21st Century Enhanced was the lower of the two at 55 on 18 October 2026, at $1,891 against Manulife CoverMe Plan B at $2,165. CoverMe was lower at every other age we compared: by $212 at 60, $221 at 65, $502 at 70 and $285 at 75. Both are underwritten by The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company, so the choice is about payment terms, fees and benefit limits, not about the insurer.
Both qualify for the super visa at $100,000 for a year and both name a Canadian insurer, as the IRCC rule requires. Full reviews: 21st Century and Manulife CoverMe.
If Manulife underwrites both, why are they different?
Because an underwriter carries the risk, while the plan designer sets the benefits, the price and the payment terms. 21st Century Travel Insurance Limited is a managing general agent in Cobourg, Ontario, owned since May 2026 by SIB Corp., that builds its own plan on Manulife paper. CoverMe is Manulife’s own retail product with a different schedule.
| Item | 21st Century | Manulife CoverMe |
|---|---|---|
| Underwriter named on certificate | The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company | The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company |
| Who designs and prices the plan | 21st Century Travel Insurance Limited (MGA, Cobourg, ON) | Manulife |
| Sold through | Brokers and agencies | Manulife direct |
| Assistance centre | 1-877-882-2957; +1-519-251-7856 collect | 1-877-878-0142; +1-519-251-5166 collect |
| Claims administrator | Active Care Management (manulife.acmtravel.ca portal) | Active Care Management; files to Global Excel, Windsor, ON |
| Ownership change | Acquired by SIB Corp., May 2026 | None |
Sources: 21st Century brochure, Manulife policy PDF and Insurance Business. Our underwriters guide explains the MGA model.
What does each cost by age?
21st Century is lower at 55 and CoverMe at 60 and above, with the widest gap at 70. The pattern reverses from the usual broker-versus-direct assumption, so compare the full table rather than assuming the MGA plan is always lower.
Annual premium, $100,000 coverage, $0 deductible, stable pre-existing conditions covered, rates seen 18 Oct 2026 — verify at quote time.
| Age | 21st Century Enhanced ($/yr) | Manulife CoverMe Plan B ($/yr) | Lower of the two | Difference ($/yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 55 | $1,891 | $2,165 | 21st Century | $274 |
| 60 | $2,741 | $2,529 | Manulife CoverMe | $212 |
| 65 | $3,095 | $2,874 | Manulife CoverMe | $221 |
| 70 | $4,683 | $4,181 | Manulife CoverMe | $502 |
| 75 | $5,712 | $5,427 | Manulife CoverMe | $285 |
Sources: BestQuote and PolicyAdvisor. Without pre-existing cover, 21st Century Basic was $1,387 at 55, $1,807 at 65 and $3,347 at 75; CoverMe Basic $1,970, $2,614 and $4,932. Both publish the same deductible ladder, 5 percent at $100 to 40 percent at $10,000; 21st Century adds a disappearing $2,500 deductible at 20 percent. See the cost page.
Are the eligibility and stability rules the same?
Almost. Both Enhanced tiers use 180 days’ stability at every age, a questionnaire from 55 to 85 and a maximum age of 85, and both Basic tiers have no maximum age with no pre-existing cover. 21st Century adds a 90-day provision for later claims and slightly different waiting periods if bought after arrival.
| Rule | 21st Century Enhanced | Manulife CoverMe Enhanced |
|---|---|---|
| Stability period, all ages | 180 days | 180 days |
| Questionnaire | 55 to 85 | 55 to 85 (PolicyAdvisor); 40 and over per Manulife PDF |
| Maximum age (Enhanced) | 85 | 85 |
| Basic tier | No maximum age; no pre-existing cover | No maximum age; no pre-existing cover |
| 90-day provision | Condition stable 90 days before a later claim | Not stated |
| Waiting period, bought within 30 days of arrival | 72 hours | Not stated |
| Waiting period, bought after 30 days | 7 days (15 days over 85) | Not stated |
Sources: PolicyAdvisor 21st Century review and PolicyAdvisor Manulife review. The 180-day rule is longer than Secure Travel’s 90 days to 69 or TuGo’s 120 days at 60 to 69; see pre-existing conditions.
How do the benefits and payment terms differ?
21st Century pays $1,500 for prescriptions against CoverMe’s $500, adds $50,000 of injury cover on the $100,000 option, and offers a monthly plan and a two-year lock. CoverMe has none of those but includes $1,000 for healthcare practitioners and $150 a day for transport and accommodation.
| Item | 21st Century Enhanced | Manulife CoverMe Enhanced |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum sum insured | $200,000 | $200,000 |
| Extra injury cover on $100,000 option | +$50,000 | None |
| Prescription drugs | $1,500 (30-day supply) | $500 |
| Dental | $4,000 injury / $300 pain | $4,000 injury / $300 pain |
| AD&D | $25,000 | $25,000 |
| Follow-up visits | Until emergency ends | Until emergency ends |
| Healthcare practitioners | Not stated | $1,000 combined |
| Transport and accommodation | Not stated | $150/day to $1,500 |
| Death-related expenses | Not stated in brochure | $7,500 ($3,000 transport, $3,000 burial) |
| Monthly plan | 2 months’ premium + $50 fee | None |
| Two-year rate lock | 730-day policy, fee paid once | None |
| Companion or group discount | 5% each | 5% group |
Sources: 21st Century brochure and PolicyAdvisor Manulife review. Monthly terms are compared across carriers on monthly plans.
How do refunds and claims rules compare?
CoverMe refunds a refused applicant in full and charges a $25 minimum on early return; 21st Century refunds less the $50 fee and charges $250 outside the refusal case. Both apply a 20 percent co-insurance penalty if the assistance centre is not called, and both run claims through Active Care Management.
| Rule | 21st Century | Manulife CoverMe |
|---|---|---|
| Visa refused before activation | Full less $50 fee, proof within 30 days | Full with IRCC letter |
| Deposit after arrival (monthly plan) | Non-refundable | Not applicable |
| Early return, no claims | Unused full months, $25 per refund; $250 fee otherwise | Unused days, $25 minimum, within 60 days |
| Withdrawn or denied claim | Not stated | $300 handling fee deducted from refund |
| Penalty for not calling assistance | 20% co-insurance | 20% of eligible expenses |
| Proof of claim | Within 30 days; documents within 90 days | Within 90 days of loss |
| Claim submission | Travel Claims portal, TravelAid app, mail or email | Mail to Active Care Management, Windsor; TravelAid app |
Sources: HelloSafe, PolicyAdvisor 21st Century review and Manulife policy PDF. Step-by-step: how to claim with 21st Century and how to claim with Manulife CoverMe.
Which profile does each plan fit?
21st Century fits a 55-year-old, a family that needs instalments or a two-year stay, and a parent on several prescriptions. CoverMe fits a parent 60 to 75 paying annually, a family that may cancel early, and anyone who wants the plainest refund terms on refusal.
| Profile | Lower or better fit on 18 Oct 2026 | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Parent 55 to 59, annual pay | 21st Century, by $274 | Lower price at 55 |
| Parent 60 to 75, annual pay | Manulife CoverMe, by $212 to $502 | Lower price at every age from 60 |
| Monthly payments needed | 21st Century only | CoverMe has no instalment plan |
| Two-year stay | 21st Century | 730-day rate lock, fee paid once |
| Several daily prescriptions | 21st Century | $1,500 drug limit against $500 |
| Might cancel after the start date | Manulife CoverMe | $25 minimum against $250 |
| Visa refused before start | Manulife CoverMe | Full refund; 21st Century keeps the $50 fee |
| Healthy parent 86 and over | Either Basic tier | No maximum age; no pre-existing cover on either |
Neither plan is sold on SuperVisaDirect; the plan we sell is TuGo, and the 2026 comparison shows all three side by side. To see how both compare with the lowest-priced plan on 18 October 2026, read Manulife vs 21st Century vs Secure Travel.
Questions people ask
Are 21st Century and Manulife CoverMe the same insurance?
No. Both are underwritten by The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company and both route assistance through Active Care Management, so the certificates name the same insurer. But 21st Century Travel Insurance Limited, a Cobourg, Ontario managing general agent, designs and prices its own plan and sells it through brokers. CoverMe is Manulife's direct retail product with its own benefit schedule.
Which is lower in price?
21st Century Enhanced at 55 ($1,891 against $2,165) and CoverMe Plan B at every other age we compared on 18 October 2026: $2,529 against $2,741 at 60, $2,874 against $3,095 at 65, $4,181 against $4,683 at 70 and $5,427 against $5,712 at 75. All at $100,000, no deductible, stable conditions covered.
Which one offers monthly payments?
Only 21st Century: two months' premium plus a $50 policy fee at application, the third month on activation and the rest monthly, at $100,000 for 365 or 730 days. CoverMe collects the full premium at purchase. IRCC accepts instalments with a deposit, but a missed 21st Century payment lapses the cover.
Are the stability rules different?
No. Both Enhanced tiers cover a pre-existing condition stable for 180 days before the effective date, both require a questionnaire from 55 to 85, and both Basic tiers have no maximum age but exclude all pre-existing conditions. 21st Century adds a 90-day provision requiring stability before any later claim.
What is the 21st Century two-year rate lock?
A 730-day policy that fixes today's rate for two years, with coverage resetting in year two and the $50 fee paid once. It avoids repricing when the parent crosses an age band at renewal. CoverMe has no equivalent; a second year is a new policy at the then-current age rate.
Which has the lower cancellation fee?
CoverMe, with a $25 minimum. 21st Century charges a $250 fee outside the refusal case, keeps the two-month deposit once the parent has arrived, and charges $25 per refund of unused full months on the monthly plan. On a refusal before activation, 21st Century refunds less the $50 fee; CoverMe refunds in full.
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Sources
- 21st Century Travel Insurance, Visitors to Canada brochure (PolicyAdvisor copy)
- Manulife CoverMe, Travel Insurance for Visitors to Canada policy (PDF)
- PolicyAdvisor, 21st Century Visitor to Canada Insurance Review
- PolicyAdvisor, Manulife Visitor to Canada Insurance Review
- HelloSafe, 21st Century Travel Insurance Review 2026
- PolicyAdvisor, Cheapest Super Visa Insurance in Canada (rate tables)
- BestQuote, Super Visa Insurance rates
- Insurance Business, SIB moves into travel insurance with 21st Century Travel acquisition (May 2026)