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Administrated by:

Blue Cross Canada.

Underwritten by:

Blue Cross.

24h Emergency Assistance Center:

Can Assistance.

BENEFITS:

– Maximum Benefits: $50,000, $100,000 and $150,000.
   – Ambulance Transportation: land or air transport costs to the nearest medical facility. *
   – Hospitalization expenses for a semi-private room accommodation.
   – Physician services.
   – Diagnostic services –  laboratory tests and X-rays when prescribed by the attending physician.
   – Nursing care of a graduate nurse while hospitalized and when medically necessary.
   – Prescription drugs as part of emergency treatment (except when they are required for the continued stabilization of a chronic medical condition).
   – Medical appliances – rental or purchase cost for crutches, canes or splints, the rental of wheelchair or other medical appliances when prescribed by an attending physician.  
   – Professional Services – physiotherapist, chiropractor, osteopath, podiatrist or chiropodist when medically necessary and prescribed by the attending physician, limited to a maximum of $400 per profession.
   – Accidental Dental: Up to $2,000 per accident for repair or replacement of whole or sound natural teeth damaged by an external injury (not as a result of introduction of food or an object into the mouth).
   – Dental Emergencies: Up to $300 per trip and per insured person for the fees of dental surgeons for emergency dental care treatment, excluding root canal therapy.
   – Return of the deceased: up to $10,000 for the cost of preparing and transporting the deceased person to the place of residence, or up to $4,000 for the cost of cremation or burial on site (excluding the cost of a coffin, an urn and a gravestone).*
   – Meals and Accommodation – the cost of round-trip economy-class transportation and up to $300 for accommodation and meals when a family member or a friend is required to go to the place of death to identify the deceased.*
    – Repatriation to Residence: the cost of repatriation of insured to the country of residence by means of appropriate transportation in order to receive immediate medical attention. It includes the cost for a round-trip ticket for a medical attendant.*
    – Return of Traveling Companion or a family member covered under the same contract, in case of repatriation of the insured.*
    – Trip Break (for coverage of 365 days) – Covered persons can return to their country of residence and come back to Canada without terminating the insurance contract. During the period outside Canada, no insurance coverage is valid and no premium refund is granted for the days spent in the country of permanent residence. Covered persons must ensure they meet insurance eligibility criteria each time they intend to return to Canada. Any change in health during the trip break will be considered as a pre-existing condition.
    – Subsistence Allowance – up to $1,500 ($150 per day) for the cost of accommodation, meals and transportation, when the return must be delayed due to illness or bodily injury to the insured person or to an accompanying immediate family member or travelling companion. 

* These services must be approved and planned by Blue Cross Travel Assistance.

ELIGIBILITY:

In order to be eligible for Visitors to Canada insurance, the covered person must not:
   1. Have received medical advice not to travel;
   2. Suffer from an illness in a terminal stage;
   3. Suffer from kidney failure treated through dialysis;
   4. Have been diagnosed with or treated for a metastatic cancer;
   5. Have been diagnosed with, had treatments or taken medication for cancer in the past 12 months (with the exception of basal cell carcinoma);
   6. Suffer from heart failure or cardiomyopathy;
   7. Be waiting for an organ transplant for one or several of the following: kidneys, lungs, liver, heart, bone marrow or pancreas;
   8. Have used home oxygen or taken cortisone pills for a pulmonary condition in the past 24 months.
NOTE: The contract must be purchased:
       – Before your date of arrival in Canada, or
       – Before the termination date of an insurance coverage in Canada similar to the one from Blue Cross that you hold with another insurance company, or
       – Within the 30 days of either of the two preceding dates.
NOTE: This product is not available for purchase, if you have been in Canada more than 30 days following your arrival unless the present insurance is taken out after the effective date of another insurance contract with a similar coverage in Canada.

WAITING PERIOD for sickness:
No waiting if the insurance is purchased BEFORE your arrival or before expiry of a similar coverage in Canada.
If the insurance is purchased AFTER the covered person’s arrival in Canada or after the expiry of a similar coverage: The coverage becomes effective on the day of purchase, but a 3-day waiting period for illness applies from that date. During this waiting period, the insured person will be covered for accidents and injuries, but not for illness. If an illness occurs during the waiting period, the illness will be considered as a pre-existing medical condition.

PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS:
The contract contains exclusions relating to pre-existing conditions.
1. For people of all ages: All of the following conditions listed in one of the categories below will be excluded if, for one of the conditions in this category:
– You have already undergone a procedure, seen the physician, been diagnosed, treated or hospitalized, or if you have received a prescription or taken a medication, or
– It has been recommended by a physician that you receive treatment, undergo tests, take medication or undergo a procedure.
CARDIOVASCULAR CONDITIONS: Angina; Angioplasty; Aortic aneurysm; Bypass surgery; Defibrillator; Heart attack; Heart rhythm disorders (arrhythmia, tachycardia, bradycardia); Peripheral vascular problems; Valvulopathy
NEUROLOGICAL CONDITIONS: Stroke (cerebrovascular accident); TIA (transient ischemic attack)
PULMONARY CONDITIONS: Chronic bronchitis; COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease); Cystic fibrosis; Emphysema
2. For people age 54 and under, during the 3 months preceding the effective date of coverage, in addition to the exclusion in point 1:
     a) Any medical condition that affects you and that is not stable
     b) Any heart condition for which you have used nitroglycerin
3. For people age 55 to 79, during the 6 months preceding the effective date of coverage, in addition to the exclusions in point 1:  
     a) Any medical condition that affects you and that is not stable
     b) Any heart condition for which you have used nitroglycerin

For a pre-existing condition to be considered STABLE, it must meet all the following criteria:
1. No new medical diagnosis has been made.
2. No new symptoms appeared and there was no worsening or increase in the frequency of existing symptoms.
3. No hospitalization has taken place.
4. No new medication was prescribed or recommended.
5. No change of dosage* was made to a medication already prescribed or recommended (dose increased or decreased, or consumption stopped).
6. No new treatment or medical test is pending or has been prescribed, ongoing or recommended.
7. No ongoing treatment has been changed or discontinued.
8. No prescribed or recommended treatment, nor medical advice has been ignored.

* Blue Cross does not consider the following to be a change of dosage in existing medication: routine insulin or Coumadin® adjustment; Replacement of a medication by an equivalent generic brand if its dosage remains unchanged; Decrease in dosage of cholesterol medication; Adjustment to a hormone replacement therapy treatment; Change in consumption of non-prescribed Aspirin®, vitamins, minerals, etc.; Use of cream or ointment prescribed for skin irritation.

EXTENSIONS:

To extend your insurance coverage:
– You must contact us before the end of the coverage period of your contract.
– You must still be eligible for insurance.
– Your health must not have changed since the beginning of the coverage period.
– You must pay the required additional premium. If the extension or the coverage affect the initial rate of the premium, the new premium will apply for the entire duration of the contract.
If you file a claim during the initial period of coverage, the Insurer’s approval is required to extend the contract. Once the approval to extend the contract has been granted, any claim that pertains to an event that occurred during the initial period of coverage will be rejected.
NOTE: When requesting an extension, you must notify us of any claims made or to come in connection with costs incurred since the effective date of the contract. If you fail to do so, no claim for the coverage period prior to your extension request will be accepted if it is submitted after the extension has been granted.
Extension for a contract longer than a year requires a new contract to be issued.

SIDE TRIPS: 
The insurance coverage remains valid when the covered person takes a side-trip outside of Canada under the following conditions:
• Trips outside of Canada must not exceed 30 days at a time.
• Each side-trip must begin and end in Canada.
• The covered person is not travelling to his/her country of permanent residence.
• The duration of all side-trips combined does not exceed 49% of the period of coverage of the contract.
NOTE: When a side-trip exceeds 30 days, only the first 30 days of the trip will be covered. Starting on the 31th day, the insurance coverage will be suspended with no premium refund for the remainder of the side-trip. The coverage will resume when the covered person returns to Canada. The Insurer will not reimburse any claim arising from an illness, accident, injury or symptoms that occurred while the insurance coverage was suspended.
Should the total duration of the side-trips exceed 49% of the period of coverage, the contract will be considered null and void in it’s entirety. You have to purchase a new policy, if you decide to return back to Canada from your side trip.

REFUNDS:

When a Visitors to Canada contract is cancelled, a $25 administrative fee is deducted from the refund.
You can request the cancellation and refund of your contract from us:
    a) Before the effective date of the contract, or
    b) After the effective date of the contract, during the 10 days following the date of purchase, unless
          – You have submitted or intend to submit a claim related to the contract, or
          – The contract is for a period of 10 days or less
If you leave Canada or if you become insured under another policy before the contract expiry date and you have not and do not intend to submit a claim, you can ask us to terminate your insurance and obtain a partial refund of your premium.
When authorized, reimbursement is for unused contract days, less an administrative fee of $25. Unused days are accounted for as follows:
         – From the day after your departure date from Canada or from the effective date of mandatory medical insurance in Canada, upon presentation of proof of such date, or
         – From the day after Blue Cross receive your request, without presentation of proof.
Any proof provided must clearly indicate the effective date of the other insurance coverage you now have, or clearly show that you were outside Canada on the application date (for example, your ticket for transportation back to your country of permanent residence or a luggage tag issued by the carrier with your name, the date and place of return on it).

No premium refund is granted if:
        – You have submitted or intend to submit a claim related to the contract, or
        – You are repatriated at the expense of Blue Cross.

CLAIMS:

In the event of an emergency during a trip, immediately contact Blue Cross Travel Assistance: Canada or United States1-800-361-6068 or 514-286-8411.
Assistance agents offer the covered person 24-hour service, 7 days a week.
NOTICE: Failure to contact the assistance centre in the event of medical consultation or hospitalization following an accident or sudden illness could result in the compensation requested being refused. 

All claims should be reported to CanAssistance in writing within 30 days of acquiring and all original documents have to be transmitted to the insurance company within 90 days.
To obtain a claim form the covered person may contact the Customer Service Department at: 1-800-387-2538 for Quebec or 1-800-557-3907 for other Canadian provinces.

EXCLUSIONS:

Exclusions due to pre-existing medical conditions: No amount is payable, under the terms of this coverage, if the loss sustanied or the costs incurred result directly or indirectly from one of the following causes:
1. For people of all ages:
All of the following conditions listed in one of the categories below will be excluded if, for one of the conditions in this category:
– You have already undergone a procedure, seen the physician, been diagnosed, treated or hospitalized, or if you have received a prescription or taken a medication, or
– It has been recommended by a physician that you receive treatment, undergo tests, take medication or undergo a procedure.
CARDIOVASCULAR CONDITIONS:
        • Angina
        • Angioplasty
        • Aortic aneurysm
        • Bypass surgery
        • Defibrillator
        • Heart attack
        • Heart rhythm disorders (arrhythmia, tachycardia, bradycardia)
        • Peripheral vascular problems
        • Valvulopathy
NEUROLOGICAL CONDITIONS:
        • Stroke (cerebrovascular accident) 
        • TIA (transient ischemic attack)
PULMONARY CONDITIONS: 
        • Chronic bronchitis
        • COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)
        • Cystic fibrosis
        • Emphysema
2. For people age 54 and under, during the 3 months preceding the effective date of coverage, in addition to the exclusion in point 1:
     a) Any medical condition that affects you and that is not stable
     b) Any heart condition for which you have used nitroglycerin
3. For people age 55 to 79, during the 6 months preceding the effective date of coverage, in addition to the exclusions in point 1:  
     a) Any medical condition that affects you and that is not stable
     b) Any heart condition for which you have used nitroglycerin

Other exclusions:
No amount is payable under the terms of this coverage if the loss suffered or costs incurred result directly or indirectly from one of the following situations:
1. Treatment received without approval from Blue Cross Travel Assistance:
   a) Costs incurred during a medical consultation or hospitalization when you failed to communicate with Blue Cross Travel Assistance in advance, as mentioned in the “In case of emergency while travelling” section of this coverage. 
   b) Costs resulting from a situation where you chose to receive a treatment or undergo surgery without receiving prior approval from Blue Cross Travel Assistance and/or when we do not consider such care to be urgent. 
   c) Once your treatment has started, costs incurred when you failed to communicate with Blue Cross Travel Assistance to access and approve any additional treatment.
   d) Fees exceeding $10,000 for emergency air evacuation to the nearest suitable medical facility, when transportation has not been scheduled by Blue Cross Travel Assistance.
2. Foreseeable treatment: Costs related to a medical condition for which it is expected that, or it is reasonable to believe that, treatment will be required during the trip.
3. Pending treatment or failure to comply with a prescribed treatment: A condition for which medical advice has not been followed or investigations, treatments, examinations or recommended interventions have not been carried out.
4. Non-urgent, experimental or optional treatment: No benefit will be paid for a non-urgent, experimental or optional treatment. For example, the costs of the following consultations or treatments are excluded: Routine check-ups; Any treatments required for the conditions stabilization or a chronic medical condition, including the renewal of a prescription; Aesthetic care or treatment; Rehabilitation care; Convalescent care: Care given for the convenience of the patient; Clinical research; Experimental drugs.
The mere fact that treatments provided in your country of permanent residence are of inferior quality or take longer to obtain that those which can be obtained in Canada does not constitute, within the meaning of this exclusion, a medical emergency.
5. Continued treatment once the medical emergency is over: Continuing a treatment if Blue Cross determine that the medical emergency is over.
6. Treatment received further to your transfer or repatriation refusal: If Blue Cross determine that you should be transferred to another facility or that you must be repatriated to your country of permanent residence to receive treatment and you choose not to consent, no benefit will be paid for this treatment or for subsequent treatments related to this medical condition.
7. Abusive or unreasonable billing: Any invoiced amount that is not considered a customary and reasonable expense.
8. Treatments not covered under government programs: Treatments that are not insured under the government programs of the province where the care is rendered.
9. Trip undertaken for medical purposes: No benefits will be paid if your trip is undertaken for the purpose of receiving a diagnosis, treatment, surgery, medical assessment, palliative care or any other form of therapy.
10. Pregnancy, childbirth, or related complications: All expenses related to pregnancy, including those linked to:
     a) Childbirth
     b) Prenatal and postnatal care
     c) Assisted reproduction (procreation)
     d) Termination of pregnancy
     e) Any complication related to pregnancy or childbirth.
11. Child born during the coverage period: Expenses related to the care of treatment provided to your child born during the coverage period.
12. Mental health disorders: Any medical condition resulting from a mental health or psychiatric disorder, unless you must be hospitalized for such condition.
13. Suicide and self-inflicted injury: Suicide, attempted suicide or intentional injury, whether it is due to a psychological disorder or not.
14. Use of alcohol, drugs and other intoxicating substances: Any medical condition resulting from or in any way related to:
    – Your chronic use of alcohol, drugs, or other intoxicating substances, including withdrawal symptoms.
    – Your excessive use of alcohol, drugs, or other intoxicating substances.
    – Driving a motor vehicle while you are impaired by any drug, whether it is legal or not, or with a blood alcohol level greater than 80 mg per 100 ml of blood (0.08).
15. Illegal act: Your participation in any criminal or illegal act or any attempt to commit such acts, under any law.
16. Act of war and civil unrest: Costs related to: Any act of war, whether war is declared or not; A revolt: A revolution: Your voluntary participation in a riot or insurrection.
17. High-risk sports or activities*: Any medical condition resulting from your participation in high-risk sports or activities.
18. Non-urgent prescribed item: Cost of a prescribed item unrelated to a medical emergency, such as a pair of glasses or a hearing aid.
19. Treatment received after an extension: Expenses incurred during the extension period of your contract if they are linked to a medical condition that occurred during the coverage period preceding your extension request.
20. Treatment received in your country of permanent residence: Expenses for services or treatment provided in your country of permanent residence during the coverage period, including during a “Trip break.”
21. Treatment received while the insurance coverage is suspended: Expenses related to services or treatments provided during a side trip while the insurance coverage is suspended.
22. Medical condition that occurred while the insurance coverage is suspended: Expenses related to any medical condition that occurred during a side trip while insurance coverage is suspended, whether the expenses are incurred during or after the suspension of the insurance coverage.
23. Illness during the waiting period: Expenses related to an illness that occurred during the waiting period, whether the expenses are incurred during or after the waiting period.
24. Consultations or examinations required as part of an immigration application: Fees or medical consultation, tests and examinations required by the government for an immigration application.
25. Congenital diseases and malformations: Expenses related to a congenital disease or malformation for any child under the age of 2, where or not it has been diagnosed, as well as the health problems resulting from it.

*High-risk sports or activities means:
1. All sports or activities for which the safety instructions, warning signs or prohibited areas are not observed.
2. All extreme sports or activities involving stunts, aerobatics, or improvised installations.
3. All motor sports in the context of competition or training, including on an approved circuit or elsewhere.
4. All sports practiced as a paid professional.
5. All high-level sports competitions, including the Olympics and national and international championships.
6. All aerial sports, including: Hang-gliding; Parasailing; Bungee jumping; Skydiving or free fall.
7. All combat sports, including: Boxing; Judo; Karate.
8. All sports authorizing tackling or body checking, including: American football; Hockey; Rugby.
9. All high-risk water sports, including: Canoeing, kayaking, or rafting on rapids of grades 4 to 6 according to the International Scale of River Difficulty; Canyoning; Kitesurfing; Scuba diving practiced (Without adequate certification – except for an initiation activity supervised by a certified person, or at a depth of over 30 meters, or in an environment with a high degree of risk – wreck, cave, under ice, at night, etc.
10. All high-risk mountain or climbing sports, including: Climbing; Mountaineering of grades 4 and 5 according to the scale of the Yosemite Decimal System – YDS; Off-track snow sports or with jumps or acrobatics; Snow sports using an airfoil; Off-track mountain biking or with jumps or acrobatics.

Dependent child means a child of the contract holder, their spouse, or both and over 30 days old at the effective date of the contract, who is unmarried and depends on the contract holder for support. Also, to be considered a dependent child, the child must be:
   – 20 years of age or under, or
   – 21 to 24 years of age and attending an educational institution as a full-time student, or
   – physically or mentally disabled, regardless of age.

Age refers to the age at the time of purchase of your contract. Covered persons must be a minimum of 31 days old and a maximum of 79 years old at the time of the insurance purchase.

IMPORTANT NOTE: The product-related information on this website is for illustration purposes only. For complete benefits, terms, conditions, limitations and exclusions, please see the policy booklet at the download section below. Please read and understand your policy before you travel.

 

DOWNLOADS:

Blue Cross Visitors Insurance Policy PDF

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Please Note: The information and content of this site is intended for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to constitute insurance, legal, financial, tax or any other professional advice or services. Insurance policy wordings are subject to change at any time, without prior notice. Please, read the disclaimer page for all legal restrictions and terms of use or call us toll free 1-877-838-0020