Manulife Visitors Insurance

Manulife Visitors to Canada Insurance provides emergency medical coverage for people who are not enrolled in a Canadian provincial health plan — including visitors, immigrants and permanent residents awaiting provincial coverage, work permit holders, Super Visa applicants and holders, foreign students, and Canadians returning home after a long absence. As of October 2023, Manulife offers three plan tiers — Basic, Standard, and Enhanced — to match different health profiles and budgets. Policies are available for up to 365 days and include a 10-day free look period. Plans are underwritten by The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company (Manulife).

Plan Comparison

Coverage amounts

Each plan can be purchased at one of several coverage limits, set on your policy confirmation. Typical coverage amounts offered are:

• $15,000
• $25,000
• $50,000
• $100,000 (Super Visa eligible)
• $150,000 (Super Visa eligible)

Use the online quote tool to see exact rates and confirm coverage amounts available for your age and plan.

Insured services (all three plans)

• Emergency hospital and physician services
• Semi-private room or intensive care when medically necessary
• Diagnostic tests prescribed by a physician
• Prescription medications up to $500 (30-day supply)
• Licensed local ambulance
• Air ambulance and repatriation to country of origin
• Healthcare practitioner services up to $1,000 (with physician referral)
• Extended healthcare (private nursing, equipment rental) up to $5,000
• Bring someone to your bedside: $3,000 airfare + $500 hotel/meals
• Return of dependent children
• Hotel/meals during delays: $150/day, max $1,500
• Return of excess baggage up to $300
• Expenses related to death up to $7,500
• Side trips outside Canada (max 30 days, not more than 49% of policy)

Pre-existing condition rules

Under the Enhanced Plan, Manulife defines a pre-existing condition as stable only when all seven of the following are true for the 180 days before the effective date:

• No new treatment prescribed or recommended, and no change to existing treatment (including a stoppage in treatment)
• No change in medication, and no recommendation or starting of a new prescription drug
• The medical condition has not become worse
• No new, more frequent, or more severe symptoms
• No hospitalization or referral to a specialist
• No tests, investigation, or treatment recommended but not yet complete, and no outstanding test results
• No planned or pending treatment

All seven conditions must be met. Ongoing maintenance medication at an unchanged dose typically still qualifies as stable, since the rule prohibits changes rather than the use of medication itself. Note that Manulife's definition of treatment includes prescribed medication, investigative testing, and surgery.

Who is not eligible

None of the three plans are available if any of the following apply to you:

• Travelling against the advice of a physician
• Terminal illness with less than 2 years to live
• Pancreatic, lung, brain, or liver cancer diagnosed or treated in the last 2 years
• Metastatic cancer (cancer that has spread from one part of the body to another)
• Organ or bone marrow transplant (waiting for, or have had — excluding corneal)
• Congestive heart failure (ever diagnosed)
• Home oxygen use in the last 12 months
• Kidney dialysis required
• Residence in a nursing home or long-term care facility
• Age 86 or older (Standard and Enhanced plans only)

Key exclusions (all plans)

• Any sickness, disease, or symptom that manifests before or during the waiting period
• Pregnancy and child born on trip
• Non-emergency, investigative, experimental, or elective treatment (e.g., cosmetic surgery, chronic care, rehabilitation)
• Ongoing treatment, recurrence, or complications of a previously treated condition during the coverage period
• Treatment of mental or emotional disorders (minor)
• Excessive use of alcohol, drugs, or other intoxicants
• Self-inflicted injuries
• High-risk activities (mountain climbing with specialized equipment, etc.)
• Cardiac procedures (catheterization, angioplasty, cardiovascular surgery), MRI, CAT scans, sonograms, ultrasounds, or biopsies — unless pre-approved by the Assistance Centre

Claims & Emergency Assistance

In an emergency, contact the Manulife Assistance Centre immediately — available 24 hours a day, every day of the year:

• From Canada or USA: 1-877-878-0142
• Collect, where available: +1 (519) 251-5166

Failure to contact the Assistance Centre before receiving non-emergency treatment may result in 20% of medical expenses being your responsibility. If a medical emergency makes it impossible for you to call, have someone call on your behalf as soon as possible. For all non-emergency claims, you must call within 48 hours of the cause of your claim.

You can also access the Assistance Centre and submit claims via the Manulife TravelAid mobile app (available on Google Play and the Apple App Store) or online at manulife.acmtravel.ca.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is eligible for Manulife Visitors Insurance?

Anyone not covered by a Canadian provincial health plan: visitors, immigrants and permanent residents awaiting enrollment, work permit holders, Super Visa applicants and holders, foreign students, and Canadians returning after a long absence. The Standard and Enhanced plans accept applicants up to age 85.

What's the difference between Basic, Standard, and Enhanced?

The Basic Plan is for healthy travellers — no pre-existing condition coverage, no dental, no AD&D. The Standard Plan adds emergency dental and AD&D but excludes any pre-existing condition that received treatment in the last 180 days. The Enhanced Plan is the most comprehensive — it covers stable pre-existing conditions using the 180-day stability rule, plus includes all the dental and AD&D benefits of Standard.

Does this qualify for the Canadian Super Visa?

Yes. Select at least $100,000 in coverage for a 365-day policy period to meet the Super Visa insurance requirement. All three plans (Basic, Standard, Enhanced) qualify when purchased at this level.

Can coverage be purchased after the visitor has arrived in Canada?

Yes. Coverage can be purchased before or after arrival. A waiting period may apply for sickness-related claims when purchased after arrival.

Which plan should I choose if I have a pre-existing condition?

Choose the Enhanced Plan. It uses the standard 180-day stability rule — meaning conditions like controlled diabetes, hypertension, or asthma may be covered as long as your medication and treatment haven't changed in the 180 days before your effective date.

What does "stable" mean?

Under the Enhanced Plan, a pre-existing condition is considered stable only if, in the 180 days before your effective date: no new treatment was prescribed or recommended; no change in medication or new prescription; the condition hasn't worsened; no new, more frequent, or more severe symptoms; no hospitalization or specialist referral; no tests or investigations recommended but incomplete; and no planned or pending treatment. All seven conditions must be met. Maintenance medication at an unchanged dose typically still qualifies.

How long can the policy last?

Policies cover up to 365 days per contract. A 10-day free look period applies — you can cancel for a full refund within 10 days of purchase, as long as the trip hasn't started and no claims are in progress.

Are there age restrictions?

The Standard and Enhanced plans are available up to age 85 — applicants age 86 or older are not eligible. The Basic Plan has no explicit age cap, but applicants age 86 or older are subject to a 15-day waiting period for sickness claims (versus 48 hours for applicants under 86).

Do I need to complete a medical declaration?

Only the Enhanced Plan requires a medical declaration, and only for applicants age 55–85. Applicants under 55 do not need to complete a declaration. The Basic and Standard plans do not require any medical declaration regardless of age.