Subject: Health Insurance
Hi all,
A question for those who have received their visa and arrived in Canada already. Specifically for those who came to Ontario.
Background
I've been living in Ontario for 13 years now. Here in Ontario, we have a government sponsored health plan - Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP). It covers a lot of basic health-care expenses, such as hospitalization, visiting the walk-in clinics or emergency room, ambulance fees (a certain %), etc. It is provided to all residents by the Government of Ontario (yes, that's part of why we pay so much tax here). However, for a new resident, you are not eligible for OHIP coverage for the first 3 months from when you arrive here. So for that time, you have to get your own private health insurance. I know this is thinking pretty far ahead for a lot of us, but it's important too.
Query
I have been looking into private health insurance from Canada for when my wife gets here. But I'm thinking why not get it from India before they leave (as they will still be Indian citizens though they have PR in Canada)? I've looked into it a bit, but I'm wondering if anyone else has looked into or actually taken travel insurance from India - i.e. health insurance for Indians travelling abroad. Several companies offer "Overseas Medical Insurance for an Individual," and I believe health-insurance for this specific purpose is covered. It's definitely cheaper, but I'm concerned about whether we will have trouble when making claims, if customer service will be a problem, etc. Has anyone done this? Can anyone recommend a good company to go with for travel insurance?
Thanks!