Super Visa Insurance for Couples
Covering Both Parents in 2026
1 Each Parent Needs Their Own $100,000 of Coverage
The most common misunderstanding with two parents is treating the insurance as a family product. IRCC does not. Each parent applies for their own Super Visa and pays their own application fee, which IRCC lists as $100 per person, and each one has to show insurance that meets the standard on their own.
IRCC's wording describes the insurance as covering the applicant's health care, hospitalization and repatriation. Applied to a couple, every line of the requirement is per person:
| IRCC requirement | What it means when both parents apply |
|---|---|
| At least $100,000 of emergency coverage | $100,000 for each parent. Two people do not share one $100,000 limit. |
| Valid at least 1 year from the date of entry | A year from each parent's own entry date, which matters if they arrive separately |
| Valid for each entry to Canada | Each parent needs cover in force every time they enter |
| Canadian or OSFI-authorized insurer | Same rule for both; they do not have to use the same insurer |
| Paid in full or in instalments with a deposit | A quote is not accepted for either parent; the policy has to be bought |
2 One Couple Policy or Two Separate Policies?
Both routes satisfy IRCC when each parent individually meets the requirement above. A couple policy is simply one policy with two insured people on it, each with their own premium and their own coverage amount. Two separate policies are two independent contracts, possibly with two different insurers.
| One couple policy | Two separate policies | |
|---|---|---|
| Premium | Each person priced by age; a few insurers discount the couple | Each person priced by age, with no couple discount |
| Insurers | Both parents with the same insurer | Each parent can have the insurer that suits them best |
| Paperwork | One policy, one renewal date, one claims contact | Two policies to track and renew |
| Best fit | Similar ages, similar health, travelling together | Different health, a wide age gap, or different travel dates |
For most couples who arrive together and are in broadly similar health, one couple policy is the simpler choice and, with some insurers, slightly cheaper. The cases where two policies win are covered below, and they are more common than people expect.
3 How Couple Pricing Actually Works
Rather than guess, we ran it. On September 14, 2026 we quoted a couple, ages 60 and 55, for $100,000 and 365 days with no pre-existing condition cover, then quoted each parent alone for the same terms, and compared the results plan by plan on our own quote engine.
- Most plans simply add the two premiums together. The couple total was exactly the 60-year-old's single premium plus the 55-year-old's single premium.
- Two insurers discounted the couple. TruStone and 21st Century Basic priced each parent at exactly 95% of their single premium, a 5% saving per person.
- No plan charged more for the couple option. None priced the couple above the two single premiums for the same parents.
- Each parent's premium is listed separately. A couple quote shows what each person costs, not just the combined total.
4 When the Two Parents' Situations Differ
A couple policy assumes the two parents move as a unit. When they do not, one policy for both can cost more or cover less than two chosen separately.
- One parent has a pre-existing condition. Pre-existing cover and stability rules apply to each person's own health. A plan chosen around one parent's heart condition may be poor value for the healthy spouse, and separate policies let each parent have the plan that fits them. The pre-existing conditions guide explains how stability periods work.
- A wide age gap. If one parent is 64 and the other 72, the best-priced insurer for one is often not the best for the other.
- Different arrival dates. IRCC wants each parent covered for a year from their own date of entry. If one parent will arrive weeks later, make sure that parent's coverage starts on their actual entry date rather than their spouse's.
- One parent may go home early. Refunds for unused coverage are handled per person and depend on the insurer's rules, including whether any claim was made. On a couple policy, ask before buying whether one person can be removed and refunded while the other stays covered. See the refund policy guide.
Claims follow the same logic: each insured person has their own coverage amount, so a claim for one parent does not use up the other parent's $100,000. The claims guide walks through how a claim is made.
5 Inviting Both Parents Raises the Income Bar Too
The second parent changes more than the insurance. For the minimum necessary income, IRCC counts every Super Visa applicant the host will be supporting, including the parent's spouse or common-law partner, as part of the host's family size. Inviting both parents therefore adds two people to the count, not one.
| Host's household | Inviting one parent | Inviting both parents |
|---|---|---|
| Host living alone | Family size 2: $38,002 | Family size 3: $46,720 |
| Host, spouse and one child | Family size 4: $56,724 | Family size 5: $64,336 |
Figures are from IRCC's table updated July 29, 2025. The full table, who else counts toward family size, and the documents that prove income are in our IRCC Super Visa requirements guide.
6 A Couple's Super Visa Insurance Checklist
- $100,000 per parent. Confirm each parent has at least $100,000 of emergency coverage in their own name.
- Start dates match entry dates. Each parent's cover starts on their own entry date and runs at least a full year.
- Pre-existing cover, person by person. Decide it for each parent based on their own health and any recent medication changes.
- Couple total vs two singles. Compare the couple quote with the two best single quotes, even from different insurers.
- Refund rule for one person. Know what happens if one parent leaves early or is refused.
- Monthly payments, if used. Confirm the deposit and instalment terms satisfy IRCC; our monthly payment guide covers how instalment plans work.
- Renewal for both. If they plan to stay beyond the first year, note both renewal dates; the renewal guide explains what changes at renewal.
- Income with both counted. Make sure the host's income covers the family size with both parents included.
On our quote form, choose Couple Policy, enter both ages, and the results show each parent's premium on every plan. If the two parents' health or plans differ, a licensed advisor can quote them both ways and show you which is actually cheaper for the same cover.
Summary: For Couples
- Each parent is a separate applicant with their own insurance requirement
- IRCC requires $100,000 per parent, valid a year from each parent's entry
- A couple policy is fine when each person meets the requirement individually
- Most plans price a couple as two premiums added together
- Two insurers we checked gave 5% off per person; none charged more
- Different health, ages or dates can make two separate policies the better buy
- Inviting both parents adds two people to the host's family size for income
7 Frequently Asked Questions
Do both parents need their own Super Visa insurance?
Can my parents share one Super Visa insurance policy?
Is a couple Super Visa policy cheaper than two single policies?
What if my parents are different ages?
What if only one parent has a pre-existing condition?
What if my parents arrive in Canada on different dates?
Does inviting both parents change the income requirement?
If one parent goes home early, can we get a refund for that parent?
Cover Both Parents Without Overpaying for Either
Live couple quotes from 15+ insurers, and a licensed advisor who checks each parent's letter before you apply, in 8 languages. If you would rather talk it through, an advisor who speaks your language will help you read the policy, at no cost.