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What super visa insurance is
The super visa lets parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens and permanent residents visit for long periods. As part of the application, IRCC (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada) asks for proof of private health insurance. The policy is a form of visitor medical insurance. It is bought for the visit and pays for emergency medical care in Canada. It is not the same as provincial health coverage, which visitors on this visa do not have.
This page is for education. It cannot tell you whether you qualify for a super visa, and the application is made to IRCC, not to us.
The IRCC insurance requirements, quoted
IRCC sets the insurance rules. The wording below is quoted from its page, so you see what it says and not our paraphrase. The page is dated 2026-07-30 and we last read it on November 5, 2026.
| Item | What IRCC says |
|---|---|
| Minimum coverage | IRCC says the policy should “provide a minimum emergency coverage of $100,000.” |
| Validity | IRCC says it should “be valid for a minimum of 1 year from the date of entry” and “be valid for each entry to Canada.” |
| What it should cover | IRCC says it should “cover the applicant’s health care, hospitalization and repatriation.” |
| The insurer | IRCC says the insurance must be from “a Canadian insurance company” or from an insurance company outside Canada that “is authorized by the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI) under the Insurance Companies Act to provide accident and sickness insurance”, “appears on OSFI’s publicly available list of federally regulated financial institutions” and “has issued or made the policy while doing insurance business in Canada.” IRCC also says all policies issued by a foreign insurance company must include a statement that the document was issued or made while the company was doing insurance business in Canada. |
| Payment | IRCC says it should “be paid in full or in instalments with a deposit (quotes aren’t accepted).” |
| Proof on request | IRCC says it should “be available for review by the border services officers on request.” |
Source: IRCC, Forms and documents (Super Visa), page dated 2026-07-30. Also see IRCC, Who can apply (super visa), page dated 2026-07-06, which refers to private health insurance valid for a minimum of 1 year from the date of entry.
The page also says the policy should be valid for each entry to Canada and should show the name of the insurance company that issued it. Insurance intermediaries and claims administrators are not insurance companies, so a document from one of them may not qualify. Check any policy against IRCC’s current page before you buy.
What super visa insurance does not cover
The IRCC rules set a minimum. They do not say every cost is covered. These are the usual limits to read for:
- Pre-existing conditions. Rules vary by policy. Some exclude them, some cover only a stable condition, some cover sudden flare-ups. The policy wording decides.
- Routine and planned care. Policies pay for emergencies, not check-ups or planned procedures.
- Exclusions and limits. Many policies list excluded treatments, a maximum for certain services, and a deductible you pay first.
- Medical questions. Insurers may ask about health, age and recent treatment, and the answers shape what is covered.
Ask each insurer for the policy wording, and read the exclusions and the definition of a pre-existing condition before buying. A licensed advisor can explain the differences, but the contract is what governs a claim.
What affects super visa insurance cost
We do not publish a price for super visa insurance, because it varies too widely for one figure to be fair. The things that move the price are:
- The age of the person insured, which is the largest factor.
- The coverage amount. IRCC sets a minimum, and a higher amount costs more.
- The deductible, which is what you pay before the insurer starts paying.
- The treatment of pre-existing conditions in the policy.
- Whether you pay in full or in instalments with a deposit, as IRCC allows.
- The insurer and the length of cover.
Prices differ between insurers for the same person, so comparing is worthwhile.
For newcomers: parents and grandparents visiting
For many newcomer families, the super visa is how parents or grandparents stay for long visits. The family in Canada often handles the application, and sometimes the insurance too, since the insured may be abroad when the policy is arranged. A few practical points:
- Start the insurance conversation early, so the policy and its proof are ready when the application is.
- Ask what the policy does if the visa is refused or the plan changes. The refund terms are in the contract.
- Check the end date against the plan for the visit, since IRCC says to renew if cover would end before departure.
- Visitors are not covered by OHIP or MSP, so the private policy is the main protection for emergency care.
If you are also looking at cover for yourselves, see travel insurance, which explains visitor and outbound plans more broadly, and life insurance for families.
Our health and living benefits page lists every cover we explain in this group.
Travel insurance for visitors to Canada
Super visa insurance is one kind of travel insurance for visitors to Canada. Other visitors, such as people on a tourist visa, students or workers, can look at other plans with different rules. Our travel insurance page explains the types, and any plan for a super visa must still meet the IRCC rules above.
Super visa insurance questions
How much coverage does super visa insurance need?
As of November 5, 2026, IRCC says the policy should provide a minimum emergency coverage of $100,000. Check the IRCC page for any change.
How long should super visa insurance be valid?
IRCC says it should be valid for a minimum of 1 year from the date of entry, and for each entry to Canada.
Can super visa insurance be paid in instalments?
IRCC says the policy should be paid in full or in instalments with a deposit. A quote alone is not accepted.
Does super visa insurance cover pre-existing conditions?
It varies by policy. Some exclude them, some cover only stable conditions. Read the policy wording and its definition before buying.
Does the insurer have to be Canadian?
IRCC says the insurance must be from a Canadian insurance company, or from an insurance company outside Canada that is authorized by OSFI under the Insurance Companies Act to provide accident and sickness insurance, appears on OSFI’s public list of federally regulated financial institutions, and issued the policy while doing insurance business in Canada. A policy from an insurer outside Canada must include a statement that it was issued while the company was doing insurance business in Canada.
How much does super visa insurance cost?
It depends mostly on age, the coverage amount, the deductible and how pre-existing conditions are treated. We do not publish a figure because it varies widely.
Does OHIP or MSP cover someone on a super visa?
No. Visitors do not receive provincial health coverage, which is why the private policy is required.
Related pages
Travel insurance
Visitor and outbound plans explained.
Health and living benefits
All health and income cover in one place.
Health, dental and vision
Cover for costs a provincial plan leaves out.
Life insurance
Term, whole and universal life.
Talk to us
Phone or video, in English or Farsi.
Education only, not advice. This page explains super visa insurance in general terms and quotes IRCC as of November 5, 2026. The rules are IRCC’s, and each policy’s terms are set by its contract. For advice on your own situation, talk with a licensed advisor.
