# Health insurance



## cookie17 (May 19, 2014)

Hi I'll be visiting Canada next month. Do I need health insurance and if so what is the cost?
Also can I buy a sim card to use to make calls?


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## WestCoastCanadianGirl (Mar 17, 2012)

I would get travel insurance, as your EHIC (European Health Insurance Card) is not valid in Canada.

There are many different underwriters and different policies, so I would advise that you investigate on the Internet to find the best policy for you.

Whenever I've travelled, I usually got a multi-trip annual plan, so that I wouldn't have to worry about coverage if I decided to travel from Vancouver to the USA at a moment's notice. I chose 15 day trip coverage because that was usually the most amount of time I could have gotten off from work.


In regards to the SIM card, yes they are widely available but the mobile phone providers often charge you for the card in addition to the tariff that you choose.

Have a safe trip, and welcome to Canada!


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## cookie17 (May 19, 2014)

But what about health insurance? Do I need that when I am on visit or can I travel without one? I am going to visit my friends who are settled there. And is travel insurance a must?


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## James19 (May 8, 2014)

Not having insurance will not prevent you from entering Canada, if you are just visiting friends. But health care in Canada is very expensive so it is better to be covered. The type of insurance you need is called Visitors to Canada. The cost will depend on your age and health conditions.

For someone who is 30 years old and healthy- it will be around $50 per months.

You can definitely buy a sim card to make calls, depending on what kind of phone you have. It might be better just to buy a cheap phone from 7-11 for the period of time that you are in Canada.

You can get quotes and compare them here:


Insurance Quotes for Visitors/


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## gringotim (Jan 5, 2011)

cookie17 said:


> But what about health insurance? Do I need that when I am on visit or can I travel without one? I am going to visit my friends who are settled there. And is travel insurance a must?


Can you afford to have something bad happen if you don't have health insurance? 
A visit to an emergency room for say a broken toe or finger could cost $1000, not counting the after costs involved in follow up doctor visits. A stay in hospital can costs $1000's a day, A short visit to a doctor will be at least $50+++, and that's just for the visit. Overall, it's not worth trying to save a few dollars by not getting insurance.


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## sillywilly (Apr 7, 2014)

DO NOT go to the U.S without medical insurance that specifically covers the U.S. 
One day in a U.S hospital can run you $20,000. Even if you are just crossing the boarder for a few hours, anything can happen in a few hours, from tripping on the sidewalk and breaking a leg to a car accident that you have no control over. What if for example you have an appendix attack and have to be rushed into emergency? No body plans on things happening, they just happen. The US medical system is at least double the cost than in Canada, since most hospitals are private, not government funded.


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## cookie17 (May 19, 2014)

Can anyone tell me if I can purchase the health insurance when I am in Canada or do I have to get it before hand only?


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## James19 (May 8, 2014)

In most cases it is better to apply for coverage before hand. If you apply from within Canada there is almost always going to be a waiting period. 

It means that for some time you will not be covered. Waiting period ranges from 24 hours to 7-8 days depending on how long have you been in Canada and whether you got sick or got into an accident. 

Just apply beforehand, that's the best way to go about it.


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