Student travel medical insurance

It’s strongly recommended. Your provincial plan pays little or nothing toward care outside Canada, and nothing to bring you home. A student plan covers medical emergencies for your whole study period. Keep your provincial plan while you’re away: student plans pay after it, and many pay much less if you’re not covered by it when you claim. Check with your province before you go, since each sets its own rules for students who are away.

Often, yes. Depending on the province, international students may not be covered by a provincial plan, or only after a waiting period, and many schools ask for proof of coverage that meets their criteria. A student plan can cover your full study period and meet your school’s requirements. It’s best to have it in place before you arrive, though there may be options after you arrive.

If you have a medical condition, a stability period is the time before you leave during which that condition must not have changed. Each policy defines this, but it usually means no new treatment or medication, no change in dose, no new or worse symptoms, no hospital stay or referral to a specialist, and no tests or results still pending. Some routine changes, such as switching to a generic version of the same drug, usually don’t count. On an annual plan, the stability period counts back from each departure, not from the day you bought the plan.

The period depends on your age, the length of your trip and your answers to the health questions. It’s often 90 or 180 days. If the condition changes inside that period, it may not be covered on your trip, even if the change seemed minor. Some plans offer an optional rider, at extra cost, with a shorter stability period. It’s only needed if your health changed during the standard period. If your health changes after you buy, tell us before you leave, so we can check your options.

Start with what your school requires: many schools ask for proof of coverage that meets their criteria. Then choose a plan for your full study period. Trips home at breaks are usually allowed, but care while you’re home isn’t covered. Check what the plan covers for things you may need, such as mental health care, which usually has limits. If you’re a Canadian student, keep your provincial plan. We can check a plan against your school’s requirements for you.

Student plans are based on being enrolled. If you leave your program or stop attending, coverage usually ends after a set period, so let us know as soon as your plans change. You may need a different plan for the rest of your stay.