Super Visa insurance
rate comparison, 2026.

Every major Canadian insurer offering Super Visa coverage has different strengths: some are cheapest for young applicants, others handle pre-existing conditions better, some have faster claims. This comparison puts all five side-by-side using 2026 monthly rates for Calgary applicants and Wings Travels' claim-handling experience from 5,000+ Super Visa policies brokered since 2015.

We're an independent broker, meaning our commission is roughly the same across carriers — we don't have a carrier-preference reason to push one over another. The recommendations below come from actually matching carriers to parent profiles.

Quick overview

• Manulife CoverMe — the brand name most Calgary families recognise. Broadest pre-existing condition coverage (180-day stability period). Mid-range pricing.
• GMS (Group Medical Services) — consistently cheapest for healthy applicants under 70. Fast, friction-light claims but stricter stability rules on pre-existing conditions.
• Travelance — flexible deductibles ($0-$10,000) let you fine-tune premiums. Mid-range for most scenarios, sometimes the cheapest option at high deductibles.
• TuGo — strongest claims reputation in the industry per J.D. Power studies. Best fit for applicants with managed chronic conditions. Higher base rates but often worth it.
• Destination Travel Group — competitive for the 70+ age bracket and a hidden-gem option our desk often recommends when the other four price out.

Side-by-side 2026 monthly rates

$100,000 coverage, $0 deductible, no pre-existing conditions, paying monthly. Representative rates as of Q2 2026:

Age	Manulife	GMS	Travelance	TuGo	Destination
40-54	$92	$85	$88	$95	$97
55-59	$118	$110	$112	$122	$125
60-64	$149	$140	$144	$155	$157
65-69	$178	$170	$172	$185	$188
70-74	$220	$215	$218	$225	$210
75-79	$275	$270	$272	$280	$268
80-84	$350	$345	$348	$358	$342

Cheapest carrier in each row highlighted. Pricing shifts quarterly; we re-check live rates with each client quote.

Manulife CoverMe — the safe default

Manulife is the insurance brand most Canadian parents already recognise, which matters because IRCC visa officers see thousands of Super Visa applications — they're familiar with Manulife documentation, reducing paperwork delays. Manulife's 180-day stability period is the most forgiving in the industry: if your parent has been on the same blood-pressure medication for 180 days with no changes, the condition is covered without a surcharge.

• Best for: applicants 60+, applicants with pre-existing conditions, families wanting brand recognition.
• Claims: mid-pack speed. Paperwork-driven; doctors' notes required for most non-emergency claims.
• Refund rules: prorated refund after 10 days of policy activation, minus $50 admin fee.

GMS (Group Medical Services) — the value pick

Regina-based GMS is consistently the cheapest quote for healthy applicants under 70. Their pricing model is aggressive and claims are handled through a straightforward online portal. The catch is a stricter 90-day stability period for pre-existing conditions — if the applicant's medication changed in the last 90 days, the condition isn't covered.

• Best for: healthy parents 40-69 with no recent medication changes.
• Claims: fast, digital-first. 24-hour turnaround on simple claims.
• Refund rules: prorated refund, $25 admin fee.

Travelance — the flexibility play

Travelance is a mid-pack insurer owned by Old Republic Canada. Their unique selling point is deductible flexibility: $0, $500, $1,000, $5,000, and $10,000 options. Choosing a $1,000 deductible drops your monthly premium by 10-15% with minimal real risk for a healthy applicant. At $10,000, you're essentially buying catastrophic coverage only — premiums drop 25-30%.

• Best for: price-sensitive families willing to accept some out-of-pocket exposure.
• Claims: mid-speed. Handled through Active Claims portal.
• Refund rules: prorated refund, $50 admin fee.

TuGo — the claims-quality pick

TuGo (formerly TIC Travel Insurance) has the industry's strongest claims reputation per J.D. Power Canadian Travel Insurance studies. Their premiums are 5-10% higher than the cheapest option but the claim experience materially differs — 85%+ claim approval on first submission vs 70-75% industry average. For families with managed chronic conditions (stable diabetes, arthritis, controlled heart disease), TuGo's medical underwriting tends to be more nuanced and approval-friendly.

• Best for: applicants with managed chronic conditions; families who want peace of mind on claims.
• Claims: best in class. Dedicated case manager for each claim.
• Refund rules: prorated refund, $50 admin fee.

Destination Travel Group — the 70+ specialist

Destination is a smaller player that specifically prices competitively for the 70+ age bracket where the big four (Manulife, GMS, Travelance, TuGo) often quote higher. Their stability period is 90 days — stricter than Manulife — but for healthy applicants 70+ without recent changes, they're often the cheapest option by $30-$100/month.

• Best for: healthy applicants 70+ with stable medical history.
• Claims: mid-speed, smaller operation means more personal handling.
• Refund rules: prorated refund, $50 admin fee.

Who wins by scenario?

• Healthy 62-year-old parent, no conditions → GMS at ~$140/month (cheapest by $9/month)
• Diabetic 67-year-old, stable 200 days → Manulife (180-day stability wins)
• Multiple managed conditions, 72-year-old → TuGo (best claims approval rate)
• Budget-sensitive, willing to accept deductible → Travelance with $1,000 deductible
• Healthy 78-year-old, no conditions → Destination at ~$268/month

The right carrier often changes based on a single medical-history detail. That's the value of getting a quote through an independent broker like Wings Travels — we ask the right medical questions upfront and route to the carrier that prices your specific parent best.

See also: the base monthly pricing breakdown before jumping into carrier choice, and our plain-English pick by family situation.

Frequently asked questions