Blue Cross Visitors to Canada Insurance

Eligibility. In order to be eligible for Visitors to Canada insurance, the covered person must not:

•  Have received medical advice not to travel;

•  Suffer from an illness in a terminal stage;

•  Suffer from kidney failure treated through dialysis;

•  Have been diagnosed with or treated for a metastatic cancer;

•  Have been diagnosed with, had treatments or taken medication for cancer in the past 12 months (with the exception of basal cell carcinoma);

•  Suffer from heart failure or cardiomyopathy;

•  Be waiting for an organ transplant for one or several of the following: kidneys, lungs, liver, heart, bone marrow or pancreas;

•  Have used home oxygen or taken cortisone pills for a pulmonary condition in the past 24 months.

Age

Covered persons must be a minimum of 31 days old and a maximum of 79 years old at the time of the insurance purchase.

 

Amount of coverage

The maximum amount payable is based on the plan you have purchased. The amounts of coverage available : $50,000, $100,000, $150,000CAD.

 

Deductibles

The Insured can choose from the deductible options $0, $250, $500, $1,500, $2,500, $5,000. Deductibles are applied per trip per person.

 

Effective date

If the insurance is purchased prior to the covered person’s arrival in Canada, the contract is effective on the latest of the following dates:

- the effective date of the contract;

- the date of arrival in Canada from the country of residence;

- the day following the termination date of a similar coverage in Canada

 

The insurance must be purchased within the 30 days after the latest of the following dates:

- the date of arrival in Canada from the country of residence;

- the termination date of a similar coverage in Canada by virtue of another insurance contract. If this insurance is purchased after the effective date of another insurance contract with similar coverage in Canada, proof of the latter is required.

 

Expiry date means the earlier of:

- the date indicated as the expiry date on your confirmation of coverage; OR

- the trip return date, whether planned or premature.

 

Waiting period

tf the insurance is purchased after the covered person’s arrival in Canada, the insurance is effective as of the date of purchase. However, the contract will include a 4-dav waiting period from the date of purchase during which the covered person is insured only in case of accident or injury.

During this waiting period, the covered person is not insured in case of illness. If an illness occurs during the waiting period, the illness will be considered as a pre-existing condition and will be subject to the Exclusions relating to pre-existing conditions of the contract.

 

Side-Trips Outside of Canada

The insurance coverage remains valid when the covered person takes a side-trip outside of Canada under the following conditions:

• Trips outside of Canada must not exceed 30 days at a time.

• Each side-trip must begin and end in Canada.

• The covered person is not travelling to his/her country of permanent residence.

• The duration of all side-trips combined does not exceed 49% of the period of coverage of the contract. Should the total duration of the side-trips exceed 49% of the period of coverage, the contract will be considered null and void in it’s entirety.

 

Refunds

Any request for a refund of premium must be submitted before the effective date of the contract. Administrative fees of $25 per contract are deducted from any refund. These fees are not applicable if you cancel the contract within 10 days following its purchase, as long as the trip has not started.

Following an early departure from Canada, or if you obtain coverage through a mandatory insurance, a refund could be made for the unused days, provided no claim was submitted.

 

Extending your trip

Coverage under this contract may be extended as long as the additional premium is paid, and that the covered persons remain eligible for insurance. The contract holder must request extension prior to the end of the initial coverage period.

If the covered persons file a claim during the initial period of coverage, the Insurer’s approval is required to extend the contract. Once the approval to extend the contract has been granted, any claim related to an event that occurred during the initial period of coverage will be rejected.

 

Automatic extension of coverage

All coverage will automatically be extended free of charge:

a) up to 24 hours when the return home is delayed due to the carrier or as the result of a traffic accident or mechanical failure of the private vehicle returning to the departure point (claim must be supported by documentary proof);

b) during the period of hospitalization and the 24 hours which follow the discharge from hospital of a covered person;

c) up to 72 hours when the return home is delayed due to a covered person’s illness occurring within 24 hours prior to the contracted return date and requiring emergency medical care.

 

Trip break - Exclusive to the Visitors to Canada product with a minimum stay of 365 days

Covered persons can return to their country of residence and come back to Canada without terminating the insurance contract.

During the period outside Canada, no insurance coverage is valid and no premium refund is granted for the days spent in the country of permanent residence.

Covered persons must ensure they meet insurance eligibility criteria each time they intend to return to Canada.

If a change were to occur in a covered person’s health while in the country of permanent residence, the covered person must contact the Insurer before returning to Canada: any change in the covered person’s health will be considered as a pre-existing condition and will not be covered.