Visitors to Canada insurance covers a pre-existing condition only if it has been stable for the carrier’s stability period before the effective date, and only on plans that ask medical questions. The period is 90 days at Allianz under 60 and Secure Travel to 69, 120 days at Destination and TuGo for ages 60 to 69, and 180 days at Manulife, GMS, 21st Century Enhanced and Travelance Premier. Pre-existing cover ends at 79 at GMS and Destination, 84 at Secure Travel and Travelance, 85 at Manulife and 21st Century, and 89 at Allianz. The carriers and rules are the same as for super visa insurance; only the term is shorter.
What counts as a pre-existing condition?
Anything diagnosed, treated, investigated or symptomatic before the effective date. Manulife will not cover “any pre-existing condition that existed 180 days prior to your effective date,” and names a heart condition needing nitroglycerin or a lung condition treated with oxygen or prednisone in that window. The definition catches controlled conditions as well as serious ones.
| Example | Pre-existing? | Covered if stable? |
|---|---|---|
| Hypertension on the same pill for 2 years | Yes | Yes, on a questionnaire plan |
| Type 2 diabetes, metformin dose increased 4 months ago | Yes | Not on a 180-day plan; yes on a 90-day plan if nothing else changed |
| Knee pain investigated last month, results pending | Yes | No; pending tests make it unstable |
| Angina with nitroglycerin used in the last 180 days | Yes | No at Manulife; check others |
| Cold symptoms the week before departure | Yes, if symptomatic at purchase | No |
| Cancer in remission, no treatment for 2 years | Yes | Usually, subject to the questionnaire |
What does “stable” mean?
No change of any kind during the stability period. The Manulife guide treats a condition as unstable if “symptoms changed or worsened, new medication was prescribed, there was hospitalization or specialist referral, or test results are pending.” A dosage reduction counts as a change at most carriers, and so does a switch between brands of the same drug.
| Event during the stability period | Stable? |
|---|---|
| Same medication, same dose, routine renewal | Yes |
| Routine check-up with no change | Yes |
| Dose increased or decreased | No |
| New medication started or stopped | No |
| Referral to a specialist, not yet seen | No |
| Hospital admission or emergency visit for the condition | No |
| Test ordered, result not yet received | No |
What are each carrier’s stability periods and age limits?
They vary by age band, and the limits for pre-existing cover are lower than the limits for buying the policy at all. The figures below are from the SuperVisaDirect carrier fact sheet (October 2026) and the carrier pages linked.
Stability periods and maximum age for pre-existing cover, Oct 2026 — the certificate wording prevails; confirm with the insurer at quote time.
| Carrier (underwriter) | Stability period by age | Max age with pre-existing cover | Medical questions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allianz Global Assistance (CUMIS General Insurance) | 90 days to 59; 180 days 60 to 89 | 89 | Yes |
| TuGo (iA Financial Group) | 90 days to 59; 120 days 60 to 69; 180 days 70 to 85; 365 days 86+ (fact sheet); iA’s 2023 wording shows 120 / 180 / 365 | No maximum (Comprehensive) | Yes, from 60; optional 7-day unstable rider to 79 |
| Manulife CoverMe (Manufacturers Life) | 180 days | 85 | Yes (Plan B) |
| Secure Travel (iA Financial Group, claims by MSH) | 90 days to 69; 180 days 70 to 84 | 84 (policy to 90) | Yes |
| Destination (Zurich Insurance Company Ltd, Canadian Branch) | 90 days 0 to 59; 120 days 60 to 69; 180 days 70 to 79 | 79 (excluded 80+) | Yes |
| GMS (Group Medical Services) | 180 days | 79 | None under 55 |
| 21st Century Enhanced (Manulife) | 180 days | 85 | Yes, 60 to 85; Basic has no pre-existing cover and no maximum age |
| Travelance Premier (Old Republic Insurance Company of Canada) | 180 days to 69; 70 to 79 with heart, brain and lung exclusions | 79 for full cover; 80+ excluded | Yes; Essential has no pre-existing cover |
TuGo’s figures differ between our fact sheet and iA’s published 2023 wording. Ask for the current certificate before relying on either; the stability period on the certificate is the one that applies at claim time.
How much more does pre-existing cover cost on a visitor plan?
Ten to 40% at the same age, per PolicyAdvisor. For a 65-year-old on a 30-day policy that is $133 against $169 a month. The uplift buys cover for the conditions the parent is most likely to be treated for; a no-questionnaire plan is cheaper because it excludes them.
Monthly premium, $100,000 coverage, 30-day policy, PolicyAdvisor, modified 12 Oct 2026 — verify at quote time.
| Age | Without pre-existing cover | With stable pre-existing cover | Uplift |
|---|---|---|---|
| 55 | $110.70 | $129.60 | 17% |
| 65 | $133.20 | $168.60 | 27% |
| 75 | $240.00 | $328.80 | 37% |
| 85 | $405.00 | $453.92 | 12% |
Full pricing is on the cost page.
Which plan should a parent with a condition choose?
A questionnaire plan from a carrier whose stability period the parent has already met, at an age the carrier still covers. For a 68-year-old on unchanged blood pressure medication for a year, every carrier in the table qualifies. For a 68-year-old whose dose changed four months ago, only the 90- and 120-day carriers do.
| Parent | Carriers whose stability test is met | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 58, condition unchanged 4 months | Allianz, Secure Travel, Destination, TuGo (90 days) | Manulife, GMS, 21st Century, Travelance need 180 |
| 68, condition unchanged 5 months | Secure Travel (90); Destination and TuGo (120) | 180-day carriers not yet met |
| 74, condition unchanged 7 months | All carriers with cover to 79 or beyond | GMS and Destination still cover at 74 |
| 82, condition unchanged 1 year | Allianz, Manulife, 21st Century Enhanced, Secure Travel | GMS, Destination, Travelance exclude pre-existing at 80+ |
| 87, condition unchanged 1 year | Allianz (to 89); TuGo with 365-day stability | See grandparents over 80 |
Condition-specific guidance, written for the super visa but using the same carrier rules, is on the pages for hypertension and diabetes.
What happens at claim time?
The insurer requests the medical records and compares them with the questionnaire. An accurate questionnaire and a stable condition mean the claim is paid. An inaccurate answer means the claim is denied and the policy may be voided, which is what happened initially in the $96,311 Hamilton case reported by CP24 in April 2025.
Answer every question with the parent on the phone, from their pharmacy record, and keep a copy of the answers with the certificate. If a question is ambiguous, email the carrier before buying and keep the reply.
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]). We serve Ontario residents; other provinces are planned for 2028. Email [email protected] or request a callback, Monday to Friday, 8:00am to 6:00pm Eastern Time.
Questions people ask
What does 'stable' mean on a visitor policy?
No new symptoms, no worsening, no new medication, no dosage change, no hospitalization, no specialist referral and no pending test results during the stability period before the effective date. Manulife lists exactly those triggers. A parent whose blood pressure pill was increased 60 days ago is not stable on a 90-day plan, even if the pressure is now controlled.
Is the medical questionnaire asked on a short trip?
Yes, above the carrier's threshold age, regardless of trip length. TuGo asks from 60, 21st Century Enhanced from 60, GMS from 55. Below the threshold the parent buys without questions, but the pre-existing exclusion still applies at claim time. A two-week policy for a 70-year-old carries the same questionnaire as a six-month one.
Are no-questionnaire plans safer because nothing is disclosed?
No; they are riskier. A plan with no questions, such as 21st Century Basic or GMS under 55, excludes pre-existing conditions entirely and reviews the medical history when a claim arrives. The $96,311 Hamilton bill reported by CP24 in April 2025 was first denied on exactly that basis, for undisclosed heart failure.
Can an unstable condition be covered at all?
At TuGo, with an optional rider for a condition that has been unstable for 7 days or less, to age 79. Everywhere else, no. A parent with a recent change should either wait until the stability period has run, buy a plan knowing the condition is excluded and insure everything else, or postpone the trip.
Does the stability period reset if medication is changed while in Canada?
Yes, for any new policy or extension. A change during the stay makes the condition unstable from that date, so an extension at the same carrier is usually refused and a replacement policy excludes the condition until it has been stable for the new carrier's period. The original policy continues to cover the condition as it was disclosed.
What stability period applies to a parent aged 72?
180 days at Allianz, Manulife, GMS, 21st Century Enhanced, Travelance Premier, Secure Travel and Destination; 180 days at TuGo under the fact sheet in use on this site, or 365 days under iA's 2023 policy wording. The certificate wording prevails; ask for it before buying. At 72 every carrier in our comparison still offers pre-existing cover.
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Sources
- PolicyAdvisor – Allianz visitor to Canada review (90 days to 59; 180 days 60-89; age 89)
- Manulife CoverMe – Visitors to Canada Standard plan (180-day exclusion; stability definition)
- Manulife CoverMe – Complete guide to visitor to Canada insurance (unstable triggers)
- PolicyAdvisor – Secure Travel (RIMI) visitor review (90 days to 69; 180 days 70-84; age 90)
- PolicyAdvisor – Destination visitor review (90/120/180 days; excluded 80+)
- PolicyAdvisor – Travelance visitor review (Premier 180 days; 70-79 exclusions; 80+ excluded)
- PolicyAdvisor – 21st Century visitor review (Enhanced 180 days; Basic no cover; questionnaire 60-85)
- GMS – Visitors to Canada travel insurance (no medical questions under 55; under 80)
- iA Financial Group – TuGo Visitors to Canada (stability periods in 2023 wording; questionnaire from 60)
- PolicyAdvisor – Super visa and visitor cost tables (Oct 2026)
- CP24 – $96,311 Hamilton hospital bill for visiting mother (Apr 2025)