Canadian travel insurance, expertly guided
Learn what travel insurance covers, choose the right coverage for your trip, and compare trusted Canadian providers side by side to find the best fit.
- Insurers priced side by side
- 24/7 emergency assistance
- Buy direct from the insurer
Real quotes, side by side
Compare prices in seconds
Prices checked November 6–7, 2026
Visitor from the US to BC, age 25, 1 month, $100K emergency medical, $0 deductible.
TuGo BasicVisitors to Canada · No cover for pre-existing conditions$87.90Get my priceTuGo ComprehensiveVisitors to Canada · Covers stable pre-existing conditions and side trips; sports option$113.13Get my price
GMSVisitors to Canada$106.50Get my price
How GMS and TuGo stack upShowHide
We ran this same trip through other well-known Canadian insurers, so you know GMS and TuGo are a strong buy, not just a convenient one. Same traveller, same dates, same coverage. Plans differ in the details, so price is only part of the picture.
| Insurer | Plan | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Allianz Global Assistance | Visitors to Canada | $110.10 |
| Manulife CoverMe | Visitors to Canada, Enhanced | $113.10 |
| Pacific Blue Cross | Visitors to Canada · Sold from $100,000 | $120.00 |
| Desjardins | Visitors to Canada · Sold from $100,000 | $121.80 |
| BCAA | Visitors to Canada · Price before deductible choice | $167.10 |
| RBC Insurance | Visitors to Canada Plan I / II · $50 deductible; no $100,000 plan | Not offered at this amount |
Illustrative prices from each insurer's public quote tool, checked November 6–7, 2026, for one healthy non-smoking traveller, trip starting December 1, 2026. Plans differ in what they cover, so check the plan details before you buy. Travellers 60 and over answer health questions, which can change the price. Rates change often and are not an offer of insurance. We are paid by GMS and TuGo, the insurers you can buy through us.
Travel insurance explained
What to know before you buy travel insurance
Most people buy travel insurance without knowing what it covers. Here's what matters, in plain language. Jump to any topic, or go straight to a price.
Who we are
Canadian travel insurance advisors
Canada Travel Insurance helps travellers across Canada understand travel insurance and choose the best coverage for their trip.
Maybe you're coming to Canada on a work permit or working holiday and need coverage for adventure sports like backcountry skiing, snowboarding or downhill mountain biking. Or maybe you're a Canadian heading abroad for your next big adventure or vacation. Coming to Canada or leaving Canada, we've got you covered.
We explain how travel insurance works, compare real prices for your trip, and show you our research so you can see the results for yourself.
Two insurers, chosen on price and coverWe priced the same trips across the Canadian market. GMS and TuGo came out on top.
Buy direct from the insurerOnline or by phone. Your policy, wallet card and claims are all handled by them.
24/7 emergency helpEvery plan comes with a round-the-clock emergency line, wherever you are.
Eligibility
Am I eligible for travel insurance?
It depends on where you live and why you're travelling. Every policy sets its own rules, but these are the usual ones.
Visitors to Canada
- You're a visitor, foreign worker, international student, or a new immigrant waiting for provincial health coverage
- You don't already know of a reason you'll need medical care while you're here
- You're not travelling against a doctor's advice
Canadians travelling abroad
- You're covered by a provincial or territorial health plan, and keep it while you're away
- You're not travelling to get treatment, or against a doctor's advice
- Older travellers may answer a few health questions, and some plans have age limits
What's covered
What does travel insurance cover?
Emergency medical travel insurance pays for sudden, unexpected illness or injury while you're away. It isn't a health plan for routine care.
Usually covered
- Hospital stays, doctors and surgeons
- Ambulance, and air ambulance to the right hospital
- X-rays, scans and lab tests
- Prescription drugs for the emergency
- Emergency dental care after an accident
- Getting you home for treatment, and bringing family to your bedside
- Follow-up visits for the same emergency
Usually not covered
- Routine check-ups and ongoing treatment
- Care you knew you'd need before you left
- Pre-existing conditions that weren't stable long enough
- Pregnancy close to the due date
- Injuries while impaired by alcohol or drugs
- High-risk sports, unless you add cover for them
Most plans cover a condition you already have if it's been stable, with no new symptoms, treatment or medication changes, for a set time before you leave. That time differs by plan and age.
Many workplace, retiree and credit card plans stop after a set number of days. A top-up plan covers the rest of your trip. How top-up works
Medical costs
How much does a hospital visit cost in Canada?
Canadian health care isn't free for visitors. These are British Columbia's published rates for people without provincial health coverage.
Three days in intensive care, in hospital fees alone. Doctors, surgeons, scans and lab tests are billed on top.
Sources: Vancouver Coastal Health non-resident rates, effective November 1, 2025 (rate list); BC Cancer rate schedule 2025–26 (ward); BC Emergency Health Services fees for people without BC coverage (ambulance). Rates vary by province and hospital.
Adventure sports
Does travel insurance cover adventure sports?
Often not. Skiing, biking, climbing and diving are where travel insurance plans differ most.
Many plans exclude or limit high-risk activities like backcountry and heli-skiing, mountaineering and racing. TuGo offers an optional Sports and Activities add-on that extends coverage to many of them, which is why we recommend TuGo for active travellers.
Every policy also has general exclusions, such as travelling against medical advice, travel to places under an official advisory, and injuries while impaired.
Trip cancellation
What is trip cancellation and interruption insurance?
Medical insurance protects your health. Trip cancellation and interruption insurance protects the money you've paid for your trip.
Trip cancellation
Pays back your prepaid, non-refundable trip costs if you have to cancel before you leave for a covered reason, such as illness, injury, a death in the family or a travel advisory.
Trip interruption
If a covered reason cuts your trip short or delays your return, it pays for the unused part of your trip and the extra cost of getting home.
Some benefits only apply if you buy within a few days of your first trip payment.
Refunds
Can I get a refund on travel insurance?
Plans change. Here's what you can get back, and how to cancel for any reason.
Cancel for any reason, with TuGo
TuGo's Cancel for Any Reason is an add-on to its Trip Cancellation and Interruption plan. Cancel for any reason at all and get back up to 50% of your prepaid, non-refundable trip costs.
Visitors to Canada refunds
Visitor plans usually refund the unused part of your policy if you leave early and haven't made a claim, less any fee. Refunds have time limits, so ask soon after you return home.
Super Visa insurance refunds
With TuGo, a Super Visa policy is refunded in full if the visa is refused before the policy starts. A 365-day policy that's never used is refunded less a $250 fee.
Claims
How do I make a travel insurance claim?
Call your insurer's emergency line before you get treatment, whenever you can. It's the single most important step.
Call first
Use the 24/7 emergency number on your wallet card. The insurer can direct you to a hospital and often pays it directly.
Keep everything
Save every receipt, medical report and bill, and ask for itemized copies.
Send your claim
Submit your claim form and documents to the insurer as soon as you can after you get home.
Not sure what you need? Ask Sky.
Instant answers about coverage, eligibility and claims, in English or French, any time of day.
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