Cannot buy travel insurance for > 1 year??

[simonvee]

Hi,

I am from Australia going to Canada on a working holiday visa. The terms of the visa requires me to purchase travel insurance for 2 years given this is the duration of the visa. However, when to I spoke to a flight center agent she told me that 1 year of travel insurance is the maximum they are allowed to sell. If I want 2 years I would have to get someone (e.g. parent, sibbling) to purchase travel insurance for me while I am in Canada.

1. I'm not sure if she is 100% correct about this
2. It's such a hassle to get someone to buy travel insurance for me, I want to buy it in one shot

There must be an option or an alternative means to buy health insurance for 2 years.

What does everyone think? Or know?

 

[Leon]

Ask more insurance companies. Don't call it travel insurance. Call it emergency insurance or whatever. I am sure the embassy told you the specifics of what it has to cover. There is also an insurance broker on this board. His username is Haver and you can ask him. You can also google insurance brokers in the province you are going to.

 

[Baloo]

Maybe call it "private medical insurance".

 

[goldenbrown]

Hi simonvee,

I would go more carefully through the terms and requirements for the visa. Insurance companies such as Manulife, TIC, Travel Underwrites do not issue visitors to Canada insurance plans (aka emergency insurance) for more than one year. The renewal is possible after one year for the six month period, twice. So, 2-years-long Canada travel insurance is maximum you can get eventually but first maximum is one year.
Here is the trustworthy website where you can check approximate prices and buy travel insurance from Canadian companies.

Good luck

 

[Petermiyuki]

Hello simonvee,

My friend works for travel insurance agency and he says it is no problems to arrange it.
He sometimes receives similar questions.

His name is Geoffrey and works for Bridges International Insurance Services
You can contact him by e-mail or Skype: biiscanada

Hope this helps.

Take care.

 

[simone_hartman]

Hi Simon,

I am in a similar situation now. Are you able to share with me how you got on with this issue?
Very frustrating!

Thanks,
Simone.

 

[haver]

Unfortunately none of the companies offer coverage for more that one year. Our working visa holders usually buy the one year plans and then extend it. We can provide letters that confirm that.

 

[goldenbrown]

We created a new website with insurance quotes Calculator For Visitors to Canada. It is shows that Canadian travel insurance coverage for over than one year does not exist.

 

[Gary Goldshmidt]

I find this hard to believe are you sure this is a requirement for your visa, or are they asking for a comprehensive medical insurance which includes not just emergency medical but disability, drugs, dental and other benefits. This is different then just emergency medical insurance that can only be purchased for one year with an option to renew for an additional year. Usually the employer will be buying this coverage not you directly.

 

[goldenbrown]

As for today , there is no Canadian Insurance Company to offer medical insurance coverage for visitors to Canada longer than one year. But, starting Jul 08, 2013 there is an option to buy Supervisa Insurance with monthly payments. You should ask the same company if it is what the Government asking.
Good luck.

 

[Gary Goldshmidt]

Citizenship and Immigration Canada does not permit monthly payment plans for Super Visa it has to be paid up front and submitted with a Super Visa Application. As far as 24 month policies there are policies that specify right in their policy wording that the policy can be renewed for an additional year with a maximum period of coverage of 24 month. What you need to be careful with is some policies will not allow for renewals for an additional year their max coverage is 365 days.

As long as you are not dumb enough to renew this type of policy which one broker on this site already did bestquotetravelinsurance.ca only to find out the client was not eligible to renew their policy with Chartis Travel-Gruard for an additional year. Even in this situation it is not a problem I deal with insurance companies that will insure a super visa applicant already in Canada. I get lots of calls for this from people that want better coverage or want their policy underwritten at time of application not time of claim (post claim underwriting).

The downside is not all clients will be happy because in most cases not all their pre-existing conditions can be insured or the rating are very high or they are not insurable period. But I would rather tell them the way it is as opposed to buying insurance that will leave them without coverage for what they need. You have to be realistic not all conditions can be insured and not all travel is for a visit, I had clients tell me they are traveling for a medical procedure. Yes they can buy a policy to satisfy Citizen and Immigration Canada but it does not mean that policy will provide the coverage for everything.

I would never discourage one from traveling, in life you always take risks you just need to be aware of what they are. I have clients in Canada in their 80's that travel all the time without insurance and engage in dangerous sports they race motorcycles. They know the risks but it does not prevent them from living and doing what they want.

 

[goldenbrown]

Citizenship and Immigration Canada DOES permit monthly payment plans for Super Visa.
http://www.arbetovinsurance.com/monthly-payment-options-for-super-visa-starting-july-8th/

http://supervisabestinsurance.com/monthly-payments-for-super-visa-insurance/

I also want to say that there is a new travel to Canada plans with maximum 18 months
http://www.arbetovinsurance.com/travelance-visitors-insurance

 

[Gary Goldshmidt]

Here is the direct link to Citizenship and Immigration Canada including the super visa requirements for medical insurance.

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/helpcentre/answer.asp?q=429&t=16

 

[goldenbrown]

Dear Gary, thank you for the link. It explains Super Visa requirements including for medical insurance.

This is exactly what the parents need
Canadian medical insurance for at least one year to cover the time he or she will be in Canada
We are offering such kind of insurance with a monthly payment plan
http://arbetovinsurance.com/21st-century-visitors-medical-insurance

 

[Gary Goldshmidt]

Can you please be kind enough to share the exact link from Citizenship and Immigration Canada that specifically indicates that you can buy super visa insurance on a monthly plan or specifically buy super visa insurance for one month at a time as apposed to a lump sum for one year.