Travel insurance for Canada

What travel insurance do I need for Canada?

To visit Canada, you need worldwide travel insurance to cover you for loss, damage and theft of your belongings, cancellation or curtailment of your trip, and public liability if you should cause accidental damage or injury.

You'll need to choose worldwide travel insurance including Canada, USA and the Caribbean. It'll be more expensive than European cover, and a worldwide policy excluding those locations, because of the high cost of medical care.

If you plan to take more than one trip abroad over the next year, annual multi-trip insurance can be cheaper than single-trip policies. It's worth comparing travel insurance and seeing what the difference is.

If your next trip is in Europe though, it'll probably be cheaper to take out single trip policies - you're just over insuring yourself otherwise.

Get your travel insurance as soon as you’ve booked your trip, in case you, or your hotel/travel provider cancel the trip.

Sports and adventure travel

Canada is a winter and adventure sports destination, but certain activities won’t be covered as standard under your travel insurance.

We checked Defaqto and found that of 952 annual travel insurance policies, 97% covered cycling, 72% covered horse riding and 59% covered sea kayaking.^[2]

More extreme sports, like bungee jumping, are less likely to be covered.

If you’re skiing or snowboarding, only 11% of annual policies covered a winter sports trip as standard.

You can take out extra cover for winter sports. That way you're covered in case you have an accident while skiing, along with extra cover for your ski equipment and pass. We'll ask you if you need it when you're getting quotes with us.

Medical care in Canada

The UK has no healthcare agreement with Canada, so visitors won’t get free treatment. Emergency treatment can be expensive, so make sure your insurance provides a good level of medical cover and includes repatriation to the UK incase you need it for more treatment.

You’ll have to pay for urgent medical treatment when you arrive at a hospital or clinic, so make sure you've got some money to hand in case you need it. Contact your insurer as soon as possible after that to help with the bill.

If you have dual citizenship, you might not have to pay for medical care, but make sure you have travel insurance so you’re covered for other unexpected events.

Do I need a visa?

You don’t need a visa if you’ve planned a short trip, however you do need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA). You’ll need your eTA to board the plane, unless you have dual citizenship or a visa.

Travel advice for Canada

Here are a few handy tips before your trip:

Weather disruption

Canada’s weather system may disrupt your travel plans. You may have to book new flights, arrange alternative accommodation, and cover daily expenses until you’re able to get home.

Some travel insurance policies will cover delays but cover for enforced stays abroad and catastrophes are more common. Most insurance policies will cover cancellation due to weather conditions.

Read your policy carefully to see what protection you have

Driving

If you’re renting a car, make sure you have the relevant motor insurance policy in place. Read the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) guidance to make sure you’ve got the right licence, permit and insurance.

Working holidays

If you’re between 18 and 30, you can apply for an International Experience Canada (IEC) Working Holiday Visa, which allows you to work for 12 to 24 months.

It’s a requirement of the visa that you have long-stay travel insurance to cover you for the whole of your stay.