Medical insurance in Canada for newcomers
In some provinces, public health insurance takes effect after 3 months. Here's how to choose and get temporary private insurance in the meantime:
In Canada, healthcare is free (or more accurately, publicly funded through taxes). Even if you're not a Canadian citizen but have permanent resident status, you can get public health insurance and access basic healthcare services for free.
However, in some regions, this insurance doesn't start immediately, but only three months after arrival. This rule applies in the following provinces and territories:
Important: Ontario previously had a three-month waiting period, but it has been eliminated. The public OHIP insurance is provided immediately after application, without waiting.
For example, if you moved to New Brunswick on August 20, August would be counted as the first month, with September and October as the following two. In this case, your public insurance would start on November 1.
If you happen to break your arm, get sick, end up in the hospital, or just see a doctor, you'll have to pay for any examination according to the rates for foreigners.
Here are some examples of inpatient treatment costs in Ontario for uninsured patients. Prices are in Canadian dollars:
- Standard ward — $3,810 per day;
- Private room — $4,150 per day;
- Intensive care unit — $13,764 per day;
- X-ray — from $49;
- MRI — $2,553;
- Lab test — $564;
- Ambulance transport to hospital — $240.
If you're moving to a region where free medical services are only available three months after arrival, it's recommended to purchase temporary private insurance, preferably before arriving in Canada.
How to use the insurance cost calculator
To find out the cost, compare insurance companies, and buy insurance, you can use the insurance calculator. First, you need to fill in five main fields:
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Below is information for each section.
"Arrival and return dates". In this section, enter your arrival date and the insurance end date. To calculate the end date, choose the last day of the month two months after your arrival in Canada. For example, if you arrive on March 21, select May 31.
"Check if 2 people are arriving". If you're coming to Canada with family, check this box. Children are not counted as their insurance will be free.
"Age". Enter the age of adults at the time of purchasing the insurance policy. If your travel date is known and your birthday is coming up, don't delay buying, as older individuals pay more for policies.
"Coverage amount". Choose the amount your family or each family member will be insured for (depending on the insurance company). Recommended coverage is from $50,000 to $100,000 Canadian dollars.
"Are there any known pre-existing conditions that may recur?" If you have chronic illnesses and have visited a hospital in your home country for diagnosis or treatment, it's better to check this box. The policy will cost more, but if you don't select this option and need hospital care, the insurance company might refuse to pay out. If the insurer has doubts about whether a health problem is new, they may request your medical history.
After this, click the "Calculate" button to see insurance company offers with approximate prices. For details, click the "Download" link next to a specific insurance company.
How much does insurance cost
Private health insurance can cost from $125 to $500 Canadian dollars depending on your age, insurance coverage, existing conditions, and the insurance company.
If the insurance price is high for you, try changing the value in the "Deductible" dropdown list in the online calculator:
The deductible is the amount you pay yourself when visiting a doctor. For example, if in the Destination Canada example you choose a $250 deductible instead of "No", the insurance cost will decrease from $270.72 to $243.65 Canadian dollars:
If you see a doctor and receive a bill for $1,000 Canadian dollars, the insurance company will only pay $750.
How to choose an insurance company
Popular insurance companies in Canada include 21st Century Enhanced, Destination Canada, Travelance, and Manulife.
Hospitalization, basic doctor's examinations, and other important medical services will be fully compensated up to the coverage amount. However, details for specific services may vary depending on the insurance company.
For example, Travelance has a lower compensation amount for emergency dental surgery, up to $2,000 Canadian dollars, while Destination Canada offers up to $3,000, and Manulife up to $4,000. Travelance doesn't cover emergency physiotherapist, osteopath, and pediatrician services. Other companies do offer these services, but compensation is limited to $500 Canadian dollars.
Overall, Manulife is considered a more expensive option that might be better suited for clients with serious conditions, such as heart problems.
Insurance purchase process
On the online insurance calculator site, after entering your data, select an insurance company and click the "Buy Online" button next to its name. You'll then be redirected to the insurance company's website, where you'll need to enter information about the type of coverage, insurance duration, and age. 
- Type of Coverage — coverage type. Choose Family if you're traveling with your family;
- Arrival Date — date of arrival;
- Effective Date — the date when insurance coverage begins. If you're buying in advance, this should match the Arrival Date;
- Expiry Date — insurance end date;
- Trip Duration in Days — length of trip or insurance coverage in days (calculated automatically);
- Applicant 1 Date of Birth (Oldest Family Member) — birthdate of the oldest family member.
After filling in the fields, click "Next" and you'll see these options:
- With coverage for any pre-existing conditions that were stable for 120 days — if you have conditions that may recur;
- Without coverage for pre-existing medical conditions — if you have no pre-existing conditions.
In the "Deductible Amount" field, choose your deductible if needed, and in "Sum Insured" select the coverage amount. Then click "Next". You'll see a window where you'll need to enter your details, family members' information, and your address in Canada. After this, you can pay for the insurance. If the transaction is successful, you'll see a message with insurance details. For example:
Click "Confirmation" to download the electronic policy in PDF format. Print it and take it with you to Canada. Here's an example of a paid insurance policy:
