TuGo was the lower of the two for a parent with stable pre-existing conditions at 55, 60, 70 and 75 on 18 October 2026; Manulife CoverMe was lower only at 65, by $112. The prices sit within $200 of each other at every age, so the decision turns on rules. TuGo has no maximum age and 90 or 120 days’ stability under 70. Manulife has a $25 cancellation minimum and a household-name certificate, but a 180-day stability rule and a $500 drug cap.
Both qualify for the super visa at $100,000 for a year, and both are Canadian insurers under the IRCC rule. Full reviews: TuGo and Manulife CoverMe.
Who is the insurer behind each plan?
TuGo is an administrator in Richmond, BC; the contract is issued by Industrial Alliance (iA Financial Group). CoverMe is Manulife’s direct retail brand, underwritten by The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company, with Active Care Management running the assistance line and Global Excel handling claim files.
| Item | TuGo | Manulife CoverMe |
|---|---|---|
| Underwriter named on certificate | Industrial Alliance Insurance and Financial Services Inc. (iA Financial Group) | The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company |
| Brand or distributor | North American Air Travel Insurance Agents Ltd. (TuGo) | Manulife (direct) |
| Assistance and claims | TuGo in-house claims team, 24/7 | Active Care Management, 24/7; files mailed to Global Excel, Windsor, ON |
| Assistance number | +1-800-663-0399 (global toll-free); 604-278-4108 collect | 1-877-878-0142; +1-519-251-5166 collect |
Sources: iA policy wording and Manulife policy PDF. See underwriters explained for why the brand on the website and the insurer on the certificate differ.
What does each cost by age?
TuGo was lower at four of five ages on 18 October 2026, but never by more than $196. Manulife’s one win is at 65. Both sit in the upper half of the eight carriers we track under 70, so neither is a budget choice; the gap to Secure Travel at 65 was more than $800.
Annual premium, $100,000 coverage, $0 deductible, stable pre-existing conditions covered, rates seen 18 Oct 2026 — verify at quote time.
| Age | TuGo Comprehensive ($/yr) | Manulife Plan B ($/yr) | Lower of the two | Difference ($/yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 55 | $2,093 | $2,165 | TuGo | $72 |
| 60 | $2,398 | $2,529 | TuGo | $131 |
| 65 | $2,986 | $2,874 | Manulife | $112 |
| 70 | $3,985 | $4,181 | TuGo | $196 |
| 75 | $5,295 | $5,427 | TuGo | $132 |
Sources: BestQuote and PolicyAdvisor. Without pre-existing cover, TuGo was $1,705 at 55 and $3,811 at 75; Manulife $1,970 and $4,932. Both offer deductibles to $10,000, with Manulife publishing a 40 percent reduction at that level. Compare all carriers on the cost page.
How do the age and stability rules compare?
TuGo Comprehensive has no maximum age and scales stability by age; Manulife Enhanced stops at 85 and uses 180 days throughout. Under 70 that is the main practical difference: a 64-year-old whose medication changed five months ago is covered by TuGo and excluded by Manulife.
| Rule | TuGo Comprehensive | Manulife Enhanced (Plan B) |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum age | None | 85 (Basic: none, no pre-existing cover) |
| Stability, 59 and under | 90 days | 180 days |
| Stability, 60 to 69 | 120 days | 180 days |
| Stability, 70 to 85 | 180 days | 180 days |
| Stability, 86 and over | 365 days | Not eligible on Enhanced |
| Unstable-condition rider | 7-day stability, to age 79 | None |
| Medical questionnaire | From 60 | 55 to 85 (PolicyAdvisor); 40 and over per Manulife PDF |
| Waiting period, bought before arrival | None | Call rules apply; no waiting period stated |
Sources: PolicyAdvisor TuGo review and PolicyAdvisor Manulife review. Both exclude terminal illness, dialysis-dependent kidney disease and metastatic cancer. Use our pre-existing conditions guide to check the parent’s dates against each rule.
What are the benefit limits?
TuGo allows $500,000 of cover and pays return of remains up to the sum insured; Manulife caps cover at $200,000, drugs at $500 and death-related expenses at $7,500. Manulife includes $1,000 for healthcare practitioners and $150 a day for transport and accommodation.
| Benefit | TuGo Comprehensive | Manulife Enhanced |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum sum insured | $500,000 | $200,000 |
| Prescription drugs | Covered; limit not stated in summaries | $500 |
| Emergency dental | $6,000 injury / $600 pain | $4,000 injury / $300 pain |
| Hospital allowance | $100 per day | Not stated |
| Return of remains | Up to sum insured, plus $6,000 burial or cremation | $3,000 transport plus $3,000 burial, within $7,500 |
| AD&D | $25,000 | $25,000 |
| Side trips | Covered if majority of period in Canada | 30 days or 49% of days; start and end in Canada |
| Home-country trip | Policy continues; expenses there not covered | Not covered in home country |
Sources: PolicyAdvisor TuGo review and PolicyAdvisor Manulife review. The repatriation gap is large: see repatriation explained.
How do refunds and claims rules compare?
Both refund in full on a visa refusal before the effective date. After that, Manulife’s $25 minimum beats TuGo’s $250 fee. On claims, Manulife publishes a 20 percent co-insurance penalty for not calling before treatment and a 90-day proof deadline; TuGo’s public pages do not state a penalty, but its reviews complain of slow payment.
| Rule | TuGo | Manulife CoverMe |
|---|---|---|
| Visa refused, before effective date | Full refund | Full refund with IRCC letter |
| 10-day free look | Full, no travel | Full, no travel, no claim |
| Early return, no claims | Pro-rata less $250 fee | Unused days, $25 minimum, request within 60 days |
| Withdrawn or denied claim | No refund | $300 handling fee deducted from any refund |
| Penalty for not calling assistance | Not stated on public pages | Pay 20% of eligible expenses |
| Proof of claim deadline | Per policy; submit “as soon as possible” | Within 90 days of loss |
| Monthly plan | Not verified | None |
| Public reviews | Trustpilot 4.0 (261 reviews); 10-week payment complaints | Corporate Trustpilot 1.2 (594 reviews), mostly non-travel |
Sources: Manulife policy PDF, Trustpilot TuGo and Trustpilot Manulife. Claim steps: TuGo and Manulife CoverMe.
Which profile does each plan fit?
TuGo fits a parent under 70 whose condition is stable for 90 or 120 days but not 180, a parent over 85, and anyone likely to need repatriation. Manulife fits a family that wants the lowest cancellation charge, a Manulife certificate, or the 65-year-old price point.
| Profile | Lower or better fit on 18 Oct 2026 | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Parent 55 to 64, stable conditions | TuGo, by $72 to $131 | Lower price and 90 or 120-day stability |
| Parent 65, stable 180 days | Manulife, by $112 | The one age where Manulife is lower |
| Parent 70 to 75 | TuGo, by $132 to $196 | Same 180-day rule, lower price |
| Parent 86 and over with conditions | TuGo only | No maximum age; 365-day stability |
| Likely to need medical transport or repatriation | TuGo | Remains covered to sum insured against $3,000 plus $3,000 |
| May cancel early | Manulife | $25 minimum against $250 |
| Needs more than $500 of prescription cover | TuGo | Manulife caps drugs at $500 |
| Needs instalments | Neither | See 21st Century or Secure Travel on monthly plans |
TuGo is the plan sold on SuperVisaDirect; buy it in three steps on the super visa page. Manulife CoverMe is not sold here. For TuGo against the other premium brand, read Allianz vs TuGo; for Manulife against its own broker-sold twin, read 21st Century vs Manulife CoverMe.
Questions people ask
Is TuGo or Manulife lower in price for super visa insurance?
TuGo at four of the five ages we compared on 18 October 2026: $2,093 against $2,165 at 55, $2,398 against $2,529 at 60, $3,985 against $4,181 at 70 and $5,295 against $5,427 at 75. Manulife was lower at 65, $2,874 against $2,986. All figures are $100,000 cover, no deductible, stable conditions covered.
Who underwrites TuGo and Manulife CoverMe?
TuGo's Visitors to Canada policy is issued by Industrial Alliance Insurance and Financial Services Inc., part of iA Financial Group; TuGo is the administrator. CoverMe is Manulife's own retail brand, underwritten by The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company, with claims run by Active Care Management. Both are Canadian insurers and both certificates satisfy IRCC.
Which has the shorter stability period for pre-existing conditions?
TuGo under 70: 90 days to 59 and 120 days from 60 to 69, against Manulife's 180 days at every age. From 70 to 85 both use 180 days. TuGo also sells an optional rider that cuts the period to 7 days for travellers up to 79. At 86 and over TuGo requires 365 days; Manulife Enhanced stops at 85.
Which has the lower cancellation fee?
Manulife, with a $25 minimum against TuGo's $250. Both refund in full on a visa refusal before the effective date, and both refund unused days pro-rata on early return with no claims. Manulife also deducts a $300 handling fee from any refund where a claim was withdrawn or denied.
Does either offer a monthly plan?
Manulife CoverMe does not; the full premium is due at purchase. We could not verify a monthly instalment option for TuGo's visitor plan as of October 2026, so treat both as annual-pay. For Manulife-underwritten cover on instalments, 21st Century takes two months' premium plus a $50 fee.
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Sources
- iA Financial Group, Emergency Medical Insurance for Visitors to Canada (policy wording, TuGo)
- Manulife CoverMe, Travel Insurance for Visitors to Canada policy (PDF)
- PolicyAdvisor, TuGo Visitor to Canada Insurance Review
- PolicyAdvisor, Manulife Visitor to Canada Insurance Review
- PolicyAdvisor, Cheapest Super Visa Insurance in Canada (rate tables)
- BestQuote, Super Visa Insurance rates
- Trustpilot, TuGo reviews
- Trustpilot, Manulife Canada