Health insurance while waiting for PR?

[dmurrman]

Hi all, my partner will be visiting me in Canada for a few months while our application proceeds, I'm just wondering if yall have any suggestions for travel/health insurance? Any cheap but decent plans? Thanks for any tips

 

[Hurlabrick]

Hi all, my partner will be visiting me in Canada for a few months while our application proceeds, I'm just wondering if yall have any suggestions for travel/health insurance? Any cheap but decent plans? Thanks for any tips

So you are after TRAVEL insurance as they are just 'visiting' (i.e. and NOT 'gap insurance' until Canadian provincial insurance kicks in??

If true travel insurance, who might be a good provider will vary according to the country the PA is currently resident in, without knowing that, I don't see how anyone can make a sensible suggestion.

 

[dmurrman]

Yeah just travel insurance for now until the PR comes along and then we'll sort out some gap insurance. I guess I can ask about gap insurance, is it offered by lots of companies or is it some canadian govt offering?

 

[kprs_ind]

Yeah just travel insurance for now until the PR comes along and then we'll sort out some gap insurance. I guess I can ask about gap insurance, is it offered by lots of companies or is it some canadian govt offering?

Gap insurance is basically Health insurance which covers what is not covered under Provincial Health Insurance Plan (PHIP). These health insurances are valid only if the insured person has PHIP. If not, he will not be able to get covered with the Health insurance. If you are working as a full-time, you can check with your employer if they offer any Replacement Health Insurance plan, which will be valid only if your partner is a PR and it will cover only during the duration until PHIP kicks in.

You can cover your partner with a Travel insurance, which is basically a Emergency Medical insurance during that period.

In which province will your partner be landing?

 

[Hurlabrick]

Yeah just travel insurance for now until the PR comes along and then we'll sort out some gap insurance. I guess I can ask about gap insurance, is it offered by lots of companies or is it some canadian govt offering?

Gap insurance only covers you if you are resident in the province, not visiting. If your partner is a visitor, the need travel insurance. Is your partner by any chance 'visiting under dual intent'???

Anyway, reading on Canadian provincial insurance coverage and gap insurance companies here if this is relevant:

https://britishexpats.com/wiki/Medical_Insurance-Canada

We moved to ON and paid about $600 each for 3 months gap insurance. It is NOT mandatory, but you will be playing 'Russian roulette' without it - all down to your pockets and attitude to risk.

You still haven't said where your partner is from. Travel insurance tends to be very 'national' as the costs are based in part on what healthcare they can get back in their home country in a worst case scenario. Travel insurance companies will generally try to get the patient repatriated ASAP if they can travel as it is cheaper to be treated at home (say on the NHS in the UK) than it is as an international in-patient in Canada or the US (i.e. being charged full whack).

 

[dmurrman]

Oh she's a resident of the UK, we'll be living in Alberta.she'll be visiting not under dual intent tho, so we'll see what UK travel insurance is best. Thanks for all the info!

 

[Hurlabrick]

Oh she's a resident of the UK, we'll be living in Alberta.she'll be visiting not under dual intent tho, so we'll see what UK travel insurance is best. Thanks for all the info!

Relevant stuff for AB health care here:

https://www.alberta.ca/ahcip-temporary-residents.aspx

AB does NOT have a 'wait period' however, I am pretty sure that as a visitor, she is not eligible for Alberta heath coverage until such time as she has her CoPR and has officially 'landed' (assuming you are talking spousal sponsorship here).

So prob need long trip travel insurance from a UK company for 'North America' - try moneysupermarket.com

 

[dmurrman]

Thank you very much, I'll look at that.