Since the idea of getting Visitors and International student insurance in Canada can be quite perplexing, we have decided to compile all the problems that you might face in the process. The problems are as following:
1. The coverage gap
Anyone who returns or immigrates to Canada after a long time is subjected to wait for a long time before their provincial insurance commences. Similarly, for international student health insurance, one needs to wait for a certain period before it commences
2. While moving within Canada
If you are already a Canadian resident and thinking to move out of your province, you can take a look at private insurance plans that can supplement your condition, while you try to settle in the new area.
Oftentimes, provinces already have plans that can offer you temporary coverage before the insurance plan finally starts. However, there are a couple of issues here. First off, there is no direct billing, which implies that you need to pay everything out of your pocket first and then wait for reimbursement. Furthermore, while you are submitting a claim, you would see a lot of paperwork and as a result, you are required to wait for months before you get any money.
Although the province you were living in earlier would also cover for your treatment, it is limited to a very tiny portion. That is because, Canada’s internal guidelines agree to only cover the least cost of treatment, which also varies in provinces. For instance, the new province you have shifted to would have completely different standards and might charge you a lot more.
International student health insurance in Canada also has its fair share of troubles, therefore if you want to protect yourself, we recommend you to buy private insurance from Canada-based insurance companies, as it would help you to make your claim much easier and faster, and it would also help you cover the shortfalls that other insurances can not.
3. While traveling abroad
If you are thinking of leaving Canada to either study for a few years or to just move for much longer, you should always consult with your provincial plan advisor and try to cease your health insurance coverage because of your absence. In addition to this, everyone must always keep it in their minds that oftentimes their travel insurance is linked with their provincial plan. You should also know that your travel coverage can be almost nothing without it. So if provincial coverage is about to end, start searching for insurance options that are independent of provincial coverage.
4. While reviewing the policy wording
It is absurd to purchase an insurance plan when you have not read its wording properly. Although the majority of the insurance plan constitute almost identical provisions, for exceptional cases, it is best to look at things more deeply. For instance, if you want to get coverage for your unique medical condition, you should pay attention to everything mentioned in the insurance plan because some companies may exclude your condition. Furthermore, in some cases, your condition can even make you ineligible to buy any plan at all. Also, there might be a requirement for your condition before your insurance could get it covered.
If you can see that you are meeting the eligibility for a plan, you should make sure that it is also offering you stability. Normally, this ranges from 4 to even 6 months before your arrival. You can review the insurance stability with an insurance advisor because every company comes with different guidelines.
Although we have mentioned only 4 problems that you can confront while applying for health insurance, there could be a lot more than that. Nonetheless, we hope you have an insight about some problems now and how you can avoid it.
