Secure Travel was the lower of the two for a parent with stable pre-existing conditions at every age from 55 to 75 on 18 October 2026, by $58 at 55 and $1,183 at 75, at $100,000 cover with no deductible. Destination Travel Group answers with the lowest monthly-plan fee of any carrier at $10, deductibles to $10,000 and a Zurich certificate. Both skip the medical questionnaire. Destination excludes pre-existing conditions from 80; Secure Travel covers them to 84.
Both qualify under the IRCC rule at $100,000 for a year. Full reviews: Destination Travel Group and Secure Travel.
Who is the insurer behind each plan?
Destination Travel Group (DTGI) is a Canadian program manager whose plan has been underwritten by Zurich Insurance Company Ltd (Canadian Branch) since 4 April 2024. Secure Travel is RIMI Insurance Solutions’ brand, underwritten by iA Financial Group. Neither brand is the insurer; each certificate names the underwriter.
| Item | Destination Travel Group | Secure Travel |
|---|---|---|
| Underwriter named on certificate | Zurich Insurance Company Ltd (Canadian Branch) | iA Financial Group (Industrial Alliance Insurance and Financial Services Inc.) |
| Brand or distributor | The Destination: Travel Group Inc. (DTGI) | RIMI Insurance Solutions Inc., Toronto |
| Claims administrator | Global Excel Management, as Zurich Assistance | MSH Assistance |
| Assistance line | Zurich Travel Assist (number on certificate), 24/7 | MSH Assistance (number on certificate), 24/7 |
| Programme age | Zurich partnership since April 2024 | Established RIMI programme |
Sources: THIA announcement and PolicyAdvisor Secure Travel review. Zurich’s Canadian Branch is a foreign insurer’s federally regulated branch issuing in Canada, which IRCC accepts; see underwriters explained.
What does each cost by age?
Secure Travel was lower at every age, and the gap widens from 65. On the monthly plan Destination’s $10 fee saves $110 up front, but Secure Travel’s lower instalment recovers that within eight months at 55 and within two months at 75.
Annual premium, $100,000 coverage, $0 deductible, stable pre-existing conditions covered, rates seen 18 Oct 2026 — verify at quote time.
| Age | Destination ($/yr) | Secure Travel ($/yr) | Lower of the two | Difference ($/yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 55 | $1,635 | $1,577 | Secure Travel | $58 |
| 60 | $1,840 | $1,621 | Secure Travel | $219 |
| 65 | $2,624 | $2,051 | Secure Travel | $573 |
| 70 | $4,179 | $3,380 | Secure Travel | $799 |
| 75 | $5,183 | $4,000 | Secure Travel | $1,183 |
Monthly plan instalment, $100,000 coverage, stable pre-existing conditions covered, rates seen 18 Oct 2026 — verify at quote time.
| Age | Destination ($/month) | Secure Travel ($/month) | Set-up fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| 55 | $146.27 | $131.40 | $10 vs $120 |
| 60 | $146.27 | $135.05 | $10 vs $120 |
| 65 | $228.70 | $170.94 | $10 vs $120 |
| 70 | $358.27 | $281.66 | $10 vs $120 |
| 75 | $441.92 | $333.37 | $10 vs $120 |
Sources: BestQuote, PolicyAdvisor rate tables and PolicyAdvisor monthly plans. PolicyAdvisor’s monthly guide describes Destination’s cost as a 10 percent surcharge rather than a $10 fee, so confirm at quote time. The full grid is on the cost page and monthly plans.
How do the age and stability rules compare?
Secure Travel is more generous to 69 (90 days against Destination’s 120 days at 60 to 69) and covers conditions to 84 against Destination’s 79. Both use 180 days from 70. Neither asks medical questions, so eligibility rests on the stability definition and the honesty of the dates given.
| Rule | Destination | Secure Travel |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum age | None stated overall; about 90 per our fact sheet | Under 90 |
| Pre-existing conditions covered to age | 79 | 84 (new emergencies only 85 to 89) |
| Stability, 59 and under | 90 days | 90 days |
| Stability, 60 to 69 | 120 days | 90 days |
| Stability, 70 to 79 | 180 days | 180 days |
| Stability, 80 to 84 | Excluded | 180 days |
| Medical questionnaire | Not required | Not described |
| Waiting period if bought after arrival | Not stated | 8 days if bought more than 30 days after arrival |
Sources: PolicyAdvisor Destination review and PolicyAdvisor Secure Travel review. No questionnaire does not mean no underwriting; the stability check happens at claim time, as the $96,311 Hamilton case showed. See pre-existing conditions.
What are the benefit limits?
Secure Travel allows $1,000,000 of cover and Destination $300,000, but Destination offers deductibles to $10,000 and $150,000 of AD&D. Destination caps emergency transport and emergency return home at $3,000 each, which is the figure to watch if an air ambulance is a realistic need.
| Benefit | Destination | Secure Travel (Standard / Enhanced) |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum sum insured | $300,000 | $1,000,000 |
| Deductible options | $0, $250, $500, $1,000, $5,000, $10,000 | $0, $100, $250, $500, $1,000, $3,000 |
| Prescription drugs (30 days) | Covered; limit not stated | $500 / $1,000 |
| Emergency dental, injury | Covered; limit not stated | $1,000 / $3,000 |
| AD&D | Up to $150,000 | $50,000 |
| Emergency transport incl. air ambulance | Up to $3,000, pre-approved | Covered; limit not stated |
| Emergency return home | Up to $3,000 one way | Not stated |
| Return of deceased | $10,000 plus $4,000 burial or cremation | $5,000 / $10,000 |
| Side trips | Covered if 51% of period in Canada; home country excluded | Covered en route and on side trips; home country excluded |
| Provinces not served | None stated | Quebec |
Sources: PolicyAdvisor Destination review and PolicyAdvisor Secure Travel review. Where a limit says “not stated”, confirm with the insurer at quote time.
How do refunds and claims rules compare?
Destination refunds a refused applicant in full before the effective date and charges $150 for other cancellations, or $25 for a partial refund. Secure Travel deducts an administration fee on refusal and never refunds the $120 monthly fee. Both require a call within 24 hours of hospital admission and proof of claim within 90 days.
| Rule | Destination | Secure Travel |
|---|---|---|
| Visa refused, before effective date | Full refund | Full less administration fee; request within 60 days (MSH terms) |
| Early return, no claims | Unused portion, $25 fee | Pro-rata less administration fee |
| Other cancellation | $150 fee | Administration fee |
| Partial refund deadline | Within 90 days of expiry | Per policy |
| Monthly set-up fee refundable | $10, one-time | $120, never refunded |
| Notify assistance | Within 24 hours of hospitalization | Within 24 hours and before surgery; 20% of eligible expenses otherwise |
| Proof of claim | Report within 30 days; written proof within 90 days | Within 90 days |
Sources as above. Claim steps: Destination and Secure Travel.
Which profile does each plan fit?
Secure Travel fits a parent 55 to 84 with stable conditions on any payment basis, and a parent 60 to 69 whose dose changed three to four months ago. Destination fits a family that wants the smallest set-up cost on a monthly plan, a deductible above $3,000, or a host whose province Secure Travel does not serve.
| Profile | Lower or better fit on 18 Oct 2026 | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Parent 55 to 75, annual pay | Secure Travel, by $58 to $1,183 | Lower at every age |
| Parent 55 to 75, monthly pay | Secure Travel | Lower instalment at every age outweighs the $120 fee within the year |
| Smallest cash outlay at application | Destination | 2 months plus $10 against 2 months plus $120 |
| Parent 60 to 69, condition stable 90 to 119 days | Secure Travel | 90-day rule to 69 |
| Parent 80 to 84 with conditions | Secure Travel only | Destination excludes pre-existing conditions from 80 |
| Wants a $5,000 or $10,000 deductible | Destination | Secure Travel stops at $3,000 |
| Host in Quebec | Neither through SuperVisaDirect | Secure Travel excludes Quebec; SuperVisaDirect does not serve Quebec |
| Visa refused before start | Destination | Full refund; Secure Travel deducts a fee |
Neither plan is sold on SuperVisaDirect; the plan we sell is TuGo, and the 2026 comparison shows all three side by side. Related pairs: Secure Travel vs GMS and GMS vs Destination.
Questions people ask
Is Destination or Secure Travel lower in price?
Secure Travel at every age we compared on 18 October 2026: $1,577 against $1,635 at 55, $2,051 against $2,624 at 65 and $4,000 against $5,183 at 75, at $100,000 with no deductible and stable conditions covered. On the monthly plan Secure Travel was also lower at every age despite its higher $120 fee.
Who underwrites Destination and Secure Travel?
Destination Travel Group's Visitors to Canada plan has been underwritten by Zurich Insurance Company Ltd (Canadian Branch) since April 2024, with claims administered by Global Excel Management as Zurich Assistance. Secure Travel is RIMI Insurance Solutions' plan on iA Financial Group paper, with claims by MSH Assistance. Both satisfy IRCC's insurer requirement.
Which monthly plan is cheaper to set up?
Destination: two months' premium plus a one-time $10 fee, against Secure Travel's two months plus a $120 non-refundable fee. But the monthly instalment itself was lower at Secure Travel at every age, $131.40 against $146.27 at 55 and $333.37 against $441.92 at 75, so the $110 fee saving is used up within the year.
Which has the better stability rules?
Secure Travel to 69, with 90 days against Destination's 90 days to 59 and 120 days from 60 to 69. From 70 both use 180 days. Secure Travel covers pre-existing conditions to 84; Destination excludes them all from 80. Neither requires a medical questionnaire.
What happens if the super visa is refused?
Destination refunds in full when the trip is cancelled before the effective date. Secure Travel refunds less an administration fee, with the request within 60 days under MSH terms. Both need the IRCC refusal letter and neither refunds once a claim has been made or is pending.
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Sources
- PolicyAdvisor, Destination Visitor to Canada Insurance Review
- PolicyAdvisor, Secure Travel (RIMI) Visitor to Canada Insurance Review
- THIA, Zurich Canada announces new partnership with The Destination Travel Group Inc. (4 April 2024)
- PolicyAdvisor, Visitor insurance monthly payment plans
- PolicyAdvisor, Cheapest Super Visa Insurance in Canada (rate tables)
- BestQuote, Super Visa Insurance rates
- IRCC, Super visa: documents and insurance requirement