1Why There Is No Single “Best” Super Visa Insurance
Every Super Visa plan must meet the same IRCC minimum: at least $100,000 of emergency coverage for at least one year, from a Canadian or OSFI-authorized insurer (our IRCC requirements guide has the full rules). Above that floor, plans differ in ways that matter far more than the brand: how long a health condition must be stable, the age limit, what happens if you skip the insurer’s phone call, refunds, and the limits on dental and other care.
So the best plan is the one that fits your parent’s age and health. This guide compares three insurers we sell, on facts taken from their own policy wordings: GMS, JF and Secure Travel (Standard and Enhanced plans). We quote 15+ insurers, and other insurers’ rules differ; a quote shows them side by side.
| Plan | Underwritten by | Wording we checked |
|---|---|---|
| GMS Visitors to Canada | Group Medical Services (GMS Insurance Inc.) | Policy wording effective October 25, 2024 |
| JF Visitors to Canada | Old Republic Insurance Company of Canada | Policy dated July 27, 2026 |
| Secure Travel Visitors to Canada (Standard, Enhanced) | Certain Lloyd’s Underwriters | Policy edition 2024-02 |
2Pre-Existing Conditions: The Difference That Decides Claims
If your parent has high blood pressure, diabetes or any other condition, the stability period matters most. A condition is covered only if it has been stable, as each policy defines it, for the period before coverage starts, and only on a plan option that includes stable pre-existing conditions.
| Plan | Stability period for pre-existing coverage |
|---|---|
| GMS Visitors to Canada | 180 days |
| JF Visitors to Canada | 120 days |
| Secure Travel Standard and Enhanced | 90 days up to age 69; 180 days at ages 70 to 84; every medical declaration answer must be “no” |
Shorter is not automatically better. Secure Travel’s 90-day period applies only up to age 69 and only if every medical question can honestly be answered “no”. Our pre-existing conditions guide explains how stability is judged.
3Age Limits
| Plan | What the rules say about age |
|---|---|
| GMS Visitors to Canada | For visitors under 80 on the start date |
| JF Visitors to Canada | Has rules for applicants aged 86 or over (a 15-day waiting period if bought after arrival) |
| Secure Travel Standard and Enhanced | Pre-existing stability rules are set up to age 84 |
For a parent aged 80 or older, GMS is not an option, so the choice narrows. Our Super Visa over 70 guide covers older applicants in detail.
4Call the Insurer Before Treatment, or Get Paid Less
Two of these insurers cut what they pay if no one calls their assistance line before getting care:
- JF: if Ontime Care is not called before care, JF pays 70% of eligible costs, up to $150,000.
- GMS: if GMS Travel Assistance is not called first, GMS may pay only 70% of eligible costs, up to $50,000.
Whichever plan you buy, save the assistance number in your parent’s phone on day one.
5Paying Up Front vs Direct Billing
JF’s partner clinics bill JF directly, so there is nothing to pay up front, on JF plans with a $0 deductible and stable pre-existing coverage. Otherwise you may be asked to pay first and claim the money back. JF takes claims under $1,500 online at eclaim.jfgroup.ca, and GMS takes claims online through Robin Assist. Our claims guide walks through the steps.
6Benefit Limits Side by Side
Beyond the hospital bill, the plans pay fixed amounts for some care. These are the limits in each wording:
| Benefit | GMS | JF | Secure Standard | Secure Enhanced |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emergency dental pain relief | $300 | $500 | $300 | $500 |
| Dental repair after an accidental blow | $2,000 | $3,000 | $1,000 | $3,000 |
| Physiotherapist, chiropractor and similar | $500 in total | $500 per practitioner | $300 per profession | $500 per profession |
| Follow-up doctor visits | Within 14 days, until the emergency ends | Covered | Up to 3, pre-approved | Up to 3, pre-approved |
| Prescription per emergency | 30-day supply, no refills | 30-day supply | 30-day supply, $500 cap | 30-day supply, $1,000 cap |
| Acupuncture | Not covered | $500 on a 365-day policy | Not covered | Not covered |
Our guide to what Super Visa insurance covers explains each of these, and what none of the plans pay for.
7Refunds If the Visa Is Refused or Your Parent Leaves Early
| Plan | Visa refused | Leaves Canada early |
|---|---|---|
| GMS | Full refund, less an administration fee, with the refusal letter | Partial refund from the day they left, less an administration fee, with proof of departure; not available once a claim is reported |
| JF | Full refund with the refusal letter, sent before the start date | Unused premium refunded, less a $40 fee, if no claim was made |
| Secure Travel | Full refund, less an administration fee, with IRCC proof, if cancelled before the start date | Partial refund of the unused premium, less an administration fee |
Our Super Visa refund guide covers every refund scenario.
8What It Costs
Approximate Super Visa prices for one person ($100,000, $0 deductible, without pre-existing coverage): $1,015 to $1,595 a year at ages 40 to 49, $1,621 to $2,405 at 65 to 69 and $2,570 to $4,296 at 70 to 74. Quotes from Oct 11, 2026; get your exact price.
The insurer with the lowest price changes with age, coverage amount, deductible and health, so compare quotes for your parent’s exact age. Our Super Visa cost guide has the full table by age.
9Which Plan Fits Which Family
Putting the differences together, here is where each plan tends to come out ahead when the quotes are close. This is our reading of the wordings, not a verdict on the insurer:
| Your situation | Leans toward | Because |
|---|---|---|
| Stable condition, parent 69 or under, every medical answer “no” | Secure Travel | 90-day stability period |
| Stable condition, parent 70 or older | JF | 120 days, against 180 days on GMS and on Secure Travel from 70 |
| Parent aged 80 or older | JF or Secure Travel | GMS takes visitors under 80 only; Secure Travel’s rules run to age 84 |
| Want to avoid paying clinics up front | JF | Partner clinics bill JF directly (on $0 deductible plans with stable pre-existing coverage) |
| Higher dental and physio limits | JF or Secure Enhanced | $500 pain relief and $3,000 accident repair |
| Likely to leave early | JF | Unused months refunded, less a $40 fee, if no claim was made |
10Eight Questions to Ask Before You Buy Any Plan
- How long must a condition be stable, at my parent’s age?
- Do the medical questions have to be answered “no” to get pre-existing coverage?
- Is there an age limit, and does the price or coverage change at 70, 80 or 85?
- What happens if we do not call the assistance line before treatment?
- Do any clinics bill the insurer directly?
- What is refunded if the visa is refused, and if my parent leaves early?
- What are the dental, physiotherapy and prescription limits?
- Is there a waiting period if we buy after my parent arrives?
11Frequently Asked Questions
Which Super Visa insurance is best?
None is best for everyone. The right plan depends on your parent’s age and health: compare the stability period for pre-existing conditions, the age limit, refund rules and benefit limits. Among the three insurers we compared, Secure Travel has the shortest stability period (90 days up to age 69), JF has 120 days and GMS 180 days.
Which Super Visa insurer has the shortest stability period?
Of GMS, JF and Secure Travel, Secure Travel: 90 days up to age 69 (180 days at 70 to 84), but only if every medical declaration answer is no. JF requires 120 days and GMS 180 days.
Can I get Super Visa insurance for a parent over 80?
Yes, but not with GMS, which is for visitors under 80 on the start date. JF has rules for applicants aged 86 or over, and Secure Travel sets pre-existing stability rules up to age 84.
What happens if we do not call the insurer before going to the hospital?
With JF, if Ontime Care is not called before care, JF pays 70% of eligible costs up to $150,000. With GMS, if GMS Travel Assistance is not called first, GMS may pay only 70% of eligible costs up to $50,000.
Do I have to pay the hospital up front?
Sometimes. JF’s partner clinics bill JF directly on plans with a $0 deductible and stable pre-existing coverage. Otherwise you may be asked to pay first and claim the money back from the insurer.
Can I get a refund if the Super Visa is refused?
Yes. GMS, JF and Secure Travel all refund the premium when the visa is refused and you send the refusal letter; JF and Secure Travel need it before the start date, and GMS and Secure Travel deduct an administration fee.
Key Takeaways
Summary: Choosing Super Visa Insurance
- There is no single best insurer; the right plan depends on age and health.
- Stability periods: Secure Travel 90 days (up to 69, all-“no” answers), JF 120 days, GMS 180 days.
- GMS is for visitors under 80; JF has rules for applicants aged 86 or over.
- JF and GMS pay only 70% if the assistance line is not called before care.
Sources: GMS Immigrants & Visitors to Canada policy wording (effective October 25, 2024); JF Visitor to Canada Insurance policy (dated July 27, 2026); Secure Travel RIMI Visitors to Canada policy (edition 2024-02, Standard and Enhanced). Benefit figures checked against each wording on October 11, 2026; refund, assistance and age rules on October 13, 2026. The policy wording decides every claim.
Compare Plans for Your Parents in One Quote
Every insurer named, with each plan’s stability period and limits. Call (416) 477-1516 or email cs@egeinsure.ca. Advisors available in 8 languages.