International Health Insurance in Canada
Whether you’re relocating to the colorful suburbs of Vancouver or heading east to artistic Montreal, get peace of mind with expat health insurance from Cigna Global.
Our policies are international, so you’re covered in Canada and more than 200 other countries and territories.
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Get a quote in under two minutes
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Customizable plan to meet your needs
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24/7 support and assistance available
Why choose Cigna for global health insurance in Canada?
Help with essential hospital charges
Get essential cover for many common charges, including access to private rooms, support with mental health, cancer care, emergency treatments, and more.
Direct billing puts your needs first
Simplify the claims process with direct billing. In most cases we can pay providers directly, allowing you to focus on recovering. No need to pay upfront and claim reimbursement.
Around-the-clock service and care
Our helpful customer care team is available 24/7 ready to assist. If you’re on the go, you can speak to a doctor directly via our app too.
Our health insurance plans
At Cigna, we know that everyone’s situations are unique. Expats come from all walks of life and move to different countries for several reasons. So, there’s no one-size-fits-all package with our health insurance in Canada.
Our Close Care℠ Plan provides cover in both Canada and your home country. It’s intended for inpatient and day-patient treatments, with a $500,000 annual benefit limit.
Meanwhile, our Global Health Options plans give you peace of mind wherever you are. You can choose worldwide cover or worldwide cover, excluding the USA. These offer access to plenty of inpatient and day-patient support across hospitals in Canada, including:
- Accommodation costs
- Common hospital charges, like prescribed medicines, intensive care, and surgeons’ fees
- Cancer care and mental health care
With Global Health Options, you can choose a Silver, Gold, or Platinum package to tailor your health insurance for Canada.
| Silver | Gold | Platinum | |
|---|---|---|---|
Our Silver plan covers day-patient cover, including hospital stays and treatment. | Our Gold policy package includes maternity cover, and dental treatment. This plan could be ideal for you if you’re moving with your family. | Our most extensive insurance package, Platinum gives you and your family access to a broad range of treatments – often paid in full. |
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| Geographic cover | Silver | Gold | Platinum |
Worldwide | Worldwide | Worldwide |
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| Overall annual benefit | Silver | Gold | Platinum |
$1,000,000 | $2,000,000 | Unlimited |
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| Inpatient, day-patient and accommodation costs | Silver | Gold | Platinum |
Private room paid in full | Private room paid in full | Private room paid in full |
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| Cancer care | Silver | Gold | Platinum |
Paid in full | Paid in full | Paid in full |
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| Mental and behavioral healthcare | Silver | Gold | Platinum |
Up to $5,000 | Up to $10,000 | Paid in full |
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| Maternity care | Silver | Gold | Platinum |
Not included | Routine inpatient maternity cover – paid in full up to $7,000 | Routine inpatient maternity cover – paid in full up to $14,000 |
Our Silver plan covers day-patient cover, including hospital stays and treatment.
Our Gold policy package includes maternity cover, and dental treatment. This plan could be ideal for you if you’re moving with your family.
Our most extensive insurance package, Platinum gives you and your family access to a broad range of treatments – often paid in full.
Worldwide
Worldwide
Worldwide
$1,000,000
$2,000,000
Unlimited
Private room paid in full
Private room paid in full
Private room paid in full
Paid in full
Paid in full
Paid in full
Up to $5,000
Up to $10,000
Paid in full
Not included
Routine inpatient maternity cover – paid in full up to $7,000
Routine inpatient maternity cover – paid in full up to $14,000
Our essential plan covers you in your country of residence and your home country. You can also add modules to extend this cover, including dental and wider outpatient care. |
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| Geographic cover | Close Care℠ | |
Country you’re living in and home country only |
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| Overall annual benefit | Close Care℠ | |
$500,000 (with $250,000 condition limit) |
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| Inpatient, day-patient and accommodation costs | Close Care℠ | |
Semi-private room paid in full |
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| Cancer care | Close Care℠ | |
Paid in full |
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| Mental and behavioral healthcare | Close Care℠ | |
Not included |
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| Maternity care | Close Care℠ | |
Not included |
Our essential plan covers you in your country of residence and your home country.
You can also add modules to extend this cover, including dental and wider outpatient care.
Country you’re living in and home country only
$500,000 (with $250,000 condition limit)
Semi-private room paid in full
Paid in full
Not included
Not included
How does international health insurance work?
1. Get a free quote and
buy your policy
Build a quote online or give us a call at +44 (0)1475 492119
Choose a plan, customise your deductibles & cost shares, find a cost that meets your needs, and choose how you want to pay. Choose from monthly, quarterly and annual payments.
2. Manage your policy
with our easy app
Manage your health and wellbeing on the go, wherever you may be.
The Cigna Wellbeing® App gives you access to Global Telehealth consultations from anywhere in the world. Use our online customer area to access your policy documents, at any time.
3. Get your treatment
and make a claim
Get in touch with our customer care team to make a claim.
We’ll connect you to a medical expert within 24 hours, via global network of over 2.2 million partnerships.
Direct billing available in most cases, as we liaise directly with your treatment provider.
Expat healthcare in Canada
From extensive job opportunities and breathtaking landscapes to prestigious universities – Canada certainly ticks all the boxes for expats. Getting private health insurance in Canada gives you added protection while experiencing the Great White North.
Canada’s public healthcare system, Medicare, is funded by taxes. It provides free “medically necessary” treatments to Canadian citizens, including doctor and hospital visits. Each Canadian territory and province runs separate healthcare systems, so the definition of “medically necessary” can differ, and many expats are not initially eligible for Canada’s healthcare system.
A comprehensive health insurance package can help give you peace of mind, whether you’re a working expat, retiree, or an international student. Discover our international health insurance in Canada and unlock a wide range of treatments and faster access to medical support from anywhere in the world.
Additional benefits as part of your international health insurance cover
Telehealth
consultations
We know how to deliver the support you require, whenever you need it. Enjoy unlimited phone or video doctor consultations, along with counseling and coaching.
International cover,
wherever you are
Your international cover (Silver, Gold or Platinum) can help wherever you are.
Flexible plans,
made for you
Your health insurance quote is customized to fit the needs of you and your family. Align it with your budget today.
Add more cover to your policy
Once you’ve chosen from our silver, Gold and Platinum packages, make them even more bespoke to you with additional cover.
Our international outpatient insurance provides access to a broad range of healthcare treatments that don’t require admission to a hospital. For example, you can get:
- Consultations with specialists, in-person or online
- Prescribed drugs and dressings
- Radiology and diagnostic tests
- Outpatient rehabilitation
- Cover for hearing aids
This medical insurance add-on covers emergency healthcare and assistance. It could help if there’s a global crisis, or to evacuate you if local treatment can’t help. It can give you:
- Emergency transport to good hospitals.
- Repatriation if you experience a serious medical event
- Crisis response services following travel or security risks
- Help with compassionate travel and living costs
- Travel costs for people who accompany you
Boost your health with insurance for screening, tests and dietetic consultations. There’s also a mental health support program for expats as well.
- Support from wellness coaches
- Access to preventative cancer screenings
- Emotional support from counselors
- Non-symptomatic, routine physical examinations each year
- Transport to a specialist center
Get eye tests and help with the cost of eyewear, plus a wide range of preventative, and routine dental treatments:
- Cover for dental appointments
- Preventative, routine, and major dental treatments
- Routine eye exams
- Support with costs for glasses and lenses
Who comes to us for health insurance in Canada?
International students
Canada boasts a diverse culture, inexpensive education, a safe environment, and relatively low living costs, making it the perfect hub for international students.
There are around 250 international colleges across the country, each offering a wide range of courses and high job prospects.
Get mental health support, emergency cover, and lots more with our global medical insurance for international students in Canada.
Mobile workers
With its polite reputation, high quality of life, and thriving job sectors, it’s easy to see why expats flock to Canada. It’s also regarded as a safe environment for families.
Canada boasts a low unemployment rate of 5%, with medicine, nursing, and engineering occupations in high demand.
Stay focused on the job with health insurance for globally mobile workers in Canada. Our international healthcare benefits include inpatient, day-patient care. Meanwhile, emergency support can help safeguard your family too.
Retirees
High living standards, flourishing natural landscapes, and excellent healthcare makes Canada a dream retirement hotspot.
From the solitude of the Rocky Mountains to the bustling capital of Ottawa, Canada’s sprawling provinces offer the perfect opportunity for retirees to unwind.
But nothing is more relaxing than peace of mind. If you’re over 60, our seniors’ insurance can provide everything from mental health support to cancer care.
More information about healthcare in Canada
Hospitals: You’ll find around 1,017 hospitals in Canada (Government of Canada)
Healthcare ranking: 4th out of 195 countries (Global Health Security Index)
Useful drug names: In Canada, acetaminophen is widely used to treat pain and fever, while Motrin and Advil are popular ibuprofen medications.
Emergency services number (while in Canada): 911
Cigna claim number (while in Canada): +44 (0) 1475 788182
If you fall ill or are injured in an emergency while in Canada, you can access free emergency medical treatment in hospitals across Canada. Head to your nearest hospital or walk-in clinic, or call 911 for an ambulance. Charges for ambulances and walk-in clinics may apply, but costs are usually partially covered by each province.
You may be able to claim back emergency treatment costs on your private health insurance in Canada. This can depend on the exact treatments you receive, plus the terms of your policy.
When it comes to non-emergency hospital treatment as an outpatient or inpatient, you must have a Medicare health card. However, as most expats aren’t eligible for Medicare, you’ll need to have private health insurance for Canada or pay the full medical costs.
Temperatures in the north and east sink to below freezing with short, mild summers, while the west coast has a rainy and temperate climate. Canada’s south coast is very warm in the summer and very cold in the winter.
Given the mixture of climates, Canada may experience severe heatwaves in the summer or ice storms in the winter. If you’re concerned about how this could impact your health, check weather warnings from the Government of Canada.
Frequently asked questions about health insurance in Canada
Canada’s healthcare system is often cited as a great example of universal healthcare, but it has its pros and cons. While the system provides high-quality care and universal coverage, people can expect rising healthcare costs and long wait times.
Getting private international health insurance in Canada can help to cut wait times and increase access to high-level care, including private rooms, support for non-emergency treatments, and much more.
It all depends on who you buy your private health insurance in Canada from. With Cigna, you can tailor your plan by choosing between different cover levels. For example, we offer a regional Close CareSM plan, and global Silver, Gold, or Platinum plans. You can also select a range of optional add-ons.
Whether you’re moving to Canada for work or family reasons, private health insurance goes beyond the basics of Medicare.
Depending on the provider you choose, it can deliver extended services like:
- Prescription medication and glasses
- Dentistry
- Physiotherapy
- Ambulances
Yes, prescription medicines are usually free within the Canadian public healthcare system, but it’s often a different story for expats. However, our optional International Outpatient add-on can help cover you for prescribed outpatient drugs and dressings, as well as doctor and specialist consultation costs.
In the long run, insurance from a private provider may not prove essential for every expat moving to Canada. For example, those seeking permanent residency may find Medicare offers enough coverage once they’ve settled in.
However, it might feel necessary if you have concerns about accessing Medicare or require more specialized health services. Private international health insurance plans can also reduce your waiting time, giving you faster access to the care you need.