Pre-arrival insurance checklist for newcomers to Canada

Buy the bridge plan before the flight, for every family member, starting on the landing date. That one step removes the illness waiting period that GMS and TuGo apply to policies bought after arrival, and it is what BC’s MSP page and RAMQ tell newcomers to do. The checklist below runs from six weeks out to the first week in Canada.

Six weeks before: know your province’s rule

Work out which provincial plan each family member qualifies for and from when. The answer differs by province and by status, and the waiting-period hub has the full table.

Then identify who does not qualify at all: a visiting parent, a spouse on a visitor record in most provinces, a child over the age limit, a student in Ontario or Manitoba. They need cover for the whole stay, not a bridge.

Four weeks before: ask the employer or school

If you have a job, put three questions to HR in writing: the benefits start date, whether the plan pays in-province hospital and physician charges before provincial coverage begins, and the insurer and policy number. The usual answer to the second is no; see employer health plans and the gap. If you are a student, ask the international office for the plan’s start date and whether dependants can be added, and by when.

Three weeks before: buy the bridge plan

Checklist for the purchase:

• One application listing every family member, with each person’s own dates if they travel separately.
• Start date equal to the landing date. End date equal to the confirmed provincial start plus one to two weeks; in Ontario, about four weeks after landing.
• Coverage amount: $100,000 for anyone over 60 or with a condition; $25,000 to $50,000 is defensible for a healthy adult in a short window, but note that an Ontario non-resident ward day is $4,005 and intensive care $15,642 at Queensway Carleton.
• Pre-existing conditions declared, and the tier that covers stable conditions chosen for anyone who has one.
• Confirmation in writing that the start date can be changed before the policy begins, in case the flight moves.
• Underwriter named on the certificate.

Monthly premium, $100,000 coverage, 30-day basis, rates seen Oct 2026 — verify at quote time.

Source: PolicyAdvisor 2026 table. A couple in their thirties with two young children typically pays $200 to $350 a month for the family.

One week before: documents in hand

Pack the originals the province will ask for, per the OHIP page and its equivalents: status document for each person (PR confirmation, permits, passports), identity document, and whatever you already have toward proof of residency (signed lease, employer letter with address). Print the insurance certificate and save it to a phone for each adult. Note the carrier’s emergency assistance number; most policies require a call before or soon after treatment.

Landing week

1. Day 1: confirm the policy is in force and the dates match the actual landing date; correct it the same day if the flight slipped.
2. Days 1 to 7: secure a residency document (lease, utility account), then apply to the provincial plan for everyone who qualifies. Ontario is in person at ServiceOntario; see how to apply for OHIP.
3. Days 1 to 7: enrol dependants in the student or group plan where applicable.
4. On provincial approval: note the start date in writing, and set a reminder to cancel the bridge plan a week or two after the card arrives for a pro-rata refund if there has been no claim.
5. For anyone who does not qualify: diarize the private policy’s end date and renew before it, since a gap cannot be backfilled.

If something goes wrong

The flight is delayed after the policy started: call the carrier; most will move the start date if the policy has not been used. You landed without buying: buy today, accept the 2-to-7-day illness waiting period, and treat injuries as covered from the effective date. Someone needs a hospital before the card: call the carrier’s assistance line first, show the certificate, and keep every invoice. A claim is denied for a condition not declared: there is no appeal that succeeds on non-disclosure; the only defence is declaring everything at purchase.

SuperVisaDirect is operated by Super Visa Direct Insurance Services, an independent Ontario life and accident-and-sickness insurance agency licensed by FSRA (licence [FSRA-LICENCE]), serving Ontario residents; BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba are planned for 2028 and Quebec is not served. Landing in Ontario, or an Ontario family receiving a relative: get a quote with the landing date and each person’s status.