris - a Canadian government agency that will cover up to $60,000 of medical expenses in case a Canadian insurance company becomes insolvent. Not that that is likely, but it's more helpful to know that you are insured no matter what happens. For proof of insurance at immigration/entry time, paperwork is best shown in English or French.

Show Who is eligible for Canada's Super Visa?

Here's the exact answer provided on the government of Canada website:

Parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens or permanent residents who have been found admissible to Canada and meet some other conditions are eligible for the Super Visa. Visa officers consider several factors before deciding if the person is admissible. This means they are a genuine visitor to Canada who will leave by choice at the end of their visit. Among the things that could be considered are:

your ties to your home country
the purpose of your visit
your family and finances
the overall economic and political stability of your home country

In addition to being found admissible to Canada, the parent/grandparent must also:

provide a written commitment of financial support from their child or grandchild in Canada who meets a minimum income threshold;
prove that they have bought Canadian medical insurance for at least one year to cover the time that they will be in Canada (private health insurance must be valid for each entry to Canada); and
complete an Immigration Medical Examination (IME).

For more information, please visit the Canadian Government website concerning details about the new Super Visa.

Show On the blue quote request form, BestQuote Travel Insurance Agency refers to visitor's insurance and Super Visa insurance as emergency medical insurance, so do these policies cover regular checkups or only emergencies?

A: Visitors to Canada insurance covers medical expenses and other expense benefits related to accidental injury and sudden 'unforeseeable' illness and does not cover discretionary (when you choose to go) medical expenses that are not urgent. For example, regular checkups are not included, nor are vaccinations, medications, professional services of a therapist, etc. If a person is defined as being covered for emergencies related to a pre-existing medical condition (i.e., high blood pressure), they will be covered in the event of an emergency - but not covered to go in and get the condition monitored.

Show What amount of visitor travel medical insurance should I purchase?

Hospital costs for visitors to Canada can amount to well over $3,000 per day, and air ambulance charges to return you home could easily be in the tens of thousands of dollars. The minimum purchase for application purposes has been set at $100,000, although sometimes a $150,000 policy could be even lower cost (we have a discount policy available under age 60) or provide more peace of mind.

Show Can I purchase policy for my family members who come for a visit?

Yes. Anyone can purchase a visitor's insurance policy on behalf of someone coming to Canada. You should know that if a person is coming to Canada and you have sponsored their stay, you will be responsible for their medical bills if they cannot pay for them. So even if they don't want to pay for higher coverage, you might want to buy it for them anyway.

Show Are there any discounts for two or more travellers buying at the same time?

Some companies do offer discounts for companion travel or group travel insurance policies. Your quote will determine if such a discount applies.

Show If I have a pre-existing condition, can I get coverage for that visitor's insurance?

It depends on the pre-existing condition and the terms and conditions of the policy. Some insurance companies offer plans with coverage for pre-existing conditions is they have been stable for a certain period (usually six months) before departure from your home country, and some don't offer any coverage at all. It is important to read your entire policy to make sure you are aware of the definitions affecting coverage and the possible exclusions that may apply.

Only some of the available plans will cover pre-existing medical conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, heart conditions, etc. Other policies, while they do cover stable pre-existing medical conditions, use strict eligibility questions to screen out applicants (for example, no coverage available if you use an ICD (pacemaker), oral steroids for lung conditions, diagnosis of stroke, blood clots, congestive heart failure or a heart murmur in past 12 months, etc.). For a direct comparison of the exclusions concerning pre-existing medical conditions, you can compare policy wording and stable periods. If you have any questions about your pre-existing conditions and obtaining coverage, please contact us.

Show Is my father allowed to bring in a year's supply of his prescription medication?

There are some restrictions that the Canadian government sets out regarding importing prescription medications (whether you are a Canadian citizen or a visitor): Generally, you are limited to bringing two 90 days (total 180-day supply): Government website

So, trying to bring in a whole year's supply may cause some problems at the border.

Show Do I have to take a medical test before I can buy Visitors to Canada insurance?

No. There is no medical exam required before purchase. There may be some medical questions asked as a part of your online application. You must answer all questions truthfully, as not doing so may void (cancel) your coverage. If you have to submit a claim, the insurance company will investigate to determine if your condition was a pre-existing one and whether you were truthful on your application. Separately, as part of the super visa application process, applicants are required to complete a medical assessment, but that is not a requirement for buying the insurance.

We have lots more information on our Q&A information for Visitors to Canada page.

Visitors to Canada or their Canadian friends or family can get a travel insurance quote, compare policies and purchase online. If you have any further questions, please call toll-free for assistance at 1-888-888-0510 in North America; 1-604-259-2544, 1-403-800-1582; or 1-647-799-203 (outside North America).

A bustling city scene during COVID-19

Super Visa Insurance for 2024: Coverage for COVID-19?

Canada's Super Visa allows parents and grandparents to visit and travel within Canada for up to five years at a time, as long as they have the required super visa insurance during their entire stay in Canada.

BestQuote Travel Insurance Agency has helped thousands of new super visa applicants get their super visa insurance by offering free instant online quotes and helpful advice over the phone since 2011. The recent COVID-19 pandemic has caused heightened concern around insurance coverage details, but BestQuote makes it easy to compare coverage details from your online quote.

As a successful travel insurance specialist with the largest selection of policies to choose from, our brokerage gives unbiased advice so travellers can choose the coverage that applies to both their travel situation and health circumstances — whether that's for visitors to Canada or Canadians travelling abroad.

Applicants are required to meet several Super Visa requirements. Depending on age, the required insurance can be fairly expensive. That's why it pays to get an instant quote and compare all the Canadian insurance providers to see what the lower-cost options may be. That's where we do the research for you. We offer the widest selection of policies — some of them only available to specialist travel insurance brokers like us — and we quote them all on a single page for you in only a few seconds.

But we don't stop there. We make comparing the policies easy by summarizing the features and benefits for you on the quote page and by allowing you to change the deductible or coverage amounts on your quote to see how the price changes. New purchasers should call (1-888-888-0510 to get help with their questions. Call with questions about deductibles, refund policies, administrative fees or which policies offer the best protection. For those buying their super visa insurance a second or third time, you'll quickly be able to find the information you are looking for. Just complete the quote request form, and easily navigate through the quoted options.

If you want to get a cost breakdown, click to view 2024 Super Visa Insurance Rates.

So that we can be extremely competitive and unbiased, we have compiled a wide selection from all of Canada's Super Visa insurance providers. We currently have more policies to choose from than any other online broker in Canada! By regulation, we have the same prices offered by the insurance companies themselves, or other brokers for that matter. Canadian brokers can't compete on price (rebating commissions is illegal), but the insurance companies do. We compete for your business against other brokers — (most of whom are not travel insurance specialists) based on our wide policy selection, as well as our quality advice and customer service.

Get a Free Instant Super Visa Quote to Research Insurance Options:

On the left side of this screen, choose 'Super Visa Insurance'; enter the dates (it's OK to estimate now and then change to the exact arrival date after visa approval) and provide the traveller's date of birth. The quote will appear instantly, and we'll also email you a link for future reference. If you have any problems receiving a quote or have some specific questions you'd like to ask about coverage or policy details, please don't hesitate to call us (1-888-888-0510). After purchasing online, you will receive your confirmation of coverage and policy document(s) by email to submit with your application and to bring with you to show the port of entry officer.

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