IEC Canada - Health & Travel Insurance

ironclaw

Hi Folks,

I'll be returning to Canada and activating my IEC when I do. I understand you are required to be covered in terms of healthcare and I have been asked for this before at the Canadian border.

Doing a quick Google, I came across mostly travel insurance but the cost can be enormous. My current policy, from True Traveller for a year, was 350GBP.

So, my question, is there cost-effective coverage for someone who wants to take out a 2-year policy to cover an IEC?

Or, on the flip side, can you take our non-resident health insurance in Canada?

Thanks!

CATSEYES8787

Hey there, I'm encountering the same issue in terms of costly health insurance. Which one did you go for in the end? I'm going to Canada in November to activate my WHV...

ironclaw

CATSEYES8787 wrote: »

Hey there, I'm encountering the same issue in terms of costly health insurance. Which one did you go for in the end? I'm going to Canada in November to activate my WHV...

I eventually took out the 2-year policy from Go4Less (http://www.go4less.ie/Insurance/index_canada.asp)

You don't need to be a Go4Less customer to take it and it's underwritten by Blue Insurance. Its pretty basic cover but from my experience, all travel insurance is like this. Insurance is only worth it if you are very seriously injured or killed. Dark, I know, but I have had experience (years ago) of a large claim for personal belongings and it was a joke how little I got back versus what the policy claimed to cover.

Back on topic, I recently attended a swift care here in Ontario and they accepted the Blue Insurance upon registration. I was told that if Blue didn't cover it, I'd be sent it back by mail with a bill. Hence, at least in Ontario, you don't have on the spot out of pocket expenses for hospitals. I've yet to receive the bill but not enough time has passed for me to say for sure it's covered.

If you are looking for really good insurance though, TrueTraveller is by far the best coverage I've ever seen but it's not cheap.

Doylers

See my thread about getting an OHIP card, seems no one on the working visas bother to get it. It’s all your healthcare for free!

jme2010

Doylers wrote: »

See my thread about getting an OHIP card, seems no one on the working visas bother to get it. It’s all your healthcare for free!

Doylers, which service office did you go to? Did the clerk require a lot of convincing?

The HR guys here are adamant I won't get it before the 3 month mark.

What did you show them, your employment letter?

Doylers

The one on Bay Street, you have to go there and the line is ****in hugeeeeeeee. No, not a letter of employment a letter that says you will be employed for at least 6months so it’s saying you’re in a full time permanent job.

And it has to be hand signed, BUT it can come from you’re manager or anyone you report to not just HR! I got one typed up and asked my boss to sign with no issue

circular flexing

jme2010 wrote: »

Doylers, which service office did you go to? Did the clerk require a lot of convincing?

The HR guys here are adamant I won't get it before the 3 month mark.

What did you show them, your employment letter?

There is a (at most) a 3 month waiting period from the date you arrive in Ontario before OHIP will kick in.



In BC, the waiting period is 2 months + the balance of your arrival month, in our case we arrived on December 30th and MSP coverage started on March 1st.

ironclaw

Doylers wrote: »

See my thread about getting an OHIP card, seems no one on the working visas bother to get it. It’s all your healthcare for free!

Wait, you can get an OHIP card on an IEC? How does that work? I thought it was for residents only.

Doylers

ironclaw wrote: »

Doylers wrote: »

See my thread about getting an OHIP card, seems no one on the working visas bother to get it. It’s all your healthcare for free!

Wait, you can get an OHIP card on an IEC? How does that work? I thought it was for residents only.

Yep you can, see above. Just need a letter saying you'll be employed for six months and thats it. Much easier than even getting a driving licence.

The whole residency thing gets complicated. When you're fresh off the boat you are non-resident technically, however! When you're starting work and filling out the tax form you pick resident or non-resident, obv residents get better tax credits etc. In my case I put down resident because by the end of this tax year I will be resident(by virtue of having ties to the county such as bills, bank account, apartment) and I want my full credits, I'll also fall into the time frame of being in country X days. 

But thats a total tangent and doesn't have bearing on OHIP. Pretty sure the form never even asked residency, guess its implied if you have a letter saying you'll be working on Ontario for at least 6 months of the year.