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TuGo vs Secure Travel Super Visa Insurance
TuGo and Secure Travel are an unusually close pair to compare, because both are underwritten by the same company: Industrial Alliance Insurance and Financial Services Inc. (iA Financial Group). That shared underwriting makes the differences between them mostly about plan structure, pre-existing handling, and where each is available — not about the financial backing.
TuGo is administered by North American Air Travel Insurance Agents Ltd (operating as TuGo), while Secure Travel is administered by RIMI Insurance Solutions. For families whose parent has a medical history, the key question is which provider's pre-existing structure fits better.
TuGo vs Secure Travel at a glance
- Shared underwriter
- iA Financial Group
- TuGo structure
- Standard · Basic (age 79 or under)
- Secure Travel structure
- Plan 1 (none) · Plan 2 (stability)
- TuGo pre-existing
- Age-banded stability windows
- Secure Travel pre-existing
- 90 days (≤69) / 180 days (70–84)
- Province note
- Secure Travel: not in Quebec
Both plans must meet the same IRCC baseline
Both providers 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 proof of a paid or instalment policy. Confirm the current minimum with your advisor, as requirements can change.
TuGo vs Secure Travel comparison table
| Feature | TuGo | Secure Travel |
|---|---|---|
| Underwriter | iA Financial Group | iA Financial Group |
| Administrator | North American Air Travel Insurance Agents Ltd (TuGo) | RIMI Insurance Solutions |
| Plan structure | Standard plan; Basic option for healthy applicants age 79 or under | Plan 1 (no pre-existing) and Plan 2 (stability-based) |
| Pre-existing approach | Age-banded stability windows: 90 days (under 60), 120 days (60 to 69), 180 days (70 to 85), 365 days (86+); optional unstable add-on (age 79 or under) | Plan 2: 90-day window (age 69 and under) or 180-day window (age 70 to 84). Plan 1: no pre-existing coverage |
| Medical declaration note | Optional unstable-condition add-on available (age 79 or under) | Plan 2's declaration is all-or-nothing — one unfavorable answer can affect the whole assessment |
| AD&D | Optional AD&D benefit | AD&D included (up to $50,000) — confirm amount with your advisor |
| Maternity benefit | Included — one of few providers offering this | Confirm with your advisor |
| Provincial availability | Confirm with your advisor | Not available in Quebec |
| Waiting period | Confirm based on purchase timing relative to arrival | 48 hours (within 30 days of arrival) or 8 days |
| Refund note | $250 Super Visa cancellation fee if no travel occurs | Confirm cancellation and notification penalty terms with your advisor |
Figures reflect each provider's reviewed policy wording (TuGo October 2025; Secure Travel/RIMI effective February 2024). Confirm current terms with your advisor before purchasing.
How their pre-existing structures differ
TuGo's standard plan uses a sliding, age-banded stability table — the older the applicant, the longer a condition must have been stable before the effective date. For a parent whose condition has been stable for the applicable window, this can make coverage possible, and TuGo adds an optional Unstable Pre-Existing Medical Condition add-on for applicants age 79 or under whose conditions do not meet the standard table.
Secure Travel takes an either/or approach: Plan 1 offers no pre-existing coverage at all (typically lower cost), while Plan 2 applies a stability window of 90 days for applicants age 69 and under, or 180 days for ages 70 to 84. One important caution on Plan 2 is that its medical declaration is effectively all-or-nothing — if any answer does not meet the stability requirement, it can affect the entire pre-existing assessment, not just the condition in question.
See our Pre-Existing Conditions Guide for what 'stable' means, then ask our advisor to map your parent's actual history against both structures.
Real-life scenarios
Parent age 60, no medical conditions, living in Ontario
Both fit. TuGo's Basic option (healthy, age 79 or under) and Secure Travel's Plan 1 (no pre-existing) are both lower-cost routes. Compare price, deductible, AD&D, and refund terms.
Grandparent age 74, stable heart condition
On TuGo's standard plan a 180-day stability window applies (ages 70 to 85); on Secure Travel's Plan 2 a 180-day window applies (ages 70 to 84). The windows are similar, so the deciding factor may be Plan 2's all-or-nothing declaration versus TuGo's per-condition table and optional add-on.
Family living in Quebec
Secure Travel is not available in Quebec, so TuGo (or another provider) would be the practical comparison here. Confirm provincial availability before requesting quotes.
Applicant age 82
TuGo's 180-day stability window runs through age 85, and Secure Travel's Plan 2 runs through 84. Confirm eligibility and the exact window for the applicant's age with your advisor.
Pros and cautions to review
- TuGo: age-banded stability table, optional unstable add-on (age 79 or under), included maternity benefit, and a lower-cost Basic option — but note the $250 Super Visa cancellation fee if no travel occurs.
- Secure Travel: a clear Plan 1 / Plan 2 choice, AD&D included up to $50,000, same iA underwriting as TuGo — but it is not available in Quebec, and Plan 2's all-or-nothing declaration should be reviewed carefully.
Final verdict
Because TuGo and Secure Travel share the same underwriter, neither is automatically 'safer' than the other — the choice comes down to pre-existing structure, provincial availability, and benefits like maternity or AD&D. TuGo may suit families who want the age-banded table plus optional unstable coverage; Secure Travel may suit families who want a simple Plan 1 / Plan 2 split with AD&D included.
For most families, the best approach is to request both quotes with one identical applicant profile and compare how each handles the parent's specific medical history.
TuGo vs Secure Travel FAQs
Yes. Both are underwritten by Industrial Alliance Insurance and Financial Services Inc. (iA Financial Group). They differ in administrator (TuGo vs. RIMI), plan structure, and provincial availability.
Continue comparing Super Visa insurance options
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