Having visitor travel and health insurance for Canada ensures that you and your travel companions have health insurance coverage before becoming eligible for a government health plan. Peace of mind comes with knowing you will be well cared for and financially protected if you are forced to face an emergency.
However, buying travel and health insurance for Canada can be particularly challenging if you or a loved one have to navigate the process with risk factors related to age and pre-existing health conditions. That’s why we’re here to help you evaluate your options so you can find the coverage plan that works the hardest to protect you and your loved ones.
Let’s start with the basic requirements someone needs to meet to purchase a Canadian travel insurance policy. To be eligible to apply for an emergency medical plan with Manulife, you need to be either:
- A visitor to Canada.
- In the country on a work visa or a parent/grandparent super visa.
- An immigrant waiting to be eligible for government health insurance from a Canadian province or territory.
Wait, what are the differences between the provincial health plans my family will be joining and the Medical insurance you offer?
In addition to the reason you’re in Canada, several other factors will impact your or a family member’s ability to qualify for travel insurance coverage. The two most important factors determining your travel insurance eligibility are age and health status. For example, certain pre-existing conditions, living circumstances, and being over 85 can make you ineligible for Manulife’s Canadian travel insurance plans.
How does age impact eligibility for Manulife travel and health insurance for Canada?
Since age is a factor that contributes to the likelihood of someone experiencing a severe injury or sudden illness – People over the age of 69 cannot apply for the maximum coverage amount of $150,000. In addition, infants are not eligible for coverage until they are 30 days old.
Age eligibility requirements include:
- Children must be at least 30 days old.
- Adults must be 85 or under to purchase between $15,000 and $100,000 in coverage.
- Visitors must be 69 or younger to secure $150,000 in coverage.
- Everyone covered under a family travel insurance policy must be under 60 years old.
- Parents must be under 60 to purchase family medical insurance, and children must be unmarried and under 21. There’s no age limit for dependant children with disabilities.
What health conditions or circumstances make someone ineligible for a Manulife emergency medical insurance plan?
These health factors make you or a family member ineligible for Manulife’s medical insurance for visitors to Canada.
- Travelling against the advice of a doctor.
- Having a kidney condition that requires dialysis.
- A diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease or dementia.
- A diagnosis of a terminal illness with less than two years to live.
- Needing to use a home oxygen divice within the past year.
- Living in a nursing home or other long-term care or rehabilitation facility.
- Requiring assistance with tasks including using the toilet, bathing, eating, dressing and getting in and out of bed or a chair.
Am I eligible for travel and health insurance for Canada if I have a pre-existing condition?
You can purchase health insurance with Manulife if you have a pre-existing condition, as long as it is stable for at least 180 days before your insurance coverage begins.
Manulife offers two types of emergency medical plans.
- Plan A will not cover medical issues which are a result of any pre-existing condition.
- Plan B will include coverage for many conditions as long as your health is stable for the 180 days before your travel insurance effective date.
Please see the Visitors To Canada Summary.pdf to learn more about the differences between Plan A and Plan B emergency medical coverage.
Are there any other eligibility requirements or restrictions for covering customers with pre-existing conditions?
When you apply for coverage under Plan B, you must complete a medical questionnaire if you are over 39 years old.
Insured Plan B customers are not eligible for medical insurance for emergencies related to their condition if:
- The condition caused them to be hospitalized more than once for at least two consecutive days during the past year.
- They received nitroglycerine for a heart condition within 180 days before the policy effective date.
- They received treatments like prednisone or oxygen for a lung condition 180 days before the effective date.
- A physician determines that a pre-existing condition is getting worse and prescribes additional treatments.
See the definition of a stable medical condition and the complete list of Pre-Existing Medical Condition Exclusions here.
To find out more about your eligibility and coverage options, get your travel insurance quote, and speak to a licensed advisor. It’s a fast and simple way to determine how you can secure health insurance for each traveller in your family.
