If you’re bringing your parents or grandparents to Canada on a Super Visa, getting the insurance right is non-negotiable. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will not approve an application without qualifying medical coverage, and border officers can request proof every time your family enters the country. More applications stall over the insurance than the paperwork.
Falling short on even one requirement can mean a refusal. Here’s exactly what IRCC requires in 2026 to get your coverage approved the first time.
Why Super Visa Insurance Is Mandatory
The Super Visa allows parents and grandparents to stay in Canada for up to five years per entry, substantially longer than the six-month limit on a standard visitor visa. Because visitors aren’t covered by provincial healthcare, IRCC requires proof of private coverage so a medical emergency doesn’t turn into a financial one. And a single hospital stay in Canada can easily exceed $10,000.
This requirement isn’t a rubber stamp. IRCC reviews the policy during processing, and border officers verify active coverage on each entry. If a policy lapses, entry can be denied or cut back to a standard six months.
The Requirements Your Policy Has to Meet
A qualifying Super Visa insurance policy has to satisfy every one of the following and missing any single one is enough to put the application at risk:
- Minimum CAD $100,000 in emergency medical coverage. This is the headline number and it’s non-negotiable. Anything below it does not qualify, which is why a lower-limit standard visitors insurance plan cannot be used for a Super Visa application.
- Valid for at least one year (365 days) from the date of entry. The coverage has to run the full year even if your family member plans a shorter stay.
- Coverage for emergency healthcare, hospitalization, and repatriation. At minimum the policy has to cover emergency medical treatment, a hospital stay, and repatriation, which is the cost of returning the insured person home if it becomes medically necessary or in the event of death. Stronger plans add things like prescription coverage, follow-up visits, and emergency dental, but those three are the non-negotiable core.
- Issued by a Canadian insurer, or an OSFI-authorized foreign insurer (Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions). This changed recently. For years the policy had to come from a Canadian company; foreign insurers authorized by the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI) are now accepted too. A provider that meets neither test will not qualify.
- Proof the premium is paid, not just a quote. IRCC wants documentation of an active, paid policy naming the applicant with the coverage amount and dates. An estimate on its own will not do. If you are paying monthly, your documents must also show the payment arrangement is in place. You can start a free quote and move straight to a paid, confirmed policy once you are ready.
Can You Pay for Super Visa Insurance Monthly?
Yes. IRCC accepts monthly installment plans, as long as the initial deposit has been paid and the policy stays valid for the full year. That matters more than it sounds, because a one-year policy for an older parent can be a large sum to hand over at once, and spreading it out makes the whole thing easier to manage.
Secure Travel offers a monthly premium option alongside the annual estimate on the Super Visa Insurance page. There’s a one-time $120 fee to set up monthly payments, and from there you spread the cost over the year without giving anything up on the coverage side.
What Happens if the Super Visa Is Refused?
A common worry is losing the premium if the visa is not approved. It is a fair question, and the answer is reassuring: if your Super Visa is refused, the premium, along with the $120 fee, is refundable on proof of refusal (i.e., the visa refusal letter).
Secure Travel’s super visa policy also allows a refund if the policy is cancelled before the start date and a partial refund for unused months if the insured leaves the country early. A cancellation fee will apply in these cases. The important thing is that a refused visa does not mean a lost premium, provided the documentation is supplied.
How Secure Travel’s Plans Meet the Requirements
Secure Travel’s visitors’ insurance and super visa insurance coverage, operated by RIMI Insurance Solutions Inc. and underwritten by Lloyd’s’ Underwriters, is built around the IRCC rules rather than adapted to fit them after the fact.
Policies are available in coverage limits ranging from $25,000 up to $1,000,000. Because the Super Visa minimum is $100,000, that limit and every tier above it qualifies. This gives you room to choose more protection for an older parent or someone staying the full five years rather than being locked to the minimum. Coverage comes in two tiers, Standard and Enhanced, so you can match the level of protection, and the premium, to your family member’s age, health, and length of stay rather than paying for more than you need.
Just as importantly, the policy is designed for Super Visa applicants specifically, which means the confirmation of insurance shows IRCC exactly what it looks for: the coverage amount, the full one-year term, and proof that the premium is paid. That is the document your family member presents with the application and again at the border, so having it issued correctly the first time avoids the most common reason these applications get held up.
A Quick Note on Income Requirements
Insurance is one requirement. The income rules are another, and they’re easy to confuse. IRCC assesses the host in Canada against the Low Income Cut-Off, and those thresholds were updated in 2026, so they are worth reviewing on their own. But they sit entirely apart from your insurance policy. Sorting out one has no bearing on the other.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the minimum coverage for Super Visa insurance?
How long does the policy need to be valid?
Does Super Visa insurance have to be from a Canadian company?
Can I pay for Super Visa insurance in monthly installments?
Will I get my money back if the Super Visa is refused?
Is a quote enough to include with my application?
Get a Super Visa Policy That Meets Every IRCC Requirement
The insurance is the part that holds Super Visa applications up, and it is also the part that’s easy to get right when the policy is built for it. And Secure Travel’s Super Visa coverage checks every box IRCC asks for. Get a free quote in a few minutes at secure-travel.ca/free-quote and move straight to a paid, confirmed policy when you are ready.
Prefer to talk it through first? Call the team at 1 (833) 366-0878, email info@secure-travel.ca, or send a message through the contact page, and someone can walk you through the right coverage for your parent’s or grandparent’s situation.
