1. What amount of insurance benefit should I purchase?
We recommend at least $50,000 of medical insurance coverage as hospital costs for visitors to Canada can run up to $2,500.00 per day.
2. When should I purchase visitors to Canada travel medical insurance?
You can purchase medical coverage at any time. We recommend that visitors insurance should be purchased prior to arrival to Canada. If the effective date is after the arrival date, most of the insurance companies do not cover expenses within 24 hours up to 8 days as a result of sickness occurring immediately following your policy effective date. Injury coverage is effective immediately.
3. What is a Deductible?
This represents the amount of eligible medical expenses that must be paid by the insured before the insurance company begins to reimburse for covered expenses. As an example, if you purchase a plan with a $50 deductible and incur $200 of expenses, the insurance company will begin to reimburse for expenses after you have paid the first $50 of your medical bills.
There are two different kinds of deductibles, per-claim and per-policy period. A per claim deductible means that the insured must pay a new deductible for each separate incident. (Example: pay the deductible once for a broken leg and then a second time for a flu treatment). A per-policy period deductible means that the insured must pay the deductible only once during the period of the insurance policy. If your plan has a $100 deductible, you pay the first $100 of the expenses and then the insurance company picks up the rest. The higher the deductible, the lower the premium cost and vice versa.
4. What is a Pre-existing Condition?
Generally, pre-existing conditions are defined as any sickness, injury or medical condition for which the insured consulted a physician, has symptoms, has been hospitalized or was prescribed medications within a certain period before the effective date of coverage. Each insurance company treats pre-existing conditions differently and this is a major reason for declined medical claims. The look back period may vary from 3 months to a life time. Please, read the exclusion section in the insurance policy booklet for exact definition.
There are certain visitors insurance plans in which coverage for stable pre-existing conditions is possible.
5. Can I buy visitors to Canada insurance, if I have a pre-existing medical condition?
Yes. If you choose a policy that excludes pre-existing conditions, you will be covered for new sicknesses and injuries.