Who has Cheap Travel Insurance for Trips to Canada?
While no single travel insurance company or policy is the best for everyone, we've analyzed dozens of travel insurance plans for trips to Canada to arrive at a selection of stand-out travel insurance policies, based on their features and prices. Read our research to help you find the best plan for you.
The guidance on this site is based on our own analysis and is meant to help you identify options and narrow down your choices. We do not advise or tell you which product to buy; undertake your own due diligence before entering into any agreement. Read our full disclosure here.
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Cheap Travel Insurance to Canada
What to look for, and what it costs -
Premium Travel Insurance to Canada
Add-ons and extras worth considering -
Do I Need Travel Insurance to Canada?
Why it matters for UK travellers
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Pre-Existing Medical Conditions
Travel Insurance to Canada with Medical Conditions -
Travel Insurance for Families
What to look for when travelling with children -
Cost
How Much is Travel Insurance to Canada?
Best Cheap Travel Insurance to Canada
There is no reciprocal healthcare agreement between the UK and Canada, which means UK visitors are responsible for the full cost of any medical treatment they receive—and Canadian healthcare, while excellent, is not cheap. A single day on a hospital ward can cost anywhere from £750 to £1,700, and that's before factoring in specialist treatment, surgery or emergency repatriation. That makes medical cover one of the most important things to get right on any Canada policy, even a budget one.
Single trip policies for a healthy adult travelling to Canada for a week start from around £12 to £20 for entry-level cover, rising to around £30 to £50 or more for a comprehensive Defaqto 5-star policy. Prices are notably higher for Canada than for European destinations because of the potential cost of medical claims. For a two-week trip, expect to pay more, and families should budget roughly double the individual rate (though children typically travel free on family policies).
When looking for budget cover, use a comparison site to filter by Defaqto star rating alongside price. A 3-star policy may suffice for a very simple trip with low non-refundable costs, but a 4- or 5-star policy will offer meaningfully higher limits across Medical, Cancellation and Baggage, and is generally worth the extra few pounds for a long-haul destination like Canada. Note also that Canada falls into the "worldwide including USA/Canada" pricing tier on most comparison sites, which costs more than European cover.
The key things to look for in any Canada travel insurance policy are:
- Emergency Medical Expenses of at least £5 million, ideally £10 million or more. There is no NHS equivalent for UK visitors in Canada, so any medical treatment comes entirely at your own cost without insurance.
- Cancellation/Curtailment cover sufficient to match the total non-refundable cost of your trip, including flights, accommodation, pre-booked tours and ski passes. Return flights from the UK to Canada regularly cost £600 to £1,200 or more per person.
- Repatriation back to the UK if you suffer a serious illness or injury. Air ambulance repatriation from Canada can cost tens of thousands of pounds.
- Baggage/Personal Belongings cover for loss, theft or damage. Check the single-item limit, as budget policies often cap this at £200 to £300, which may not cover a phone, laptop or camera.
- Baggage Delay to reimburse essential purchases if your bags don't arrive when you do.
- Travel Delay for disruption caused by adverse weather, strikes or mechanical breakdown.
Also worth checking: personal liability cover, loss or theft of your passport, and Gadget cover if you're travelling with expensive devices. Mobile phones are frequently excluded from standard Baggage cover, so check the policy wording carefully.
Premium Travel Insurance to Canada
Those insuring more expensive Canada trips—multi-week itineraries, ski holidays with pre-booked passes and equipment hire, luxury accommodation—or those travelling with high-value luggage will want higher cover limits than a budget policy provides. Premium single-trip policies for Canada from a healthy adult typically cost in the range of £40 to £90, with higher limits across the board and more features included as standard rather than as paid extras.
Beyond the core cover, premium policies tend to include or offer the following add-ons:
- Winter Sports cover is essential for anyone skiing or snowboarding in Canada, whether that's Whistler, Banff, Jasper or Mont-Tremblant. Standard travel insurance does not cover winter sports—only around 13% of annual policies include it as standard—so you'll almost always need to add it explicitly. Winter sports cover typically includes medical expenses for ski and snowboard injuries, mountain rescue, piste closure, and cover for lost, stolen or damaged equipment. It costs around £20 to £30 per person to add on average. Make sure your chosen policy covers the type of skiing you plan to do: off-piste skiing and backcountry skiing often require a more specific add-on or specialist policy, and some policies require you to be accompanied by a guide for off-piste cover to apply.
- Adventure Sports / Activities cover is worth checking if you plan to hike at altitude, go kayaking, snowmobile, mountain bike, or take part in any higher-risk activities. Canada is a popular destination for outdoor adventure, and many standard policies limit cover for activities above a certain risk level.
- Gadget cover protects phones, tablets, cameras and laptops for loss, theft or accidental damage, with limits typically ranging from £1,000 to £3,000. Standard Baggage cover usually excludes mobile phones or sets single-item limits too low to replace modern devices.
- Scheduled Airline Failure (SAFI) and End Supplier Failure (ESF) protects you if your airline or a pre-booked supplier goes bust. SAFI is more widely available; ESF cover is rarer but more comprehensive. Limits typically range from £1,000 to £5,000.
- Travel Disruption / Catastrophe cover extends standard Travel Delay benefits to include events like volcanic ash clouds, hurricanes and extreme weather. Worth considering given Canada's sometimes severe winter weather, which can cause significant flight and travel disruption.
- £0 excess on Cancellation or medical claims means no out-of-pocket contribution towards a successful claim, and is available on some premium-tier policies.
Do I Need Travel Insurance to Canada? Why it's Important
Travel insurance is not a legal requirement for UK visitors to Canada, but the case for having it is arguably stronger than for many other popular destinations. Unlike Australia, there is no reciprocal healthcare agreement between the UK and Canada. Your GHIC card (which gives access to healthcare in EU countries) is not valid in Canada. There is no equivalent of the UK-EU arrangement. If you fall ill or have an accident in Canada, you will pay for all of it yourself unless you have travel insurance in place.
Canadian healthcare is high-quality but expensive for uninsured visitors. A hospitalisation for a serious injury or illness could cost thousands of pounds. Emergency medical evacuation from a remote area—particularly relevant for those visiting national parks, skiing in mountainous regions, or travelling outside major cities—can cost tens of thousands of pounds more. And with return flights to Canada often costing £600 or more per person, the Cancellation section of your policy adds another layer of protection if your trip has to be abandoned before you even depart.
The UK's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) recommends that all travellers to Canada take out travel insurance, including comprehensive cover for emergency medical treatment and repatriation.
If you'd like more detailed information on the ins and outs of travel insurance, you can read more in our Travel Insurance Guide.
How To Pick a Good Travel Insurance Plan for You
Here are the key things to look for when choosing a travel insurance plan for Canada:
- Cancellation/Curtailment cover at least equal to the total non-refundable value of your trip. For a typical Canada holiday including flights, accommodation and any pre-booked excursions, this could easily be £2,000 to £5,000 per person or more.
- Emergency Medical Expenses of at least £5 million. There is no NHS equivalent in Canada for UK visitors, so this is the most important element to get right.
- Repatriation back to the UK for serious illness or injury, ideally with medically supervised cover included.
- Baggage/Personal Belongings cover with a single-item limit high enough to cover your most valuable items. Many budget policies cap single items at £200 to £300, which will not cover a smartphone, camera or laptop.
- Baggage Delay to cover the cost of emergency purchases if your bags are delayed.
- Travel Delay/Missed Departure for disruption to your journey.
- 24-hour emergency assistance accessible from Canada, where the time difference from the UK is five to eight hours.
- Winter Sports cover if you plan to ski, snowboard, or take part in any snow sports. This is almost never included as standard and must be added explicitly—see more below.
Use the Defaqto star rating when comparing policies to gauge how comprehensive a plan is at a glance. For Canada, we'd suggest aiming for at least 4 stars, and 5 stars if your trip involves a high total value or any adventurous activities.
Going to Canada to Ski or Snowboard?
Canada is one of the world's premier ski destinations, with resorts including Whistler Blackcomb, Banff Lake Louise, Sun Peaks and Mont-Tremblant attracting large numbers of UK visitors each winter. If your trip involves any skiing or snowboarding, you must ensure your policy includes Winter Sports cover—standard travel insurance almost never covers it.
Winter sports cover typically adds around £20 to £30 per person to a single-trip policy. It generally includes:
- Medical expenses for injuries on the slopes
- Mountain rescue and helicopter evacuation
- Piste closure compensation if the resort can't open
- Ski equipment cover (loss, theft or damage)
- Unused lift pass reimbursement if you can't ski due to injury
A few things to check carefully: not all winter sports policies cover off-piste skiing, and very few cover backcountry skiing (beyond marked resort boundaries) without a specialist add-on. If you're planning to ski off-piste or in the backcountry, read the policy wording carefully and make sure your planned activities are explicitly covered. Some policies require you to be accompanied by a certified guide for off-piste cover to apply.
Also be aware that participating in any snow sports without winter sports cover in place may invalidate the rest of your travel insurance policy, including Cancellation, Baggage and non-sport-related medical cover. Don't risk it.
A small number of providers include Winter Sports cover as standard on some annual multi-trip plans — Insure & Go and Virgin Money are among those worth checking if you ski regularly and want to avoid adding the cover separately each year.
For more detail on what winter sports insurance costs in the UK, see our article on the average cost of winter sports insurance.
Single Trip or Multi Trip Cover
You'll need to decide between a Single Trip or Annual, Multi-Trip plan. For most UK travellers, Canada is a standalone trip rather than one of several holidays in a year, which makes a single-trip policy the natural choice. However, if you take two or more overseas holidays per year, an annual policy may be better value overall.
The key caveat for Canada is Maximum Trip Length on annual policies. Most annual plans cap individual trips at 30 to 45 days. If your Canada trip is a multi-week ski holiday or extended sightseeing tour that pushes up against or beyond this limit, a single-trip policy gives you more flexibility—many single-trip policies can cover trips of up to 90 days or longer. Check the maximum trip duration before buying an annual policy.
Note also that annual policies covering Canada and the USA tend to cost significantly more than Europe-only annual cover, reflecting the higher potential medical costs in North America. Compare quotes for both options if you're considering an annual policy.
Travel Insurance with Pre-Existing Conditions to Canada
The absence of any reciprocal healthcare agreement makes travel insurance for Canada with a pre-existing medical condition particularly important. Without cover, any medical costs arising from a known condition would fall entirely to you—and in Canada, those costs can be very high.
Always declare your condition fully and accurately when getting a quote. Failing to disclose a pre-existing condition that later gives rise to a claim will typically result in the claim being rejected entirely, regardless of whether the condition directly caused the incident. It's also worth checking:
- Whether your condition is covered, or whether it is excluded or subject to an additional premium. Some policies will cover conditions automatically; others require a medical questionnaire or decline cover for more serious conditions. Specialist providers tend to have more appetite for complex medical histories.
- The overall medical expenses limit—for travellers with conditions that carry any risk of a medical episode abroad, a higher limit of £10 million or more is worth the extra cost.
- Whether repatriation is explicitly covered, and whether it includes medically supervised repatriation back to the UK.
Travel insurance companies that specialise in medical conditions include goodtogoinsurance.com, JustTravelcover.com, OK To Travel, Saga, AllClear and Virgin Money. In particular, Fit2Travel and Free Spirit are known to offer cover when other providers may not. You are also likely to pay more for travel insurance if you have a medical condition.
Travel Insurance to Canada for Families
Canada is a popular family destination, from Niagara Falls and the Rocky Mountains to wildlife experiences and winter ski trips. The total value of a family holiday to Canada—flights, accommodation, activities and lift passes—can easily reach £5,000 to £10,000 or more, making Cancellation cover particularly valuable. And given that there is no reciprocal healthcare safety net, solid medical cover matters for every member of the family, children included.
A few things to prioritise for family cover:
- Baggage Delay cover to reimburse essentials like nappies, clothing and toiletries if your bags don't arrive. This is not included on all budget policies, so check before buying.
- Travel Delay cover to help with food and refreshments if your flight is delayed for several hours—especially welcome when travelling with young children.
- Medical expenses for children as well as adults. Children are more prone to minor injuries and unexpected illnesses while travelling, and without cover all costs in Canada fall directly to you.
- Winter sports cover for all family members if you're going on a ski trip. Make sure the add-on explicitly covers children, and check that their planned activities (ski school, lessons, etc.) are included.
The good news on cost: most family policies price at roughly 2x the cost of an individual adult policy, as dependent children (typically under 18) are included at no extra charge. A single-trip family policy covering two adults and two children typically starts from around £30 to £45 for basic cover, rising to £60 or more for a comprehensive plan.
Average Cost of Travel Insurance to Canada
Travel insurance to Canada is more expensive than European cover, reflecting the higher potential medical costs in North America. A healthy adult can find cover starting from around £12 to £20 for a basic single-trip policy, rising to £30 to £50 or more for comprehensive 5-star cover on a one-week trip. For a two-week trip, expect to pay more, and annual multi-trip policies covering Canada and the USA start from around £86 on average.
Families of four will typically pay around double the individual rate, though children usually travel free on family policies. Prices rise significantly with age, particularly for travellers over 65, and are higher again for those with pre-existing conditions.
Key factors that affect what you pay:
- Your age — premiums increase with age, with a significant jump at 65 and again at 70.
- Trip length — longer trips cost more, as the risk of a claim increases.
- Level of cover — a 5-star Defaqto policy costs more than a 3-star one, but comes with higher limits across Medical, Cancellation and Baggage, and often a lower excess.
- Excess — a higher excess (the amount you contribute towards any claim) reduces your premium, but means a bigger out-of-pocket cost if you do claim.
- Add-ons — winter sports cover adds around £20 to £30 per person, gadget cover adds £10 to £25 depending on the limit chosen.
- Pre-existing conditions — declaring a condition typically increases the premium, with the amount varying by the type and severity of the condition.
If you'd like information on the cost of travel insurance to North America that already includes coverage for winter sports, please see our article Average Cost of Winter Sports Insurance UK.
FAQs
If you're interested in comparing the cost of travel insurance to other countries, see our other country-specific travel insurance studies:
If you'd like to get quotes for some of the plans mentioned on this page, and more, please click on the link below.
Find Cheap Travel Insurance to Canada
Protect your holiday today. Quick quotes from 20 insurers.