1What TruStone Visitors Insurance Is
TruStone's Visitors to Canada plan is emergency medical insurance for visitors, Super Visa holders and Canadians returning to live in Canada who are not yet covered by a provincial health plan. It is underwritten by The Empire Life Insurance Company, administered by TruStone Health, a division of TruStone Financial Inc., and emergency help and claims are handled by Trident Global Assistance.
TruStone sells this cover through four online applications, all with coverage limits up to $200,000. Two include coverage for stable pre-existing conditions and ask a short medical questionnaire. The other two do not cover pre-existing conditions and ask no medical questions. This page explains the version with pre-existing condition coverage. All four use the same policy wording, and an optional Accidental Death Benefit can be added.
Want to see TruStone next to other insurers first? Compare visitors insurance quotes or compare Super Visa insurance quotes from several Canadian insurers on one page.
2Who Can Buy It
On the day coverage starts, each person on the policy must:
- Not be eligible for a Canadian government health insurance plan
- Be a visitor to Canada, or a Canadian citizen or permanent resident returning to live in Canada
- Be at least 15 days old and under age 80 for pre-existing coverage (the plan without pre-existing coverage goes to age 89)
- Be the policyowner, or the policyowner’s spouse or dependent child (a parent or legal guardian owns the policy for a child under 16)
- Qualify under TruStone’s underwriting rules, based on the medical questionnaire
You can apply before or after arrival in Canada. If you apply after arrival, a 5-day waiting period applies.
Who cannot be covered, even if they disclose it
- Travelling to Canada against a doctor’s advice, or with a terminal prognosis
- New or undiagnosed symptoms expected to need treatment
- In hospital for a sickness in the last 6 months
- An organ, bone marrow or stem cell transplant (cornea excepted)
- Certain blood conditions treated in the last 3 years, such as aplastic, hemolytic or sickle cell anemia, or anemia needing transfusions
- In the last 12 months: home oxygen or prednisone for a lung or heart condition, pulmonary or cystic fibrosis, nitroglycerine for angina or chest pain, or an unrepaired aneurysm
- Living in a nursing, rest or retirement home, or needing help with daily living such as bathing, eating or taking medication
Aged 80 or over? TruStone does not offer pre-existing coverage. The plan without it is available up to age 89, with a coverage limit of up to $100,000.
3How Pre-Existing Coverage Works
A pre-existing condition is any medical condition, symptom or illness, diagnosed or not, that was treated or showed signs or symptoms at any time before coverage starts. With TruStone’s pre-existing application, such a condition can be covered for an emergency when all of these are true:
- It was stable for the whole stability period before the effective date: 90 days on the standard application, or 365 days if you choose 365-day stability
- The medical questionnaire was answered fully and truthfully
- It is not listed under Exclusions or Notes on the policy receipt
- It did not change between the application date and the effective date without TruStone accepting the change
What stable means
The policy treats a condition as stable when, during the stability period, there were no new or changed symptoms, no change in medication dose or frequency, no new medication, no hospital stay or medical consultation other than a routine check-up, and no new test, treatment or surgery recommended by a doctor.
Stability options
| Stable for | How TruStone handles it |
|---|---|
| Over 365 days | Standard pre-existing rates |
| 180 to 365 days | 11% more than the 365-day rates, with some specific exclusions and surcharges (for example, losses related to a heart condition or stroke are excluded) |
| 90 to 180 days | 25% more than the 365-day rates, with some specific exclusions and surcharges |
From TruStone’s 2026 rate table. Your premium depends on age, coverage limit, deductible and the questionnaire answers.
Diabetes and the heart: if diabetes is a pre-existing condition, treatment of any heart or blood-vessel condition, including stroke, is excluded unless it was disclosed and the policy receipt shows it as covered.
4Medical Answers That Limit Coverage
The questionnaire asks about blood pressure, heart conditions, stroke, lung, kidney and liver conditions, diabetes, cancer and recent hospital visits, how many medications were taken in the last 3 months, and how long each condition has been stable. Some answers change what TruStone can offer:
| If the applicant declares | Result |
|---|---|
| Diabetes together with a heart condition or stroke | None of their conditions are covered |
| Chronic kidney disease, chronic renal failure or pancreatitis | None of their conditions are covered |
| A heart condition, stroke, respiratory condition or leukemia stable for less than one year | Those declared conditions are excluded |
| Fainting, a dizzy spell, or a hospital emergency in the 6 months before coverage starts | The application is declined |
From TruStone’s 2026 underwriting rules. Answer every question honestly: a wrong answer can void coverage when it is needed most.
Not sure which applies? Ask an EGE Insurance advisor before you apply, or see how other insurers treat health conditions in our pre-existing conditions guide.
5Coverage Limits and Benefits
Choose a coverage limit of $10,000, $25,000, $50,000, $100,000, $150,000 or $200,000 per person. No deductible applies unless you choose one. Within the limit, the plan pays for emergency hospital and doctor bills, tests and lab work, and follow-up visits for up to 30 days after the emergency ends. Minor sickness such as a cough, a cold or an upset stomach is covered in a clinic, a hospital or by virtual consultation.
| Benefit | Maximum |
|---|---|
| Hospital, doctor, diagnostics and follow-up visits | Up to your coverage limit |
| Prescription drugs | Up to a 30-day supply |
| Ambulance | $5,000 |
| Medical appliances | $5,000 |
| Private duty nursing | $10,000 |
| Chiropractor, physiotherapist and similar | Half of each bill, to a maximum of $2,000 |
| Emergency dental pain | $5,000 |
| Return to home country for treatment | $25,000 |
| Relative to bedside | $2,000 plus $100 a day |
| Repatriation | $10,000 |
| Return of remains, or cremation or burial in Canada | $10,000, or $4,000 |
| Meals and accommodation | $100 a day |
Summary only. The TruStone policy wording sets the exact terms.
6Using It for a Super Visa
TruStone offers coverage limits of $100,000 and up and 365-day policies. After purchase you receive a policy confirmation to include with the IRCC application. Check the current IRCC Super Visa insurance requirements for your application.
Monthly payments
- Available when you buy 365 days of coverage
- At purchase: two months of premium plus a $50 setup fee, by Visa or MasterCard
- The rest is charged monthly on the same card, starting the month after coverage starts
- Set the effective date to the planned arrival date used in the visa application. TruStone sends a reminder 7 days before coverage starts.
Prescription refills for Super Visa holders
For a Super Visa holder, the cost of a doctor’s visit in Canada to refill medication prescribed during a covered emergency is covered for the first 6 months of the policy. The refilled medication itself, and refills of medication prescribed before coverage started, are not covered.
7Waiting Period and Trips Home
Bought after arrival? There is no coverage for an injury or sickness that begins in the first 5 days after the effective date. The waiting period is waived if the person is covered by another Canadian travel insurance policy that does not end before the TruStone policy starts.
Trips home or side trips: the policy does not have to be cancelled for a trip outside Canada, including to the home country. Medical costs outside Canada are not covered, except an emergency while travelling directly to or from Canada, including layovers. Tell Trident Global Assistance if the trip outside Canada is 30 days or more.
8Changes and Extensions
- Changes are made through your broker. A new effective date, a different coverage amount, or adding Accidental Death coverage must be approved before coverage starts.
- The end date can be extended up to a total of 365 days, if no claim has been submitted or is payable. An emergency before the extension is approved makes the request invalid.
- Coverage extends automatically, at no extra cost, while the person is in hospital on the end date (until 72 hours after the emergency ends), or for up to 72 hours when a flight or other common carrier is delayed by weather or mechanical failure.
9Refunds and Fees
You can ask for a refund of prepaid premium if the person no longer needs the cover for a work permit or immigration, does not meet the Super Visa requirements, leaves Canada early, or a spouse or dependent is removed. There must be no claim paid, pending or declined, and proof is required. Within 10 days of receiving the policy, it can be returned for a full refund if no claim was submitted.
| Situation | Fee or rule |
|---|---|
| Paid in full, cancelled early | Short-rate premium penalty plus fees |
| Super Visa refused, refusal letter given before the effective date | No short-rate penalty |
| Used for a Super Visa application, cancelled before arrival without a refusal letter | $250 |
| Cancelled because the person left Canada (after the first 10 days) | $50 |
| Change the effective date after coverage started | $50 within 2 months of the original date, $100 after |
| Monthly plan setup | $50, not refundable |
| Withdraw a claim to get a refund | $200 |
| Minimum refund | $20 |
Fees are not refundable. Monthly plans: only full unused months are refunded, less a $50 fee, and TruStone keeps two months as the minimum premium.
How refunds compare across insurers: Super Visa insurance refund guide.
10How to Make a Claim
| Trident Global Assistance | Contact |
|---|---|
| Calling from Canada or the US | 1-833-370-8777 |
| Collect, from anywhere | 416-814-7615 |
| claims@tridentassistance.com |
- Call within 24 hours of any medical or dental treatment
- If Trident is not contacted within 48 hours of an emergency or hospital stay, each benefit maximum is reduced by 20%, and a coverage limit of $50,000 or more is restricted to $25,000. This does not apply if the person’s condition made the call impossible and they called as soon as they could.
- MRI, CT scan, ultrasound, biopsy, cardiac catheterization, angioplasty and heart surgery need prior approval unless the emergency makes that impossible
- Send the signed claim forms with original bills and medical reports within 90 days. TruStone aims to pay within 60 days of receiving everything.
Step by step: how to file a Super Visa insurance claim.
11What Is Not Covered
The main exclusions:
- Costs outside Canada, except a direct trip to or from Canada
- Anything before the effective date or during the waiting period
- Pre-existing conditions that were not stable, not disclosed, or excluded on the policy receipt
- Non-emergency care, check-ups and routine care of ongoing conditions
- Recurrence of a condition after an earlier emergency for it ended
- Pregnancy, childbirth and their complications
- Mental, nervous or emotional disorders, and alcohol or drug misuse
- A trip taken to get medical treatment
- Competitive or professional sports and high-risk activities
- Glasses, hearing aids and eye exams
TruStone is a last-payor plan: other insurance such as a government plan, a group or individual health plan, auto insurance or a credit card plan pays first. If a person has more than one Empire Life travel policy, Empire Life pays no more than $200,000 in total.
12Frequently Asked Questions
Does TruStone visitors insurance cover pre-existing conditions?
Yes, on the two TruStone applications that include pre-existing coverage. A condition is covered only if it was stable for the required period before the effective date (90 days on the standard application, or 365 days if that stability option is chosen), the medical questionnaire was answered fully and truthfully, and the condition is not listed as excluded on the policy receipt.
What is the age limit for pre-existing coverage with TruStone?
Pre-existing coverage is for visitors under age 80. Visitors aged 80 to 89 can buy TruStone's plan without pre-existing coverage, with a coverage limit of up to $100,000.
Can I use TruStone visitors insurance for a Super Visa?
TruStone offers coverage limits up to $200,000, including $100,000 and above, and a 365-day term with a monthly payment option. You receive a policy confirmation to include with the IRCC application. Check the current IRCC requirements for your application, or ask EGE Insurance to confirm before you buy.
Is there a monthly payment option?
Yes, for 365-day coverage. At purchase you pay two months of premium plus a $50 setup fee, then the rest is charged monthly to the same Visa or MasterCard, starting the month after the policy starts.
Is there a waiting period if my parents are already in Canada?
Yes. If the policy is bought after arrival, there is no coverage for an injury or sickness that begins in the first 5 days. The waiting period does not apply if they are still covered by another Canadian travel insurance policy that does not end before the new policy starts.
What happens if the Super Visa is refused?
A refund can be requested. If the IRCC refusal letter is provided before the effective date, the short-rate penalty does not apply. If the policy was used for a Super Visa application and is cancelled before arrival without a refusal letter, a $250 fee applies.
Who do I call in a medical emergency?
Call Trident Global Assistance at 1-833-370-8777 (Canada and the US) or 416-814-7615 collect, within 24 hours of any treatment. If they are not contacted within 48 hours of an emergency or hospital stay, benefits are reduced, unless the person's condition made it impossible to call.
Can my parents visit their home country during the policy?
Yes. The policy does not need to be cancelled for a trip home, but medical costs outside Canada are not covered, except an emergency while travelling directly to or from Canada. Tell Trident if the trip outside Canada is 30 days or more.
Buy TruStone Visitors Insurance with Pre-Existing Coverage
Apply online on TruStone’s secure application, or compare it with other insurers first. Call (416) 477-1516 or email cs@egeinsure.ca. Advisors available in 8 languages.