Thanks to an abundance of opportunities, a great education system, comprehensive healthcare systems, and terrific infrastructure facilities, Canada has been voted as the second-best country worldwide as per the US News & World Report 2020. Also, it is quite easy to procure a work permit for Canada, and more than 180,000 foreigners come to work in Canada every year.

Working in Canada is definitely a dream come true. Unfortunately, falling ill while you are working there can be a nightmare. Canada does offer complete public health insurance to all its citizens and permanent residents; however, expats with a temporary work permit are not eligible for the benefits of public healthcare in Canada.

If you are moving or traveling to Canada for work, the first thing that you need to do is purchase Canadian expatriate health insurance to ensure that you have proper coverage in case of an unfortunate illness or accident.

Canada Expatriate Health Insurance - FAQs

Expatriate health insurance is a type of international health insurance that offers insurance plans to expatriates, business travelers, or other persons who are living or working abroad. In most cases, expat health insurance provides coverage across the globe and may also be referred to as Global Medical Insurance. A Canadian expat health insurance plan provides all the benefits of expat health insurance in Canada.

Is Canada expat insurance the same as Canada travel insurance?

No, expat health insurance is not the same as a normal travel insurance. Expatriate health insurance offers health insurance to people who are relocating outside their home country on a long-term basis for business, work, or other reasons. On the other hand, travel insurance is for travelers who may be visiting another country temporarily.

Expatriate health insurance covers a wide range of medical treatments and also access to private healthcare centers. Most standard travel insurance policies may not provide access to extensive healthcare facilities and may only provide coverage for personal belongings, trip cancellations, etc.

Canada offers national healthcare benefits. Why do I need Canada expat health insurance?

Though Canada offers national healthcare benefits, these benefits are limited to Canadian citizens and Permanent Residency (PR) holders. You need to purchase Canadian expat health insurance if you are planning to live in Canada for work or other reasons, as you will otherwise not be eligible for its national healthcare facilities right away.

Which countries are included in an expat health insurance?

The countries included in expat health insurance depend on the plan that you may be purchasing. Typical expat health insurance plans include:

• Worldwide
• Worldwide excluding United States
• Worldwide excluding United States and Canada
• Worldwide excluding United States, Canada and Far East Asia

Why do I need expat health insurance if I'm moving to Canada?

A domestic insurance plan or a travel insurance plan does not provide coverage for the cost of healthcare facilities abroad in case of illness or accidents. If your job or business involves extensive traveling, a global medical insurance (or expat health insurance) plan provides you the benefit of complete medical cost coverage in all countries around the world.

Does expat health insurance provide coverage for pre-existing medical conditions in Canada?

Expat health insurance may provide coverage for several pre-existing medical conditions, though you may need to buy extra coverage for those issues. The buyer needs to mention all pre-existing medical conditions at the time of purchasing the policy.

What does a Canada expatriate health insurance contain?

The coverage offered by expatriate health insurance depends on which plan you decide to purchase. A typical expatriate health insurance plan may cover:

• Routine check-ups
• Physician or doctor consultation charges
• In-patient hospital fees or daycare tariffs
• Hospitalization charges, including doctor visits
• Surgery and consulting doctor fees
• Follow-up consultation fees
• Extra costs – medication, physiotherapy, X-rays, radiological scans, and vaccines.

Benefits of Buying Canada Expatriate Health Insurance

Along with providing comprehensive health insurance coverage while working abroad, there are several other benefits of buying expatriate health insurance:

• Flexible and modular plans to suit different requirements
• Availability of global network of hospitals
• Spouse and family coverage
• Access to private health facilities
• Easy to buy and simple renewal
• Seamless customer service
• Comprehensive and all-including plans
• Loyalty benefits for long-term clients

Does expat health insurance cover my family?

Expatriate health insurance plans are flexible. They offer you the convenience of choosing plans that meet your individual needs. In the case that you are single or your family is not moving abroad with you, you may choose a plan that offers coverage only to individuals. If you are moving with your family, you may buy a plan that provides complete coverage to your entire family.

How much does expatriate health insurance cost?

The cost of expatriate health insurance varies according to the following parameters:

• The plan chosen: number of persons covered, scope of coverage (global or Canada only)
• Pre-existing health conditions
• Company/insurer
• Level of coverage offered

Is care provided in private hospitals?

One of the biggest benefits of Canadian expatriate health insurance is that it provides all the benefits provided by Canadian private health insurance, including access to health benefits in private hospitals. Most Canada expat health plans offer medical coverage in private hospitals.

Does an expat health insurance plan cover maternity plans?

The coverage of maternity plans depends on the plan that you have chosen, as well as the insurance company. A standard health insurance plan may not cover maternity plans. If you are planning to start a family, you may need an add-on plan to provide coverage for maternity benefits.

DISCLAIMER: The information within this article is intended as a broad summary of benefits and services and is meant for informational purposes only. The information does not describe all scenarios, coverages or exclusions of any insurance plan. The benefits and services of an insurance plan are subject to change. This is not your policy/certificate of insurance. If there is any discrepancy between the information in this article and the language of your policy/certificate wording, the language of the policy/certificate wording will prevail.

The insurance plans available on this website are not specifically targeted towards the destination mentioned in this article. They can provide coverage while traveling away from home, according to the terms and conditions and geographic restrictions applicable to the specific plan.