What Does Super Visa Insurance Cover (and What It Doesn't)?

If your parents are flying into Kitchener-Waterloo for the winter on a Super Visa, you need to know what their policy will actually pay for. Visitors are not covered by OHIP, and Ontario hospitals bill them at non-resident rates. With new PGP applications paused since July 15, 2026, more families rely on this coverage for long stays.

Super Visa insurance is emergency medical insurance for parents and grandparents visiting Canada. It is not a full health plan like OHIP. Knowing what it pays for, and what it does not, helps your family avoid surprise bills.

What Super Visa insurance usually covers

Every policy is different, but most plans sold in Canada include:

• Hospital care – a semi-private room, nursing, and intensive care after a sudden illness or injury.
• Doctor and surgeon fees for emergency treatment.
• Diagnostic tests – X-rays, lab work, and in many plans MRI or CT scans when ordered for an emergency.
• Prescription drugs prescribed during the emergency (usually a 30-day supply).
• Ambulance – ground ambulance and, when medically needed, air ambulance.
• Emergency dental – treatment of an accidental blow to the mouth, and sometimes relief of dental pain up to a small limit.
• Repatriation – the cost of returning the person to their home country, and return of remains in the worst case. IRCC requires this.
• Paramedical care – limited visits to a physiotherapist or chiropractor after an emergency.
• Side-trip coverage outside Canada on many plans, as long as the trip does not include the home country.

What Super Visa insurance usually does not cover

• Routine care – check-ups, refills of regular prescriptions, eye exams and glasses.
• Unstable pre-existing conditions – a condition that changed (new medication, dosage change, new symptoms, tests or hospital visits) during the "stability period" before coverage starts.
• Planned or elective treatment, including surgery that could wait until the person returns home.
• Pregnancy and childbirth in most plans.
• Injuries from high-risk activities, alcohol or drug misuse, or self-harm.
• Treatment after the emergency is over – once a doctor says the person is stable and can travel, ongoing care is normally not covered.

Pre-existing conditions: the part that matters most

Many parents have conditions such as heart disease, diabetes or high blood pressure, so check how each plan treats them. Plans handle this in two ways:

• Plans that exclude pre-existing conditions are cheaper, but would not pay for a heart problem if your father already had heart disease.
• Plans that cover stable pre-existing conditions pay for a flare-up as long as the condition was stable for the period stated (often 90 or 180 days, depending on age).

"Stable" has a specific meaning in each policy. Before you buy, list every medication and any recent tests, and check them against the stability clause with your broker.

Deductibles and co-payments

A deductible is the amount you pay first on each claim (for example $0, $500, $1,000 or more). Some plans for older applicants also have a co-payment, where the insurer pays a percentage after the deductible. Lower premiums usually mean a higher deductible, so choose a level your family could comfortably pay in an emergency.

The minimum IRCC requires

Every Super Visa policy must include at least $100,000 of emergency coverage for three things:

• Health care, such as doctors and tests in an emergency
• Hospitalization
• Repatriation, the cost of returning your parent home

The policy must be valid for at least 1 year from the day of entry. Everything beyond these three items, such as dental or physiotherapy, depends on the plan you choose.

What to bring from home, since routine care is not covered

Super Visa insurance is for sudden emergencies. It does not pay for regular care. Before your parent travels:

• Pack enough regular medication for the stay, or know how refills will be paid for.
• Bring a written list of conditions, medications and doses.
• Bring recent test results or doctor's notes, if your parent has them.
• Finish routine dental and eye care at home.

Trips during a long stay

A Super Visa allows up to 5 years per entry, so many parents travel during their stay. Ask before you buy whether the plan covers side trips outside Canada, such as to the U.S., and what happens if your parent visits home. Rules differ between insurers. If your parent may go home for a few months and come back, ask how the policy handles that, too.

Your first steps

1. Write down every condition and medication your parent has, and any change in the last year.
2. Compare at least three plans on what they cover beyond the $100,000 minimum.
3. Read the pre-existing condition and stability rules for each plan.
4. Check the exclusions list for anything your parent is likely to need.
5. Ask about side trips and trips home.
6. Keep a printed copy of the policy with your parent.

What families ask us most

Most families we help in Kitchener-Waterloo are inviting parents from India. Before they buy, they ask the same four questions:

• Refund policy: what happens if the visa is refused or the visitor goes home early. See how refunds work.
• Monthly payments: which insurers allow them, and the full 12-month cost. See monthly payment plans.
• Medical conditions: whether diabetes, blood pressure or heart conditions are covered, and the stability rules. See our pre-existing conditions guide.
• Cost: how much it costs. Price depends on age, coverage amount, deductible and medical conditions. See Super Visa insurance cost by age.

Compare plans online on our Super Visa insurance or visitor insurance page, or call 1-855-500-5041. Help in English, Hindi and Punjabi.

For families in Kitchener-Waterloo and across Ontario

OHIP does not cover visitors. If your parent needs emergency care at Grand River Hospital, St. Mary's General Hospital, Cambridge Memorial Hospital or Guelph General Hospital, the hospital bills at non-resident rates. Your parent also cannot get a health card at ServiceOntario while on a Super Visa.

Our office is at 912 Isaiah Pl, Kitchener, ON N2E 0B6. We are open Monday to Saturday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. (closed Sunday). Call 1-855-500-5041. We have served families since 2015 and compare 20+ Canadian insurers, including Manulife, Sun Life, Canada Life, Desjardins, Allianz, TuGo and GMS.

Example: Imagine a father with stable high blood pressure arriving in Cambridge in December. His family compares one plan that excludes heart conditions with one that covers stable ones, and picks the second, even though it costs more.

Frequently asked questions

Does Super Visa insurance cover a family doctor visit?

Only when the visit is for a new, sudden illness or injury. Routine visits and refills of regular medication are not covered.

Is COVID-19 covered?

Most plans now treat COVID-19 like any other sudden illness, but wording varies. Check the policy's exclusions.

Can coverage be increased later?

Some insurers allow it before the start date. After arrival, changes usually come with a waiting period, so choose the right amount up front.

This article is general information, not advice for your situation. Coverage, prices and rules vary by insurer and can change. Always read your policy wording.

Does Super Visa insurance cover my parent's regular medication refills?

Usually not. Plans pay for drugs prescribed for a new emergency. Regular medication your parent already takes is normally excluded, so bring enough from home.

Is my parent covered on a trip to the U.S. during the stay?

It depends on the plan. Some cover side trips outside Canada with limits, and some do not. Ask before you buy if your parent may travel.

Does OHIP pay anything for a visiting parent?

No. Visitors are not covered by OHIP. The Super Visa policy is what pays for covered emergency care in Ontario.

Get a free quote

Compare Super Visa insurance quotes from 20+ Canadian insurers on our Super Visa insurance page. You may also like our visitor insurance page. Or visit Life Advice Insurance Inc. at 912 Isaiah Pl, Kitchener, call 1-855-500-5041, Monday to Saturday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Help in English, Hindi and Punjabi.