Visitor vs Travel Insurance
Coming to Canada and leaving Canada are different insurance situations. Use this comparison to choose the right service page for the person who needs coverage.
Travel Insurance
Designed for Canadian residents travelling outside Canada. Your provincial health plan offers very limited coverage abroad, and in many situations it may not pay the full cost of emergency care. Travel Insurance helps fill that gap.
What it can cover
- Emergency medical expenses abroad
- Emergency evacuation and repatriation
- Trip cancellation and interruption
- Baggage loss, delay, or theft
- Flight delay and missed connection
- Accidental death & dismemberment
Note: Some plans cover emergency medical only; others are comprehensive packages. Coverage varies by plan.
Go to Travel InsuranceVisitor to Canada Insurance
Designed for people coming to Canada: visiting family, tourism, or waiting for provincial health coverage as a new immigrant. Without it, a single hospital visit can cost tens of thousands of dollars.
Who needs it
- Parents and grandparents visiting on a visitor visa
- Super Visa applicants (mandatory)
- New immigrants awaiting provincial health coverage
- International students (if not covered by institution)
- Foreign workers between coverage periods
- Extended family visiting from abroad
Plans can include pre-existing condition coverage with stability clauses. Policy can be purchased by the visitor or their Canadian host.
Go to Visitor InsuranceHow to choose the right page
Direction of travel
If the insured person is entering Canada, start with Visitor to Canada Insurance. If the insured person is a Canadian resident leaving Canada, start with Travel Insurance.
Reason for coverage
Visitor coverage is usually about emergency medical protection while staying in Canada. Travel coverage may include emergency medical, trip cancellation, interruption, baggage, and multi-trip options.
Length of stay or trip
A two-week vacation, a six-month family visit, and a one-year Super Visa stay are priced and underwritten differently. Use the service page that matches the situation first.
Health history
Both product families can involve pre-existing condition stability clauses, but the right insurer and wording depends on age, destination, dates, and medical history.
Travel & Visitor FAQs
Common questions before you buy
What is the difference between travel insurance and visitor insurance?
Travel insurance usually protects Canadian residents travelling outside Canada. Visitor insurance protects people coming to Canada who are not covered by a provincial health plan.
Do visitors to Canada need private medical insurance?
Visitors are generally responsible for their own medical costs in Canada. Private emergency medical insurance helps protect against hospital, physician, ambulance, and repatriation expenses.
Can visitor insurance cover pre-existing conditions?
Some plans can cover stable pre-existing conditions, but the stability period, age limits, exclusions, and medical questions vary by insurer.
When should coverage start?
Coverage should usually start on the date the visitor arrives in Canada, or the date a Canadian resident leaves for a trip, so there is no uninsured gap.
Questions about travel or visitor coverage?
Tell me who is travelling and in which direction, and I can point you to the right quote path.