Email the insurer or SuperVisaDirect with the policy number, the reason and the supporting document, before the date you want cover to end. Before the effective date, a visa refusal letter brings a full refund at most insurers, and the 10-day free look brings a full refund for any reason. After the effective date, the refund is pro-rata for unused days, only if no claim was made, less a fee of $25 to $250.
Cancellation is a written act. Stopping a monthly instalment ends the policy for non-payment and earns nothing back. The difference between a cancellation and a lapse is one email.
What do you need before you start?
The policy number, the insured’s name, the reason, and the document that proves the reason. For a visa refusal that is the IRCC letter. For an early return it is a boarding pass or passport exit stamp. For the free look or a change of insurer, no document is required.
| Reason | Document | Typical refund |
|---|---|---|
| Visa refused, before effective date | IRCC refusal letter | Full, or full less administration fee |
| Free look, within 10 days of purchase, before effective date | None | Full |
| Change of mind, before effective date, after free look | None | Full less fee at some insurers; confirm |
| Early return, after effective date, no claims | Boarding pass or exit stamp | Pro-rata less fee |
| Switching insurers mid-term | None, but the new certificate helps | Pro-rata less fee, no claims |
| Parent died | Death certificate | Pro-rata; fees often waived; confirm |
How long does it take?
Ten minutes to send. Two to six weeks for the refund to reach the original payment method. Send the request before the date you want cover to end; cancellations are not usually backdated.
The 6 steps to cancel
- Check the effective date and today’s date. Before the effective date, the full-refund routes are open. After it, the pro-rata route applies.
- Check whether any claim has been made or is pending. If one has, the pro-rata refund is usually lost. Decide whether to proceed.
- Gather the proof document. Refusal letter, boarding pass, exit stamp or death certificate as the case requires.
- Email the insurer or SuperVisaDirect. State the policy number, the insured’s name, the requested end date, the reason, and attach the document. Ask for written confirmation of the end date and the refund amount.
- Complete any cancellation form sent back. Some insurers require the policyholder’s signature, which may be the host.
- Stop monthly instalments only after the confirmation arrives. Keep the confirmation email with the IRCC file; a cancelled policy must not be shown at a border.
What does each insurer charge?
Fees range from a $25 minimum at Manulife to $250 at TuGo, 21st Century and Travelance. Two insurers deduct an unpublished administration fee. The set-up fee on monthly plans is never refunded. Fees seen October 2026 in the PolicyAdvisor and BestQuote summaries and insurer wordings — verify in the policy document.
| Insurer (underwriter) | Before effective date, visa refused | After effective date, no claims | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| TuGo (iA Financial Group) | Per policy terms | Pro-rata less fee | $250 |
| 21st Century (Manulife) | Full; proof within 30 days | Pro-rata less fee | $250 |
| Travelance (Old Republic Insurance Company of Canada) | Full; within 30 days; no fee | Pro-rata less fee | $250; $50 early return |
| Destination (Zurich Insurance Company Ltd, Canadian Branch) | Full | Pro-rata less fee | $150; $25 partial |
| Manulife CoverMe (Manufacturers Life) | Full | Pro-rata less fee | $25 minimum |
| GMS (Group Medical Services) | Full less administration fee | Partial less administration fee | Not published |
| Secure Travel/RIMI (iA Financial Group; claims by MSH) | Full less administration fee; within 60 days | Pro-rata less administration fee | Not published |
| Allianz Global Assistance (CUMIS General Insurance) | Per policy terms | Per policy terms | Confirm at quote time |
GMS’s policy wording states: “Full refunds are available if no travel has taken place” when requested before the effective date; partial refunds carry an administration fee; and “refunds are not available when a claim has been reported under this policy.” The refunds page has the longer version for all eight.
Before or after the start date: what changes?
Everything. Before the effective date, the insurer has taken no risk and refunds readily. After it, the insurer has been on risk and refunds only the unused portion, only without claims, and only less a fee. The THIA Bill of Rights 10-day free look is also measured from purchase, so it can expire before the effective date arrives.
| Timing | Refund basis | Worked example, $2,051 annual premium |
|---|---|---|
| Within 10 days of purchase, before effective date | Full | $2,051 |
| Before effective date, visa refused, Travelance | Full, no fee | $2,051 |
| Before effective date, visa refused, GMS | Full less administration fee | $2,051 less fee |
| 6 months after effective date, no claims, 21st Century | Pro-rata less $250 | About $1,025 less $250 = about $775 |
| 6 months after effective date, one claim paid | None at most insurers | $0 |
| Monthly plan, instalments stopped without notice | None; lapse | $0, and the deposit is kept |
Example uses the Secure Travel age-65 rate of $2,051 seen October 2026 for illustration only; the fee shown is 21st Century’s.
What if it goes wrong?
A refund that is smaller than expected, a refund that does not arrive, or a cancellation that the insurer treats as a lapse. Each is resolved in writing, with the acknowledgement email as the anchor.
| Problem | What to do |
|---|---|
| Refund lower than expected | Ask for the calculation in writing; compare the fee with the policy wording |
| No refund after 30 days | Follow up quoting the confirmation; use the insurer’s complaint process; OLHI ombudsman after that |
| Insurer says a claim voids the refund | Check whether the claim was actually paid or merely opened; ask for the policy clause |
| Instalments stopped before confirmation | Ask the insurer to treat the request date as the cancellation date; expect resistance |
| Cancelled, then the visa was approved after all | Buy a new policy; the stability period is re-measured at the new date |
| Parent is only leaving for a side trip | Do not cancel; see side trips; the policy continues at most insurers |
If the reason is a slow visa rather than a refusal, moving the start date is usually better than cancelling; the date change page explains how. The switching insurers page covers the cost of cancelling to move elsewhere mid-term.
Questions people ask
Can I cancel super visa insurance at any time?
You can request cancellation at any time before expiry, but the refund depends on timing and claims. Before the effective date, most insurers refund in full for a visa refusal and within the 10-day free look. After the effective date, the refund is pro-rata for the unused days, less a fee, and only if no claim was made or is pending.
What are the cancellation fees?
TuGo and 21st Century charge $250. Travelance charges $250, or $50 for an early return. Destination charges $150, or $25 for a partial cancellation. Manulife CoverMe charges a $25 minimum. GMS and Secure Travel deduct an administration fee whose amount is not published. Fees seen October 2026; verify in the policy wording.
What documents do I need to cancel?
The policy number and a written request in every case. Add the IRCC refusal letter for a visa refusal, a boarding pass or passport exit stamp for an early return, and a signed cancellation form if the insurer uses one. For a change of insurer, no document is required but no refund of the fee either.
Can I cancel a monthly plan by stopping the payments?
No. A stopped instalment is a lapse, not a cancellation. The policy ends for non-payment, no refund is paid, and some insurers record it against the insured. Send a written cancellation request first, then stop the instalments after the insurer confirms the end date.
Do I get the deposit back on a monthly plan?
The unused part of the deposit, less the set-up fee, if the policy is cancelled before the effective date with a refusal letter. After the effective date, the deposit is applied to cover already provided and the refund is pro-rata less the fee. The set-up fee, $10 to $120 depending on insurer, is never refunded.
What if a claim was made during the year?
At most insurers, a claim of any size removes the right to a pro-rata refund. If the parent is leaving soon and has a small claim pending, compare the claim amount with the refund before submitting it. The policy still ends on the cancellation date; the insurer simply keeps the premium.
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Sources
- GMS — Immigrants and Visitors to Canada policy wording (refund rules, administration fee, claims void refund)
- THIA — Travel Insurance Bill of Rights and Responsibilities (10-day free look)
- PolicyAdvisor — Super visa insurance cost tables (cancellation fees)
- BestQuote — Super visa insurance rates (cancellation fees)
- IRCC — Super visa: after you apply (refusal letter)