Super visa insurance can be bought for a parent with dementia or Alzheimer’s, and the policy will meet IRCC’s rule of $100,000 emergency coverage for a year from entry. Whether dementia-related claims are paid is a separate question. From age 70, every insurer we compare requires 180 days of stability, and several questionnaires ask about dementia directly and exclude it. The policy still covers everything unrelated to the condition.
Dementia is unusual among pre-existing conditions because it is progressive and because the applicant often cannot answer the questionnaire alone. Both facts push the family toward precise documentation. The immigration medical exam required by IRCC is a separate process and may raise its own questions about care needs.
What do insurers ask about dementia?
Many questionnaires ask whether the applicant has been diagnosed with dementia, Alzheimer’s disease or another cognitive impairment. They ask whether the applicant takes medication for it and has been hospitalized in the last 12 months. Some ask whether the applicant requires assistance with daily activities. A yes to a direct dementia question is an exclusion at some insurers and a further-questions trigger at others.
| Typical question | What a yes usually means |
|---|---|
| Diagnosed with dementia, Alzheimer’s or cognitive impairment? | Exclusion of the condition at several insurers; further questions at others |
| Taking medication for it (for example donepezil, memantine)? | Covered if dose unchanged for the stability period, where the condition is accepted |
| Any change in medication in the last 180 days? | Unstable |
| Hospitalized or treated in emergency in the last 12 months? | Unstable; may affect other conditions too |
| Requires help with daily living or supervised care? | May lead to a decline at some insurers; ask before paying |
| Any fall or injury in the last 12 months? | Assessed as a separate event |
The published rate tables do not list each insurer’s dementia question. Ask for the questionnaire in writing before paying, and ask the insurer to confirm in writing whether dementia is excluded, covered if stable, or a decline.
Which insurers accept a parent with dementia?
All 8 insurers we compare will issue a policy to an applicant with dementia within their age limits, because issuing the policy and covering the condition are different decisions. From age 70 the stability period is 180 days everywhere. Whether dementia-related claims are covered must be confirmed with the insurer at purchase.
| Insurer (underwriter) | Issues to age | Stability required at 70 and over | Dementia-related claims |
|---|---|---|---|
| Secure Travel/RIMI (iA Financial Group) | 90 (pre-existing to 84) | 180 days | Per questionnaire; confirm in writing |
| TuGo (iA Financial Group) | No maximum | 180 days to 85; 365 days from 86 | Per questionnaire; 7-day rider to 79 |
| Destination (Zurich, Canadian Branch) | About 90 (pre-existing excluded 80+) | 180 days to 79 | Per questionnaire; excluded from 80 |
| Allianz (CUMIS General Insurance) | 89 | 180 days | Per questionnaire; cover pauses on home-country trips |
| Manulife CoverMe Plan B (Manufacturers Life) | 85 | 180 days | Per questionnaire |
| GMS (Group Medical Services) | 79 | 180 days | Per questionnaire; repatriation capped at $5,000 |
| 21st Century Enhanced (Manulife) | 85 (Basic: any age, no pre-existing cover) | 180 days | Per questionnaire |
| Travelance Premier (Old Republic) | 85 | Per policy wording | Per questionnaire |
Age limits and stability periods seen October 2026 — verify in the policy wording. Only 6 per cent of super visa applicants are over 75, and the group with dementia is smaller still, so the published comparisons do not single it out. Premiums at 75 with stable conditions covered ran from $4,000 to $9,910 on the PolicyAdvisor and BestQuote tables. See the 2026 comparison for the 80-plus options.
What does stable mean for dementia specifically?
Stable means the same medication at the same dose, no new diagnosis, no hospital admission or emergency visit, no new prescription for behaviour or sleep, and no change in the level of care, for the whole period. Gradual cognitive decline without a change in treatment is not, in itself, a change. A new drug, a fall that required hospital care, or a move to supervised care is.
| Event | Stable? |
|---|---|
| Same dementia medication at the same dose | Yes |
| Dose increased or a second drug added | No |
| New prescription for agitation, sleep or depression | No |
| Routine memory-clinic review, no change | Yes |
| Hospital admission for a fall, infection or confusion | No |
| Moved from home to supervised care in the period | Usually no; confirm in writing |
| Gradual worsening noted by family, no medical change | Usually yes; the record is what counts |
Infections and dehydration are the common triggers for hospital admission in a parent with dementia. Whether such an admission is treated as dementia-related at claim time depends on the discharge diagnosis. This is where an exclusion of the condition can reach further than the family expects.
What should you document?
Collect the diagnosing doctor’s letter with the date of diagnosis and current stage. Add the medication list with start dates and the date of the last change, and the date and reason for any hospital visit in the last 12 months. Add a statement of current care arrangements and a letter confirming no change in treatment during the stability period.
Photograph everything, complete the questionnaire from the file, and keep the completed answers. The THIA Bill of Rights entitles the buyer to a copy before the policy starts. If the insurer excludes dementia, get the exclusion wording in writing.
Plan for a claim before it happens. The host will be the one calling the assistance line, so the host should hold the policy number, the medication list and the doctor’s letters. Heart disease and diabetes frequently coexist and are assessed on their own; see heart conditions. The claims page covers the 24-hour notification rule and how the insurer requests records from abroad.
Questions people ask
Can a parent with dementia get super visa insurance?
Yes. The policy can be issued and will meet IRCC's $100,000 one-year rule. Whether dementia-related claims are paid depends on the questionnaire and stability clause. Several insurers exclude dementia outright; others cover it if stable for 180 days with no change in medication or care level.
Is dementia ever stable for insurance purposes?
It can be, in the insurer's sense: same medication at the same dose, no hospital admission, no new diagnosis, no change in care requirements during the stability period. The gradual progression of the disease is not itself a change in treatment. A new prescription, a fall requiring hospital care, or a move to supervised care is.
Does the parent need to answer the questionnaire themselves?
The policyholder or the host usually completes it on the parent's behalf. The answers must be accurate regardless of who gives them. Have the treating doctor's letter and the medication list in front of you. A questionnaire completed by a family member from memory is the most common source of a later denial.
Can the super visa itself be refused because of dementia?
The immigration medical exam can flag conditions that might cause excessive demand on health services. That is an IRCC decision about the visa, separate from insurance. Supervisory needs and the host's ability to provide care are relevant to IRCC. Insurance compliance is unaffected as long as the $100,000 policy is in place.
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