If the parent goes home before the policy ends, every insurer we compare refunds the unused days pro-rata, provided no claim was made or is pending, less a cancellation fee of $25 to $250. The refund runs from the departure date at most insurers, but from the date the request is received at Destination. Proof of departure is required, and several insurers set deadlines of 60 to 90 days for the request.
The refunds hub covers visa-refusal refunds, which are simpler. An early return is the case with the most conditions, because the policy has been in force and the insurer checks whether it paid anything.
How is the refund calculated?
Unused days as a share of the term, times the premium, less the fee. GMS’s wording states it: “a refund is calculated using the number of unused days and the daily rate applied based on your original trip length,” and “the refund will be calculated from the date you departed Canada.” Other insurers use the same method with their own fee.
| Example: $2,051 annual premium, 365-day term | Calculation |
|---|---|
| Parent leaves after 185 days; 180 days unused | 180 ÷ 365 × $2,051 = $1,011 |
| Less TuGo or 21st Century fee of $250 | $761 |
| Less Travelance early-return fee of $50 | $961 |
| Less Destination partial fee of $25 | $986, if requested on the departure date |
| Less Manulife minimum of $25 | $986 |
| Less GMS or Secure Travel administration fee | $1,011 less the fee stated in the wording |
The $2,051 figure is Secure Travel’s rate for a 65-year-old in October 2026, used only for the arithmetic; fees are from the cancellation fees by insurer page. Manulife’s policy states a “minimum premium refund amount” of $25, meaning refunds below that are not issued; MSH and Allianz do not issue amounts under $20 per the PolicyAdvisor summary of 18 June 2026.
What conditions apply at each insurer?
No claims, proof of departure, and at several insurers a deadline. Terms seen October 2026 in the wordings and the PolicyAdvisor summary — verify in the policy document.
| Insurer (underwriter) | Refund runs from | No-claims condition | Deadline | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TuGo (iA Financial Group) | Departure or request date, per wording | No claim submitted | Within 90 days after policy expiry | Administration fee; $250 on super visa cancellations before travel |
| 21st Century (Manulife) | Departure, with proof of leaving Canada | No claims | On request | $25 processing plus $25 minimum premium; $250 if cancelled before arrival |
| Travelance (Old Republic Insurance Company of Canada) | Departure | “No refund once a claim is submitted” | On request | $50 early return; $250 if cancelling while still in Canada |
| Destination (Zurich Insurance Company Ltd, Canadian Branch) | “The date the request is received” | No claim incurred, paid or pending | Request promptly; the date of receipt sets the refund | $25 administration plus $25 minimum refund |
| Manulife CoverMe (Manufacturers Life) | Departure, “the premium for the unused days of your trip” | No claim made | On request | $25 minimum refund amount |
| GMS (Group Medical Services) | “The date you departed Canada” | No claim reported | Before expiry; none after | Administration fee per wording |
| Secure Travel/RIMI (iA Financial Group; claims by MSH) | Departure | No claims | Written request within 60 days | Administration fee per wording |
| MSH-administered plans | Departure | No claim paid or pending | Within 60 days | $25 on all partial refunds; nothing under $20 |
| Allianz Global Assistance (CUMIS General Insurance) | Request date, per summary | No claim made | On request | A refund fee may apply; nothing under $20 |
Sources: TuGo wording, GMS wording, Manulife policy, PolicyAdvisor summary. Where the wording says administration fee without an amount, confirm with the insurer at quote time.
Why does the request date matter?
Because at Destination the refund is calculated from the day the insurer receives the request, not the day the parent left. A parent who flies home on 1 March and whose family writes on 1 May loses 61 days of refund. At TuGo and Secure Travel a late request falls outside the 90-day or 60-day window and may be refused entirely.
| Timing | Outcome |
|---|---|
| Request sent the week of departure, with boarding pass | Full pro-rata from departure at most insurers |
| Request sent two months after departure | Destination: two months lost; Secure Travel and MSH: outside the 60-day window |
| Request sent after the policy expired | Refused at most insurers; TuGo allows up to 90 days after expiry |
| Payments stopped on a monthly plan, no request | Treated as a lapse; no refund; possible balance owing |
The how to cancel page has the template email and the documents to attach.
What if the parent made a claim?
At most insurers the pro-rata refund is lost, whatever the size of the claim. Travelance’s terms state no refund once a claim is submitted. Destination and MSH refuse if a claim was incurred, paid or is pending. Manulife’s wording allows a refund where a claim was withdrawn, less a $300 handling fee per claim, and the PolicyAdvisor summary adds that paid claim amounts are subtracted from the balance.
If the parent is leaving within weeks and has a small, unsubmitted expense, compare the two numbers before submitting. A $120 clinic visit claimed against a $1,000 pro-rata refund is a net loss of $880. If the claim is already submitted, the refund is gone at most insurers; if it is a pending denial, see denied claim: what next before withdrawing it.
What about trips home that are not a return?
A side trip to the home country with a planned return to Canada is not an early return, and no refund applies; the policy continues, except at Allianz, which pauses coverage during home-country trips. The side trips page covers the 51 per cent rule. If the parent leaves and the family is unsure whether they will return, do not cancel; a cancelled policy usually cannot be reinstated, and a re-entry needs a full year of coverage from that date.
What do you need to send?
The policy number, a written cancellation request stating the departure date, proof of departure, and a statement that no claims were made. Send it from the email address on the policy, keep the acknowledgement, and diarize 30 days to chase.
- Write to the insurer, or to SuperVisaDirect to forward, quoting the policy number and the date the parent left Canada.
- Attach the boarding pass or the passport stamp.
- State that no claim was made or is pending, if that is true.
- On a monthly plan, state that future instalments are to stop and ask for the fee to be confirmed in writing.
- Keep the acknowledgement; refunds typically take two to six weeks to the original card.
- If nothing arrives in 30 days, write again citing the THIA Bill of Rights, and then the insurer’s complaints process.
Super Visa Direct Insurance Services submits early-return refund requests for clients and chases them, by email at [email protected] or callback, Monday to Friday, 8:00am to 6:00pm Eastern Time. If the parent is switching rather than leaving, the switching insurers page is the one to read.
Questions people ask
How is the pro-rata refund calculated?
Unused days divided by the policy term, multiplied by the premium, less the fee. GMS's wording says the refund uses the number of unused days and the daily rate based on the original trip length. On a $2,051 annual premium with 180 days unused, the gross refund is about $1,011 before the fee. Monthly-plan set-up fees are not refunded.
Does a small claim cancel the refund?
At most insurers, yes. The pro-rata refund is conditional on no claim having been made or being pending. Travelance states no refund once a claim is submitted; Destination and MSH state no refund if a claim was incurred, paid or is pending. A $90 clinic visit can cost a $1,000 refund; calculate before submitting the claim.
From what date is the refund counted?
The departure date at GMS, TuGo and most others, which is why proof of departure is required. Destination calculates from the date the request is received, so a parent who left in March and asked in May loses two months. Send the request the week the parent leaves, with the boarding pass attached.
Is there a deadline to ask?
At several insurers. TuGo requires the request within 90 days of the policy expiry date. Secure Travel requires a written request within 60 days of departure. MSH-administered plans use 60 days. Others say on request. A refund asked for after the policy has expired is usually refused outright.
What proof of departure is accepted?
A boarding pass, an airline itinerary showing the flight was taken, or a passport exit or home-country entry stamp. The insurer wants evidence of the date the parent left Canada, because that is the date the refund runs from. Keep the boarding pass; a booking confirmation alone shows intent, not departure.
Does the refund differ on a monthly plan?
On a monthly plan you stop future instalments and pay the cancellation fee; there is little or nothing to refund because you have paid only for the months used. The set-up fee, $10 to $120 depending on the insurer, is not refunded. Stopping payments without a written cancellation is a lapse, not a cancellation, and may leave an outstanding balance.
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Sources
- GMS — Immigrants and Visitors to Canada policy wording (refund from departure date; daily rate method)
- TuGo — Visitors to Canada policy wording (super visa refund; $250 fee; 90-day request window)
- Manulife CoverMe — Visitors to Canada policy ($25 minimum refund; unused days)
- PolicyAdvisor — Refund on cancelling visitors insurance to Canada (18 June 2026)
- THIA — Travel Insurance Bill of Rights and Responsibilities