Travel Insurance for Canada

The heavenly Niagara Falls. The world-famous maple syrup. The rich diversity-both in people and the great outdoors. The charming northern lights and the astounding wildlife. Being the second largest country in the world (also the politest!), Canada must be on almost everyone’s travel bucket list. Whether you’re going in for the summer or the extreme winters, you can be sure you’ll never be bored! Especially if you’re touring on the road. 

Honestly, this depends largely on what your travel purpose is. While most people prefer the summer time, many travelers also pick the winters (yes, even when it’s extremely cold!) owing to the specific snow experiences they’re looking for. However, keeping all things in consideration- the fall months between September to November are the best time to visit Canada. The weather is neither cold nor hot. It’s not packed with tourists and if you’ve never experienced autumn, the Canadian cities will make you fall in love with its changing fall foliage and breathtaking backdrops. It is probably the most favorable time to experience Canada at its best. You can almost feel like you’re in one of your picturesque desktop wallpapers too. 

1. The Heavenly Niagara Falls - Perhaps on everyone’s bucket list. A visit to the iconic Niagara Falls is an experience you will cherish for a lifetime.  

2. Alluring Lakes to paddle and photograph at  - Paddle around and Photograph the most beautiful and breathtaking lakes of Canada. Right from the gorgeous Lake Louise and the most photographed Moraine Lake at Banff National Park to the Emerald Lake (it is literally a beautiful shade of emerald green!) at Yoho National Park in British Columbia.  

3. Captivating National Parks - Wander, paddle, trek, hike or stargaze around some of the most beautiful National Parks Canada boasts of.  Some popular parks include Jasper National Park in Alberta, Gross Morne National Park in the island of Newfoundland, and Fathom Five National Marine Park in Ontario.

4. Surreal Roadtrips - Let the country roads take you home! Canada is a prime location for road trips- Owing to its extensive coastline and diverse terrains. With all that the country has to offer, combined with the nicest people you’ll ever meet, you’re bound to have an adventure of a lifetime! The two most popular routes include The Cabot Trail on the East Coast and Icefields Parkway in Alberta. All you need to plan is your International Driving License, car rental and a sound insurance to drive you through it all.   

5. Thrilling Adventure Sports & Hiking Trails - Trek the Coast in Ontario. Snow Tag in La Mauricie Quebec, Surf in Nova Scotia. Kiteboard on the Prince Edward Island. Go River Rafting in Nova Scotia. Hike along the many national parks or go for the many zip lining experiences in British Columbia. The list of adventure sports and epic experiences is endless in Canada! All you need to make sure is whether your travel insurance covers for them or not 🙂  

6. The Rugged Wilderness - Be fascinated by the extreme wilderness of Canada. Apart from the vast and diverse national parks, Canada is also home to many wild and exotic animals. Right from the polar bears and whales to Grizzlies Black Bears, and the famous Canadian moose!  

7. City- Hop Along the Prime Cities - Whether you’re visiting Canada to meet family and friends or are just looking to explore and travel the country out and about, visiting the prime cities is a must! You can either tour around the busy city of Toronto, fuel your creative side in Vancouver, eat your heart out in Montreal or wander around in the quintessential Quebec City! (or just travel to all four!) 

8. All Things Artsy and Creative - While you’re city hopping, make time to experience the many art and music festivals, art museums and galleries, public installations and exhibitions. Although Vancouver is pretty much the art hub of it all, Montreal, Quebec City and Ottawa are pretty artsy too!  

9. Aesthetically Pleasing Architecture - Where you have art, you also have great architecture. Tour around some of Canada’s iconic buildings such as the Art Gallery of Ontario, The Chan Center for performing Arts in Vancouver, The Monique Corriveau Library in Quebec City, The CN Tower in Toronto, and The Canadian Musuem of History, amongst many others.  

10. The Magical Northern Lights - We left the best for the last. What you probably don’t know is, that you can watch the magical Northern Lights from places in Canada too! Apparently on almost 27% of the world’s travel bucket list, watching the Northern Lights is a surreal experience. Take time to travel to Yukon, Yellowknife or Churchill – the top three places to marvel at the bounty sky! 

An international travel insurance for Canada will cover and benefit you in situations such as; flight delays, loss of passport, baggage loss, medical emergencies, adventure sports, political unrests and other such mishaps. Moreover, the average cost of healthcare in Canada can range between $3000 to $7000, which is about more than 150 times the cost of a basic travel insurance for visitors like you!  

No, a travel insurance isn’t mandatory for Indians traveling to Canada yet. However according to trends- many immigration officers in Canada have been asking visitors for a travel or health insurance, especially one that covers any unforeseen medical expenses.  

Unlike our insurance, a tourist visa for Canada has generally been said to be difficult. However, this also depends on how you fill in your application. Make sure you state everything asked for clearly, especially your reason for travel- whilst supporting it with viable documents. Additionally, include your travel insurance in your documents as it’s said to even speed up the process in some cases!

Here are the basic steps to obtaining a visa for Indians traveling to Canada: 

a. Download the Canada Tourist Visa form from the Canadian Government website, along with the document checklist so you know exactly what you need. 

b. Make sure you have all documents, especially your flight tickets, hotel accommodation, itinerary, international travel insurance and a well drafted cover letter that states the purpose of your visit.  

c. Compile all your documents together in one file and submit it to your visa agent or the embassy directly. 

d. The visitor’s visa fee is 100 Canadian Dollars (5,208 INR) and post all processes, it will take at least 2 weeks to get accepted/rejected. 

Whilst comparing travel quotes from different travel insurances for Canada, make sure you are aware of the following: 

a. The medical benefits available and the limit of the Sum Insured for each. For example, on a minimum you could be spending INR 1-1.5 lakhs for basic hospitalization and minimum 8-10 lakhs for critical illnesses. Check if the sum insured even covers minimum medical costs or not. 

b. Terms of claims. A lot of times, the terms can be tricky and very rare- that despite the benefit, you’ll never really be able to claim it. 

c. The claims process by checking the company’s previous claim records. After all, that’s the whole point of an insurance, right? 

· International Travel Insurance for Canada can be bought by anyone going for the trip. 

· Everything from buying your cheap travel insurance for Canada to making claims is digital, simple and hassle free with zero paperwork involved. 

· Travel Insurance for visitors to Canada, from India should be bought before your travel departure date.

· You will need to carry the International Travel Schedule as a document during the travel. You can also keep our travel summary and policy wording handy for any other details.

Do inform us immediately if there is any unfortunate incident before or during your travel that may cause you to make a claim. 

Canada is known to be pretty safe as compared to its neighboring country. However, this also primarily depends on the cities you’re planning to visit. For example, you may have to be a lot more careful in downtown Vancouver and Quebec City as compared to Montreal and Ontario. All said and done, here’s a quick list of safety precautions that will insure you’re safe:

· Be careful around Vancouver’s Downtown East Side during the night as it’s known for its cluster of drug dealers and prostitutes. Also, since it’s a popular place amongst tourists, be cautious of scams and don’t trust just about anybody! 

· Be wary of pickpockets in all popular tourist destinations, train stations and crowded streets. Also, avoid carrying valuables you don’t need everywhere you go. Unless you do misplace something, don’t worry- if you have a travel insurance for Canada, you’ll be covered!

· Avoid buying tickets from just about any website or person. It’s a common travel scam. Instead, get tickets (for tours, shows, etc.) from your hotel, licensed websites and retailers and official counters.

Back in 2014, there were cases of the fake police scam. Although not as prevalent now, you might still want to be careful since they are known to target Asian tourists. Be cautious when the “police” ask for bag check. The fake ones will tend to snatch your valuables away. In the worst-case scenario, don’t worry too much- any financial losses caused because of something like this will be covered for in your travel insurance.

· Make sure you have an insurance to safeguard against any third-party or personal emergencies. Typically, your car rental company would offer you a cover that covers third-party liabilities only, while your international travel insurance for Canada would insure your personal liabilities (including damage/loss of the car) 

· Be cautious of the Moose while driving. Given their population across Canada, they can be a major concern whilst driving. Although collisions aren’t common, their size, shape and behaviour can lead to injury or even death if you hit one. Hence be watchful of warning signs and drive safe!

· Make sure you have a valid international driving license in place. No car-rental will let you drive otherwise.

Depending on where you’re traveling to, it’s always handy to have the contact number of the Indian embassy. Here are three main embassies in Canada: 

High Commision of India, Ottawa: +1 613-744-3751 
Consulate General of India, Toronto: +1 416-960-0751 
Counsalte General of India, Vancouver: +1 604-662-8811