Start 60 days before expiry. Get quotes at the parent’s new age, re-answer the medical questionnaire with the parent, set the new effective date to the day after the old expiry, pay, and file the certificate. IRCC’s forms and documents page says that if the insurance will expire before the parent leaves, “you should renew your policy to maintain coverage during your stay.”
The super visa allows a stay of up to 5 years per entry, and the insurance is sold in one-year terms. A five-year stay is five consecutive policies. The risk each time is the gap between them, not the renewal itself.
What do you need before you start?
The current certificate with its expiry date, the parent’s updated medication list, the dates of any medical events in the past year, and the parent’s current age. Age matters more at renewal than at purchase because the bands at 65, 70, 75 and 80 move the price sharply.
| Item | Why |
|---|---|
| Current certificate | Expiry date fixes the new effective date; insurer name decides the continuation terms |
| Medication list with dates of change | Stability is re-measured back from the new date |
| Hospital or clinic visits in year one | Claims and admissions may be asked about and may be excluded |
| Parent’s age at the new effective date | Sets the price band; GMS stops issuing at 79 |
| Authorized stay end date | The renewal term should not outrun it unless an extension is planned |
How long does it take?
Thirty minutes to buy, once quotes are in. Start 60 days out so there are 30 days to compare and 30 days to buy. The certificate is usually issued the same day. The effective date on it must be the old expiry date plus one.
The 8 renewal steps
- Diarize the expiry date 60 days out, in the host’s calendar. Day 60 is for quotes; day 30 is the buy-by date.
- Check the parent’s age at the new effective date. If they cross 65, 70, 75 or 80, expect a step. The age cliffs page shows the jumps by insurer.
- Get a renewal quote from the current insurer and two or three others. Ask the current insurer whether a continuous renewal skips the questionnaire or keeps the original stability date.
- Re-answer the medical questionnaire with the parent present. Any new diagnosis, medication change, test or admission in year one must be declared. The questionnaire page covers the method.
- Set the effective date to the old expiry plus one day. Not the same day, not two days later. GMS’s wording waives its waiting period only when the new policy continues “without a gap from another policy that is providing similar coverage” from a Canadian insurer.
- Pay and download the new certificate. Check the dates, name, sum insured and underwriter as you did at purchase.
- File the certificate where the parent can find it. It is needed at the next entry and for any extension application. Put the old certificate in the same folder; adjusters sometimes ask for the chain.
- Diarize the new expiry date the same day. Year three starts now.
Same insurer or switch?
Renew with the same insurer when the parent has a condition that is stable from the original date and the price is still competitive. Switch when the age band makes the old insurer dear, or when the parent has aged out. Annual premium, $100,000 coverage, $0 deductible, stable pre-existing conditions covered, rates seen Oct 2026 — verify at quote time.
| Insurer (underwriter) | 65 | 70 | 75 | Max issue age |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Secure Travel/RIMI (iA Financial Group) | $2,051 | $3,380 | $4,000 | 90 |
| GMS (Group Medical Services) | $2,405 | $4,296 | $5,533 | 79 |
| Destination (Zurich Insurance Company Ltd, Canadian Branch) | $2,624 | $4,179 | $5,183 | About 90; no pre-existing cover 80+ |
| TuGo (iA Financial Group) | $2,986 | $3,985 | $5,295 | None |
| Manulife CoverMe Plan B (Manufacturers Life) | $2,874 | $4,181 | $5,427 | 85 |
| 21st Century Enhanced (Manulife) | $3,095 | $4,683 | $5,712 | 85 |
| Travelance Premier (Old Republic Insurance Company of Canada) | $3,030 | Quote | $6,161 | 85 |
| Allianz Global Assistance (CUMIS General Insurance) | $4,201 | Quote | $9,910 | 89 |
Source: PolicyAdvisor and BestQuote tables. A parent turning 70 at Secure Travel moves from $2,051 to $3,380; the same parent at TuGo moves from $2,986 to $3,985. The cheaper insurer at 65 is not always the cheaper one at 70, so compare every year. The switching page covers the stability reset when you move.
What does re-underwriting mean at renewal?
The insurer looks at the parent’s health as at the new effective date, not the original one. A condition stable in year one may have changed. A claim in year one is a medical event the questionnaire will catch. The possible outcomes are renewal as before, renewal with an exclusion, a higher premium, or a decline.
| Year-one event | Likely renewal effect |
|---|---|
| No change | Renewal at the new age-band price |
| Medication dose changed 4 months ago | Condition unstable for insurers with 180-day periods; stable for 90-day periods |
| Hospital admission for a new condition | Condition excluded or policy declined; compare insurers |
| Claim paid for an existing condition | Condition may be excluded at renewal; ask in writing |
| Parent turned 80 | GMS will not renew; Destination excludes pre-existing conditions; others continue with higher premiums |
What if it goes wrong?
The two failures are a missed expiry and a decline. A missed expiry means a gap; buy the same day and accept the waiting period. A decline means shopping; TuGo and 21st Century Basic have no maximum age, and Secure Travel issues to 90.
| Problem | What to do |
|---|---|
| Expiry passed, parent uninsured | Buy today with today’s effective date; expect a 2-day to 7-day sickness wait; see already in Canada |
| Current insurer declines | Quote others; ask for an exclusion rather than a decline |
| Price doubled at the new band | Compare all eight; consider a deductible; see cost |
| Stay ends before the new term | Buy the full year anyway if re-entry is possible; pro-rata refunds apply on early return with no claims |
| Parent wants to stay beyond the authorized period | Apply for a visitor record at least 30 days before expiry per the IRCC instructions; see extending the stay |
The renewals page has the background on no-gap rules and IRCC’s January 2025 notice on renewal during the stay.
Questions people ask
When should I start the renewal?
Sixty days before expiry. That leaves time to compare insurers if the price has stepped up at a new age band, and 30 days to buy with the effective date set to the old expiry plus one day. Renewing early costs nothing because the new term does not begin until the old one ends.
Do I renew with the same insurer or can I switch?
Either. A renewal with the same insurer may keep the stability clock running from the original date and skip the questionnaire at some carriers. Switching means a new questionnaire and a fresh stability test, but can save money at age bands where the old insurer is dear. Compare both before deciding.
Will the medical questions be asked again?
At most insurers, yes. The questionnaire is re-asked and stability is measured back from the new effective date. A medication change during year one makes that condition unstable for year two. Some insurers waive the questionnaire for a continuous renewal; confirm at quote time.
What happens if I renew late?
The parent is uninsured from expiry until the new effective date. Most insurers treat the late purchase as a new policy, re-measure stability from the new date, and may apply a 2-day to 7-day waiting period for sickness. A claim in the gap is unpaid. GMS waives its waiting period only for gap-free continuation.
How much more does year 2 cost?
It depends on whether the parent crossed an age band. On October 2026 rates, Secure Travel charged $1,621 at 60 and $2,051 at 65, then $3,380 at 70. GMS charged $1,799, $2,405 and $4,296 at the same ages. Within a band, expect a smaller annual re-rating.
Does renewing the insurance extend the super visa stay?
No. The authorized stay is set by the officer at entry, up to 5 years. The insurance is a condition of the visa, not a mechanism for extending it. To stay longer than authorized, the parent applies to IRCC for a visitor record at least 30 days before status expires and needs valid insurance for that period.
Get the policy IRCC requires, in minutes
Three questions, one price, one button. The certificate your parent needs is emailed the same day.
Sources
- IRCC — Change to health insurance requirement (renewal during stay)
- IRCC — Super visa: forms and documents (renew if it expires before you leave)
- GMS — Immigrants and Visitors to Canada policy wording (no-gap continuation, extensions)
- IRCC — Visitor record: operational instructions (apply at least 30 days before expiry)
- PolicyAdvisor — Super visa insurance cost tables
- BestQuote — Super visa insurance rates