Super visa insurance is the private health insurance a parent or grandparent must show to get a super visa, and again each time they enter Canada. The rules on this page come from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) pages on canada.ca; the insurer features come from each insurer’s own super visa or visitors to Canada page, checked October 11, 2026. This page is general education, not insurance or immigration advice. An immigration officer decides whether a policy satisfies the requirement, and the policy wording decides what a claim pays.
What insurance does IRCC require for a super visa?
IRCC requires a health insurance policy with a minimum emergency coverage of $100,000, valid for a minimum of 1 year from the date of entry, that covers the applicant’s health care, hospitalization and repatriation. A quote is not accepted as proof.
How to read this table: Paraphrased closely from IRCC's super visa forms and documents page; the quoted wording is in the source record.
| Requirement | What IRCC says | What to check on the policy |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum emergency coverage | $100,000 | The sum insured printed on the policy confirmation. |
| Minimum term | Valid for a minimum of 1 year from the date of entry | The start and end dates on the policy. |
| What it must cover | The applicant's health care, hospitalization and repatriation | All three appear in the policy benefits. |
| Who may issue it | A Canadian insurance company, or an insurance company outside Canada that meets the OSFI conditions below | The name of the insurance company that issued the policy (the insurer or underwriter) is on the document. |
| Payment | Paid in full, or in instalments with a deposit; quotes are not accepted | Proof of payment, not a quote. |
| Entries to Canada | Valid for each entry to Canada | The policy is still in force on every arrival date. |
| At the border | Available for review by border services officers on request | A copy travels with the visitor. |
| During the stay | If the insurance will expire before the visitor leaves Canada, IRCC says the policy should be renewed to maintain coverage | The renewal date against the planned length of stay. |
Source: Super visa for parents and grandparents: Forms and documents - Canada.ca (proof of health insurance); Super visa: Forms and documents - Canada.ca (minimum term); Super visa: Forms and documents - Canada.ca (payment); Super visa: Forms and documents - Canada.ca (what the policy covers); Super visa: Forms and documents - Canada.ca (insurers outside Canada); Super visa: Forms and documents - Canada.ca (brokers and claims administrators); Super visa: Forms and documents - Canada.ca (renewal during the stay); Super visa for parents and grandparents: Who can apply - Canada.ca; Change to health insurance requirement makes the super visa more accessible - Canada.ca (notice, January 28, 2025); Ministerial Instructions regarding the Parent and Grandparent Super Visa (2026) - Canada.ca; Super visa for parents and grandparents: How long you can stay in Canada - Canada.ca. In effect from January 28, 2025; checked October 11, 2026.
Three details in that list are easy to miss. First, IRCC measures the one-year minimum from the date of entry, not from the date the policy was bought, so the dates on the policy are worth checking against the planned arrival. Second, IRCC accepts payment in full or in instalments with a deposit, and says plainly that quotes aren’t accepted. Third, the policy must be valid for each entry to Canada: a visitor who goes home for a few months and returns needs a policy in force on the day they come back.
The same rules apply to visitors from visa-exempt countries who use the super visa to stay longer. The insurance requirement sits beside the host’s financial test, which is covered in the guide to the super visa income requirement.
Who can issue super visa insurance?
A Canadian insurance company can, and so can an insurance company outside Canada that meets three conditions tied to the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI). IRCC opened the requirement to insurers outside Canada on January 28, 2025; before that, only Canadian insurers qualified.
How to read this table: All of the first three conditions must be met. OSFI's list of federally regulated financial institutions is public.
| Condition | What IRCC says |
|---|---|
| OSFI authorization | Authorized by the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI) under the Insurance Companies Act to provide accident and sickness insurance. |
| OSFI list | Appears on OSFI's publicly available list of federally regulated financial institutions. |
| Business in Canada | Issued or made the policy while doing insurance business in Canada, and the policy must include a statement saying so. |
| Not insurers | Insurance brokers and insurance claims administrators are not insurance companies and will not appear on the OSFI list. |
| No list of companies abroad | OSFI does not keep a list of foreign insurance companies outside Canada unless they are registered with OSFI as branches or subsidiaries in Canada. |
Source: Super visa for parents and grandparents: Forms and documents - Canada.ca (proof of health insurance); Super visa: Forms and documents - Canada.ca (minimum term); Super visa: Forms and documents - Canada.ca (payment); Super visa: Forms and documents - Canada.ca (what the policy covers); Super visa: Forms and documents - Canada.ca (insurers outside Canada); Super visa: Forms and documents - Canada.ca (brokers and claims administrators); Super visa: Forms and documents - Canada.ca (renewal during the stay); Super visa for parents and grandparents: Who can apply - Canada.ca; Change to health insurance requirement makes the super visa more accessible - Canada.ca (notice, January 28, 2025); Ministerial Instructions regarding the Parent and Grandparent Super Visa (2026) - Canada.ca; Super visa for parents and grandparents: How long you can stay in Canada - Canada.ca. In effect from January 28, 2025; checked October 11, 2026.
The Ministerial Instructions for the super visa that came into force on March 31, 2026 keep both routes: a policy from a Canadian insurance company, or one from an insurance company outside Canada that is approved by the Minister.
One practical point follows from IRCC’s wording. Some super visa policies are sold by brokers, administrators or brands that are not themselves insurers, and IRCC says brokers and claims administrators will not appear on the OSFI list. The name that matters is the insurance company that issued the policy, which IRCC says the policy should show; IRCC notes it is sometimes called the insurer or the underwriter. Some sellers on this list name theirs on the page: Travelance’s plans are underwritten by Old Republic Insurance Company of Canada, Travel Guard’s are underwritten by Zurich Insurance Company Ltd (Canadian Branch) or AIG Insurance Company of Canada, and Manulife CoverMe plans are underwritten by The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company (Manulife).
What does IRCC not decide?
IRCC sets the minimum coverage, the term, the three things covered, the payment rule and who may issue the policy. It does not set a deductible, a rule for pre-existing conditions, a refund rule or a price. Those are the insurer’s terms, and they are where two policies that both satisfy IRCC differ most.
| Item | Where it is decided |
|---|---|
| Deductible | IRCC's requirement list does not mention a deductible; each insurer sets its own options. |
| Pre-existing conditions | IRCC's list does not mention them; each policy sets its own stability period and exclusions. |
| Refunds | IRCC's list does not mention refunds; refund terms for a refused visa or an early return are set by each insurer. |
| Price | IRCC publishes no premium; insurers price by quote. |
Source: Super visa for parents and grandparents: Forms and documents - Canada.ca (proof of health insurance); Super visa: Forms and documents - Canada.ca (minimum term); Super visa: Forms and documents - Canada.ca (payment); Super visa: Forms and documents - Canada.ca (what the policy covers); Super visa: Forms and documents - Canada.ca (insurers outside Canada); Super visa: Forms and documents - Canada.ca (brokers and claims administrators); Super visa: Forms and documents - Canada.ca (renewal during the stay); Super visa for parents and grandparents: Who can apply - Canada.ca; Change to health insurance requirement makes the super visa more accessible - Canada.ca (notice, January 28, 2025); Ministerial Instructions regarding the Parent and Grandparent Super Visa (2026) - Canada.ca; Super visa for parents and grandparents: How long you can stay in Canada - Canada.ca. In effect from January 28, 2025; checked October 11, 2026.
Super visa insurers compared
Eight insurers with a plan presented as usable for a super visa, compared on the terms IRCC leaves open. “Not stated” means the page read on October 11, 2026 did not give the term; it does not mean the insurer lacks it.
| Feature | Coverage amounts | Deductible | Pre-existing conditions | Refund terms stated | Age and buying limits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GMS | $100,000 or $150,000 | deductibles as low as $0 | coverage for pre-existing medical conditions that have been stable for 180 days | a full refund when GMS is contacted before the effective date | under age 80 on the policy effective date |
| Travelance | $25,000, $50,000, $100,000 or $150,000 | deductibles from $0 to $10,000, with published premium reductions of 10% at $250, 15% at $500 and 45% at $10,000 | pre-existing conditions that have been stable for 180 days on the Premier Plan, with heart, brain and lung conditions excluded from ages 70 to 79 and no pre-existing coverage from ages 80 to 85 | no charge to cancel a policy because of a visa denial | ages 15 days to 85 years |
| Co-operators | Not stated on the page; Co-operators says the plan meets super visa requirements | four deductible options from $100 to $3,000 per claim, with savings of 5% to 30% | Not stated on the page | Not stated on the page | rates for visitors up to age 89 |
| TuGo (via Sun Life) | Not stated on Sun Life's page | Not stated on Sun Life's page | pre-existing medical condition coverage, subject to stability period requirements (TuGo's own page) | a full refund with no administration fee, when the request reaches TuGo before the policy becomes active and comes with proof the super visa was denied | Not stated on Sun Life's page |
| Manulife CoverMe | a limit the buyer selects, up to a maximum of $200,000 | Chosen at quote; no options listed on the page | coverage for pre-existing medical conditions that have been stable for at least 180 days (Enhanced plan only) | a refund for the unused days after an early return home, provided no claim was reported or started and no assistance services were received | applications up to age 85, with a medical questionnaire from age 55 (Enhanced plan) |
| Ontario Blue Cross | $50,000, $100,000 or $150,000 per traveller | Not stated on the page | Not stated on the page | Not stated, apart from no refund for trip-break days | individuals aged 79 and under; purchase within 30 days of arrival |
| Travel Guard | $100,000 (Plan 3) or $150,000 (Plan 4), each with a $0 deductible | None on those two plans | Not stated on the page | Not stated on the page | people up to the age of 74 on Plans 3 and 4 |
| RBC Insurance | up to $150,000 in emergency medical and dental coverage (Visitors Plan III) | no deductible payment on claims | Not stated on the page | Not stated on the page | visitors between one month old and 69 years of age; bought before arriving in Canada or within 5 days of arrival |
Sources: each insurer's own super visa or visitors to Canada page, checked October 11, 2026. TuGo's refund term comes from Sun Life's super visa insurance page and its pre-existing condition term from TuGo's own visitors to Canada page. No premiums are shown because none of these pages publishes a price list.
The table in sentences, insurer by insurer.
GMS sells $100,000 or $150,000 for super visa applicants, with deductibles as low as $0, and offers coverage for pre-existing medical conditions that have been stable for 180 days. Its application has an online application that pre-selects the 365-day coverage, and it gives no medical questions for visitors under 55. Buyers must be under age 80 on the policy effective date, and GMS products are not available in Quebec, Nunavut or New Brunswick.
Travelance says both plans meet the super visa requirement when bought with a sum insured of at least $100,000 for at least one year, according to Travelance. Coverage comes in $25,000, $50,000, $100,000 or $150,000, for ages 15 days to 85 years, with deductibles from $0 to $10,000, with published premium reductions of 10% at $250, 15% at $500 and 45% at $10,000. The Essential Plan has no pre-existing condition coverage on the Essential Plan; the Premier Plan covers pre-existing conditions that have been stable for 180 days on the Premier Plan, with heart, brain and lung conditions excluded from ages 70 to 79 and no pre-existing coverage from ages 80 to 85.
Co-operators describes its Visitor-to-Canada plan as protection that meets super visa application requirements, according to Co-operators, with coverage for up to 365 days in Canada and no expiry date exclusion, the ability to return to the home country during the trip without cancelling coverage, four deductible options from $100 to $3,000 per claim, with savings of 5% to 30% and rates for visitors up to age 89.
TuGo is the insurer behind Sun Life’s super visa page: Sun Life does not sell super visa insurance directly; it refers buyers to TuGo and receives a commission for the referral. Sun Life’s page says the plan has no coverage for health-care costs in the visitor's country of origin or residence and no coverage for vision care, and that after a death in Canada it pays the cost of returning the visitor to the country of origin after a death, but not funeral expenses. TuGo’s own visitors to Canada page, which does not mention the super visa, lists travel worldwide, as long as most of the trip is in Canada, 24-hour accident insurance of up to $25,000 and pre-existing medical condition coverage, subject to stability period requirements.
Manulife CoverMe has three visitor plans, and all three plans meet the super visa requirement, according to Manulife. Coverage is a limit the buyer selects, up to a maximum of $200,000. The Basic plan has no age limit, no coverage for pre-existing medical conditions and no dental benefits on the Basic plan; the Standard plan has no coverage for pre-existing medical conditions that existed within 180 days before the effective date; the Enhanced plan gives coverage for pre-existing medical conditions that have been stable for at least 180 days and takes applications up to age 85, with a medical questionnaire from age 55. Manulife lists 5% off with the travel companion discount.
Ontario Blue Cross says it provides insurance products that comply with super visa requirements, according to Ontario Blue Cross, in amounts of $50,000, $100,000 or $150,000 per traveller; only the two higher amounts reach IRCC’s minimum. The plan is for individuals aged 79 and under, allows purchase within 30 days of arrival, and includes a trip break: a return to the country of residence and back to Canada without ending the policy, with no coverage and no premium refund for the days away.
Travel Guard offers $100,000 (Plan 3) or $150,000 (Plan 4), each with a $0 deductible, for people up to the age of 74 on Plans 3 and 4, with protection for up to 365 days and a minimum of 7 days. It applies no coverage for sickness or illness for 48 hours from the start date when the policy is bought after arriving in Canada.
RBC Insurance is the narrowest fit, and says so itself: it has no policy created specifically for super visa holders; eligible applicants may qualify for Visitors Plan III. That plan offers up to $150,000 in emergency medical and dental coverage with no medical questions asked and no deductible payment on claims, covers a single trip lasting up to 365 days, is for visitors between one month old and 69 years of age, and must be bought before arriving in Canada or within 5 days of arrival.
How much does super visa insurance cost?
Super visa insurance is priced by quote, so there is no single cost. Of the eight insurers checked, only GMS publishes a range: in a guide dated October 21, 2025, it estimates typical premiums at approximately $1,000 to over $6,000 per person a year for $100,000 of coverage.
Spread over a year, the low end of that range is about $83 a month and the high end is $500 a month or more, per person. Read it as GMS’s description of the market, not as a quote: GMS names the applicant’s age as the single biggest factor, followed by health and medical history, the coverage amount and deductible chosen, and the insurer. RBC Insurance lists the same drivers: age, health history, length of stay, and coverage limits and deductibles.
The deductible is the price lever the buyer controls. Travelance publishes what each choice does to the premium: deductibles from $0 to $10,000, with published premium reductions of 10% at $250, 15% at $500 and 45% at $10,000. Co-operators offers four deductible options from $100 to $3,000 per claim, with savings of 5% to 30%. A worked example with a hypothetical quote: on a base premium of $3,000, the reduction Travelance publishes for its $500 deductible would bring the premium to $2,550, in exchange for paying the first $500 of a claim. The saving is certain and the deductible is only paid if there is a claim, so the choice depends on what a household could cover from savings on short notice.
Instalments can carry a charge of their own: Travelance’s monthly option adds a $100 non-refundable billing fee.
How do you get a super visa insurance quote?
A super visa insurance quote needs four inputs: the visitor’s date of birth, the planned date of entry, the coverage amount and the deductible. Some plans also ask medical questions, depending on age and plan.
- Start date equal to the date of entry. IRCC measures the one-year minimum from entry.
- The same coverage amount on every quote. GMS, Travelance, Ontario Blue Cross and Travel Guard each sell the federal minimum and one level above it.
- The same deductible on every quote, then a second set at a higher deductible to see the saving.
- Medical questions, where the plan asks them. GMS gives no medical questions for visitors under 55; Manulife’s Enhanced plan takes applications up to age 85, with a medical questionnaire from age 55.
- Proof of payment, not the quote. IRCC does not accept a quote, so the document for the application is the policy confirmation showing the insurer’s name, the dates, the coverage amount and payment.
Families hosting a parent for a shorter stay on a regular visitor visa are not bound by the super visa minimums; the comparison of visitor insurance in Canada covers those plans.
Can you pay for super visa insurance monthly?
IRCC allows it in principle: the policy must be “paid in full or in instalments with a deposit.” Whether an insurer offers instalments is a separate question, and of the eight checked, Travelance is the one that publishes its terms.
| Travelance Monthly Payment Option | Published term |
|---|---|
| Which policies | plans with 90 travel days or more |
| At application | two months of premium collected on the application date, then equal monthly payments on a credit card from the policy start date |
| Fee | a $100 non-refundable billing fee |
| If cancelled | prorated daily refunds for cancellations, with administration fees |
In sentences: Travelance’s monthly option is available for plans with 90 travel days or more. It takes two months of premium collected on the application date, then equal monthly payments on a credit card from the policy start date, charges a $100 non-refundable billing fee, and offers prorated daily refunds for cancellations, with administration fees. The other seven pages did not describe an instalment plan. An instalment plan still has to satisfy the officer reviewing the file, so the insurer’s confirmation should show the deposit paid and a policy term of at least one year.
What happens to the premium if the super visa is refused?
It depends on the insurer and on timing. IRCC sets no refund rule, so the terms below are each insurer’s own.
| Insurer | Refund term stated on its page |
|---|---|
| TuGo (via Sun Life) | a full refund with no administration fee, when the request reaches TuGo before the policy becomes active and comes with proof the super visa was denied |
| TuGo (via Sun Life), no proof of refusal | a refund less a $250 cancellation fee, when the policy is cancelled before the effective date without proof the super visa was denied |
| Travelance | no charge to cancel a policy because of a visa denial |
| GMS, before the effective date | a full refund when GMS is contacted before the effective date |
| GMS, policy already in effect | a refund calculated from the day GMS is contacted, minus an administration fee, when a visa is denied after the policy has started |
| Manulife CoverMe | a refund on request after the 10-day free look, as long as coverage has not started and Manulife receives the request before the departure date |
Timing is the common thread. TuGo’s full refund applies when the request arrives before the policy becomes active; GMS separates a cancellation before the effective date from one after it. A policy start date set too early can therefore turn a full refund into a partial one if processing runs long. Co-operators, Ontario Blue Cross, Travel Guard and RBC Insurance did not state a refusal refund on the pages read.
Early returns are a second refund question, for a visitor who goes home before the policy ends. TuGo’s term is a partial refund based on the remaining number of days, provided there is no claim on the policy, with no administration fee. GMS gives a refund calculated from the day of departure when no claim has been made, with proof of departure. Travelance lists a refund of premium for an early return. Manulife offers a refund for the unused days after an early return home, provided no claim was reported or started and no assistance services were received. In each case a claim on the policy changes or ends the refund.
Does super visa insurance cover pre-existing conditions?
Some plans do, for conditions that have been stable for a set period before the policy starts; others exclude them entirely. RBC Insurance describes the usual stability period as often 90 to 180 days before the policy start date, and notes that definitions of “stable” vary between providers.
On the pages read, the stated stability period is the same length at three insurers and the conditions around it differ. GMS offers coverage for pre-existing medical conditions that have been stable for 180 days. Manulife’s Enhanced plan gives coverage for pre-existing medical conditions that have been stable for at least 180 days. Travelance’s Premier Plan covers pre-existing conditions that have been stable for 180 days on the Premier Plan, with heart, brain and lung conditions excluded from ages 70 to 79 and no pre-existing coverage from ages 80 to 85, so age changes the answer there. TuGo’s own page lists pre-existing medical condition coverage, subject to stability period requirements without giving the period.
Manulife’s page also spells out what “unstable” means, which is useful when reading any policy: new or changed symptoms, symptoms that have become more frequent or severe, a physician’s finding or test results showing the condition may be worsening, a new medication or a change in medication, a hospitalization or referral to a specialist, or tests whose results are still pending. On that definition, a change in medication inside the stability window counts, not only a new diagnosis.
How long does the insurance need to last on a five-year stay?
IRCC’s minimum is 1 year from the date of entry, while a super visa holder is eligible to stay for 5 years at a time. The two numbers are not the same, and IRCC covers the gap in one sentence: if the health insurance will expire before the visitor leaves Canada, the policy should be renewed to maintain coverage during the stay.
Some insurer pages still describe the super visa as a stay of up to two years; IRCC’s page says 5 years at a time for anyone who applied on or after June 22, 2023, and IRCC is the source to follow. For planning, the visitor plans on this list run for about a year at a time: Co-operators gives coverage for up to 365 days in Canada and no expiry date exclusion, Travel Guard gives protection for up to 365 days and a minimum of 7 days, and RBC Insurance covers a single trip lasting up to 365 days. A longer stay means a renewal or a new policy each year, priced at the visitor’s age at that time, and a new stability period to check for any condition that changed during the year.
A super visa is temporary status and does not bring provincial health coverage. The page on the OHIP health card in Ontario explains who qualifies for the provincial plan, and the guide to parents and grandparents sponsorship covers the permanent residence route.
Checklist for comparing super visa insurance quotes
Line the quotes up on identical inputs first, then compare the terms IRCC leaves to the insurer.
- Issuer. The insurance company named on the policy is Canadian, or meets the three OSFI conditions. A broker’s or administrator’s name is not enough.
- Coverage amount. At or above the federal minimum, and the same on every quote.
- Term and start date. At least one year, starting on the planned date of entry.
- The three required coverages. Health care, hospitalization and repatriation all appear in the benefits.
- Deductible. The same on every quote, and whether it applies per claim or per policy.
- Pre-existing conditions. Covered or excluded, the stability period, and any age at which the answer changes.
- Age limits. Whether the visitor will still be eligible at renewal a year later.
- Refund if the visa is refused. Full or partial, any fee, and whether it depends on the policy not having started.
- Refund for an early return. How it is calculated and what a claim does to it.
- Trips home and side trips. Whether the policy survives a visit home (Co-operators and Ontario Blue Cross say theirs do) and what is covered outside Canada.
- Waiting period. GMS gives no waiting period when the application is made before arriving in Canada, or when switching from another Canadian insurer with no gap in coverage; Travel Guard applies no coverage for sickness or illness for 48 hours from the start date when the policy is bought after arriving in Canada.
- Payment proof. A confirmation showing payment in full, or the deposit and instalment schedule.
- Cooling-off period. Manulife gives a 10-day free look period to review the policy and return it; Travelance gives a 10-day right to examine the policy.
The host’s budget is part of the picture too, since the host promises financial support in the letter of invitation. The newcomer budget calculator can hold the annual premium as a line item beside rent and groceries.
Common mistakes with super visa insurance
- Submitting a quote. IRCC says quotes aren’t accepted.
- Buying a visitor plan below the minimum. Several insurers sell smaller amounts for ordinary visitors; Ontario Blue Cross’s lowest option and two of RBC Insurance’s three plans are under IRCC’s minimum.
- Missing an age limit. Travel Guard’s two plans at or above the minimum are for people up to the age of 74 on Plans 3 and 4, and RBC Insurance’s is for visitors between one month old and 69 years of age.
- Assuming pre-existing conditions are covered. Manulife’s Basic plan has no coverage for pre-existing medical conditions, and Travelance’s Essential Plan has no pre-existing condition coverage on the Essential Plan.
- Letting the policy lapse during a long stay. IRCC expects coverage to be renewed, and proof is needed on each entry.
- Starting the policy long before the visa decision. Refund terms at TuGo and GMS are more generous before the policy takes effect.
- Checking the seller’s name instead of the insurer’s. The OSFI test applies to the insurance company that issued the policy.
How this list was put together
YieldMaple read each insurer’s own super visa or visitors to Canada page on October 11, 2026 and recorded only the coverage amounts, deductibles, payment terms, refund terms, age limits and pre-existing condition rules stated there, with the exact wording saved for each fact. TuGo’s refund and exclusion terms are recorded from Sun Life’s super visa insurance page, which names TuGo as the provider; its other features are from TuGo’s own visitors to Canada page. No insurer supplied information or paid to be listed, and there are no affiliate links on this page. The list is not exhaustive: other insurers and brokers sell super visa insurance in Canada, and leaving one out is not a judgment about it. Whether a specific policy satisfies the super visa requirement is IRCC’s decision, and a quote for the visitor’s age and health is the only price that applies. More immigration guides are in the immigration section.