Best Super Visa Insurance Providers in Canada
Choosing the best Super Visa insurance provider in Canada is not only about finding the lowest premium. The right provider should offer coverage that meets IRCC requirements, a deductible that feels practical, clear pre-existing condition wording, and a claims process your family can understand before an emergency happens.
There is no single best Super Visa insurance company for every family. A healthy 55-year-old parent may fit one provider well, while an 82-year-old grandparent with diabetes, blood pressure medication, or heart history may need a very different provider comparison.
Instead of ranking providers 1 to 10 — a ranking that would imply a judgment no one can make without knowing your parent's age and health — this page groups the providers we work with into categories, each tied to a real, documented differentiator. Compare the categories that match your family's situation.
Coverage for the visit.Confidence for the family.
Clear support before purchase and when plans change.
Compare my optionsProviders we compare at a glance
- Large national brand
- Manulife (up to $200,000)
- Longest stability window
- TruStone (optional 365-day)
- Not-for-profit insurer
- GMS
- Two-option pre-existing
- Destination Canada · Secure Travel
- Shared iA underwriter
- TuGo · Secure Travel
- Buy-down stability tiers
- AwayCare
Every plan here meets the same IRCC baseline
All providers on this page are reviewed against the same IRCC Super Visa insurance requirement: coverage valid for at least one year from the date of entry, at least $100,000 in emergency medical coverage, and proper proof of a paid or instalment policy (a quote alone is not enough). Because requirements can change, confirm the current minimum with your advisor before buying.
Provider differentiators at a glance
| Provider | Underwriter | Plan structure | Pre-existing approach |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manulife | The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company | Basic · Standard · Enhanced (up to $200,000) | Standard: flat 180-day exclusion, no stability test; Enhanced may cover stable conditions |
| TuGo | iA Financial Group | Standard · Basic (healthy, age 79 or under) | Age-banded stability windows; optional unstable add-on (age 79 or under) |
| Destination Canada | Zurich Insurance Company Ltd (Canadian Branch) | Option 1 (stability) · Option 2 (none) | Option 1: 90/120/180-day windows by age band; Option 2: no pre-existing |
| Secure Travel | iA Financial Group (admin: RIMI) | Plan 1 (none) · Plan 2 (stability) | Plan 2: 90-day (age 69 and under) or 180-day (70 to 84) window; all-or-nothing declaration |
| GMS | GMS Insurance Inc. (not-for-profit) | Single Visitors to Canada plan ($100,000+) | 180-day stability window (8-part test); eligible under age 80 |
| TruStone | The Empire Life Insurance Company | Single HMC plan ($10,000–$200,000) | Optional 365-day stability window — one of the longest |
| Travelance | Old Republic Insurance Company of Canada | Essential · Premier | Essential: flat 180-day exclusion; Premier: age-banded stability test |
| 21st Century | Manulife + First North American Insurance | Basic · Standard · Enhanced | Enhanced: 180-day stability; Medical Declaration required for ages 60+ |
| AwayCare | LS-Travel Insurance Company | Standard · Enhanced · Gold · Platinum | Stability buy-down: down to 90 days (Standard/Enhanced) or 30 days (Gold/Platinum) |
Figures reflect each provider's policy wording reviewed for our Phase 1 provider pages. The strongest provider is the one that fits the parent's actual profile, not the one with the most familiar name. Confirm current terms with your advisor before purchasing.
Quick answer: who is the best provider?
There is no fixed winner. The best provider depends on age, medical history, pre-existing condition stability, coverage amount, deductible, travel dates, monthly versus annual payment preference, refund needs, and how comfortable the family feels with the claims process.
For most families, the best strategy is to compare at least three providers using the same profile instead of choosing only by brand name or only by the lowest premium. The categorized picks below show which providers to start with for common situations.
Categorized provider picks
Best-known national brand — Manulife
Manulife's Visitors to Canada plans (Basic, Standard, and Enhanced, up to $200,000, underwritten by The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company) suit families who want a large, recognizable insurer. Note the Standard Plan uses a flat 180-day pre-existing exclusion with no stability test.
Longest pre-existing stability window — TruStone
TruStone's HMC plan (Empire Life) offers an optional 365-day stability window — one of the longest among the providers we work with — which can help a parent with a longer-standing but stable medical history.
Not-for-profit option — GMS
GMS Insurance Inc. (Group Medical Services) is a not-for-profit insurer offering straightforward $100,000-and-up coverage, eligible for applicants under age 80, with a 180-day stability window. Not available in Quebec, New Brunswick, or Nunavut.
Lower-cost option for healthy applicants 79 and under — TuGo
TuGo's Basic Visitors to Canada option (underwritten by iA Financial Group) can be a lower-cost choice for healthy applicants aged 79 or under who do not need pre-existing coverage. The standard plan adds age-banded stability windows.
Clear two-option pre-existing structure — Destination Canada
Destination Canada (from The Destination: Travel Group Inc., underwritten by Zurich) lets families choose Option 1 (age-banded stability: 90/120/180 days) or Option 2 (no pre-existing coverage) — a clear either/or choice. This is the insurer, not the federal tourism organization.
Either/or pre-existing choice with iA underwriting — Secure Travel
Secure Travel (administered by RIMI, underwritten by iA Financial Group) offers Plan 1 (no pre-existing) or Plan 2 (stability-based: 90 days for age 69 and under, 180 days for 70 to 84). Not available in Quebec.
Age-banded option for 70+ with conditions — Travelance
Travelance (underwritten by Old Republic Insurance Company of Canada) offers Essential (flat 180-day exclusion) and Premier (age-banded stability test), which can suit some applicants 70 and over whose medical history fits Premier's wording. Ages 70 to 85 are capped at $100,000.
Alternative Manulife-underwritten tier structure — 21st Century
21st Century shares The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company as a co-underwriter and offers a three-tier Basic/Standard/Enhanced structure. Enhanced uses a 180-day stability test and requires a Medical Declaration for applicants age 60 and over.
Buy-down stability windows across tiers — AwayCare
AwayCare (underwritten by LS-Travel Insurance Company) offers four tiers (Standard, Enhanced, Gold, Platinum) where a pre-existing stability window can be 'bought down' — to 90 days on Standard/Enhanced or 30 days on Gold/Platinum — for families who want a shorter look-back.
How to choose between them
Whichever category fits your family, compare the shortlisted providers using one identical applicant profile. Pre-existing condition wording is usually the most decisive factor — see our Pre-Existing Conditions Guide for what 'stable' means and what to check, then compare each provider's stability rules against your parent's actual medical history.
Deductible options also vary by provider and plan. Our Super Visa Insurance Deductible page explains the standard amount tiers and how a higher deductible generally lowers premium but increases out-of-pocket cost at claim time.
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Best provider by situation
| Situation | Providers to compare first |
|---|---|
| Parent has no medical conditions | Manulife Standard, TuGo Basic (age 79 or under), Destination Canada Option 2 |
| Parent has stable pre-existing conditions | TruStone (365-day option), TuGo (age-banded), Destination Canada Option 1, Manulife Enhanced |
| Parent has a longer-standing but stable history | TruStone's optional 365-day stability window |
| Family wants a not-for-profit insurer | GMS (outside Quebec, New Brunswick, Nunavut) |
| Family prefers monthly payments | TruStone, Destination Canada, Secure Travel, Travelance, 21st Century |
| Family wants a large brand name | Manulife |
| Family wants the widest comparison | Compare across categories with identical inputs |
Cheapest provider versus best provider
Many families search for the cheapest Super Visa insurance, low cost Super Visa insurance, affordable Super Visa insurance Canada, or Super Visa insurance for elderly parents. The cheapest provider changes based on the applicant.
A low price is not enough on its own. Families should still check whether the plan meets IRCC rules, whether pre-existing conditions are covered, whether the deductible is too high, whether the coverage amount is enough, whether refund rules are practical, and whether the claims process is clear.
The cheapest Super Visa insurance is not always the best Super Visa insurance.
Common mistakes to avoid before picking a provider
- Choosing only by lowest price
- Ignoring stability period wording — the test differs by provider (flat exclusion vs. age-banded vs. buy-down)
- Buying without checking refund rules
- Assuming all providers are the same
- Submitting only a quote instead of proper proof of insurance
Final recommendation
The best Super Visa insurance provider in Canada depends on the applicant. Start from the category that matches your parent's situation above, then compare at least two or three providers within and across those categories using identical inputs.
Choose the provider that gives the best combination of IRCC compliance, affordable premium, suitable deductible, strong medical coverage, clear pre-existing condition rules, refund flexibility, and easy claim support — not simply the most familiar name or the lowest first quote.
Compare clearly before purchase
Premium · Deductible · Payment choice
Medical wording · Documentation needs
Get local guidanceProvider comparison FAQs
There is no single best provider for everyone. The best provider depends on age, health history, deductible, coverage amount, travel dates, and whether pre-existing condition coverage is needed.
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