Medical Insurance for Newcomers to Canada

Upon arriving to Canada, you need to apply for provincial medical insurance plan, and in many cases you need to buy private insurance for the first few months (or for the full term of stay if you are a visitor, a student or a work visa holder). Here you will find complete information about visitors and legal immigrants medical insurance in Canada.

Canada is a country with high living standards. The majority of medical costs are covered by the government. In all provinces immigrants receive provincial medical insurance benefits. Not in all provinces this insurance is activated right away; waiting time to receive it varies according to provinces and territories.

It is necessary to buy an insurance with the highest coverage (150,000 – 200,000). It is not considerably higher in price but can help you protect your hard earned money when it comes to it, and you will not end up like a woman who bought $20,000 insurance and received a $77,000 bill from a hospital. Paying that sort of a bill to a hospital will take several years.

The chart below (dated March 27, 2005) shows the countrywide data. By clicking on the name of a Provincial program, you will be redirected to the corresponding website with the specific to a province or territory medical insurance information.

Note: The table contains basic information only. (For example, in British Columbia if you are out of province for more than 30 days, the waiting time starts all over again.) The full information is available at the official website (links provided in the table) or from the agent who sells you temporary insurance.

Before you arrive in Canada, download the application form (the right column of the table) of a province where you plan to settle and print out several copies. It is better to have ready to use forms once you arrive because you can not be sure how fast you will have the access to the Internet and a printer. You need one application form for the whole family.

If a province (British Columbia, New Brunswick, Ontario, and Québec) does not offer coverage from the first day, it is recommended that you buy a private insurance effective until the start of the provincial insurance.

Notwithstanding the city or province where you wish to settle, you can buy the relevant insurance online. The prices for the same type insurance are the same countrywide, no matter who is the broker. The prices on insurances from different companies vary.

We do not recommend buying insurance from French, Austrian or other companies while you are still in Russia, and we do not recommend buying insurance in Israel. Canadian insurances are cheaper, besides the insuring company is in Canada, and is easier to obtain compensation from them. Also, their insurances are accepted at all Canadian hospitals.

It covers traumas due to accidents, infectious diseases (some types of coverage become effective in 48-72 hours) and other instances, when you might need emergency medical services, including hospital stay. Standard insurance does not cover pre-existing conditions that you had 180 days before the purchase of insurance. When you arrive in a new country, it is important to be prepared to unforeseen financial expenses. A day in a Canadian hospital might cost somewhere from CAD 2,000 to 10,000 to a visitor, while an insured day coverage is $2 and up. Buying the insurance is an important step that you have to take during the first days of your stay.

Some practical advice.

If the person who has fallen ill is not bedridden, you have to find the closest walk-in clinic using the phone directory. Those clinics are first come first serve basis. Once in the clinic, you present your insurance and pay for the visit at the spot. You have to ask the receptionist to fill out the insurance slip. The slip has to contain the patient’s name, address, age, as well as the name of clinic, doctor’s name and the phone number. This slip and the copy of payment have to be mailed to the insurance company. Do not forget to fill in the Claim Form patient’s name, age, address, as well as the name of clinic, doctor’s name and the phone number. You will receive your money in 2 weeks.

If you end up in a hospital, the insurance company takes care of all the expenses.

For each family member: name, last name, year, month and date of birth (please write the month in letters to avoid confusion), the date of arrival in Canada, the address and the phone number of a place where you are staying (if you do not have one, use the address of your friends, relatives or the hotel), and the country where you came from. The most important thing is the payment, of course. Credit cards are accepted. If you are experiencing problems with the payment, please write to me before you arrive and I will help you to buy the insurance in advance.