stewdebs

Hi, I wondered if anyone has any info on getting health insurance. I undersatnd that we need it for 3 months before we're covered by the Health system. We will be landing and living in B.C. Can anyone recommend a good company. Thanks Deborah.

iaink

If no one has a personal recomendation, here is the list of providers from settlement.org to get you started.

http://www.settlement.org/sys/librar...doc_id=1003775

Iginla

This is news to me.

We got ours from day 1 simply by joining Alberta Health and Wellness like everyone else.

iaink

Thats an alberta thing (Manitoba too?) Ontario and BC and most of the other provinces have a 90day wait time before you are eligiable. BC and Ontario also both have healthcare premiums now. Not sure what "the greatest canadian" Tommy Douglas would make of that?

Pretty Flowers

I've taken pot luck and not taken out any health insurance for the first 3 months.

I'm nearly half way through that time now, and so far everything is ok. I think it depends on your health, if you have kids and a partner and the like. I decided to run the risk of not taking it out.

ksct97

quebec's another that takes 90days for it to kick in...

iaink

Thats a HUGE risk Sarah, one accident, one night in hospital...$900+ :scared: :scared: :scared: Thats just for accomodation, not treatment or diagnostic tests!!!

How come your employer who went to great lengths to entice you from the UK isnt picking up the tab for newcommers insurance. I thought that was standard parctice in any half decent HR department?

Pretty Flowers

I thought I would take the risk - it's just as much of a gamble buying insurance anyway.

I also have some medical insurance through work...

iaink

That would be the newcomers insurance then, so you are covered. At least it better be. I would check on it if I were you as its not really illness you have to watch out for. Have you seen the number of car wrecks on the 400s in the snow? Seriously, for the $150 its not a risk worth going bancrupt over.

Every 30 seconds in the US someone declares bancrupcy due to medical expenses.

Iginla

So is this for new arrivals into the country or the province?

e.g. If we move to Ontario from Alberta do we have to go through this 90 day wait time?

POI too. Always make sure you have separate insurance when you leave your province.

eyey

Try this also
HealthInsuranceCanada.

HTH.

Rgds,
eyey

jorja

I've got Blue Cross $4 per day, covers you for what Medicare covers residents.

Jonny

The insurance we used was with Canadian Direct (www.canadiandirect.com). We used a policy called "Visitors to Canada Emergency Hospital/Medical". This policy states that "The insured is a visitor to Canada, an immigrant awaiting provincial Government Health Care Coverage, or a returning Canadian." You can choose the level of coverage from $10k, $25k, $50k, $100k, $150k, ours was just $10k, and the premium was $148.80 each for the 3 month period.

hot wasabi peas

I'm Canadian (in the UK) and when I go back to BC I always buy "visitors to Canada" travel-health insurance for the time I'm there. I use and I'm personally happy with: http://www.tuffreymills.com/trav-med.html
(though I've never had to make a claim, so who really knows, eh?)

I know this place - http://www.david-cummings.com/ arranges travel-health insurance plans for international students at the major universities in Vancouver and also provides "Visitors to Canada" travel-health insurance.

HTH.

wcitizen

Having 2 kids, I decided not to take the risk and insured the whole family for $700-$800 with Maritime Life. We had to take our son to doc a couple of times, but it was REALLY hard to claim the visit fee: I had to write to them 3-4 times, call them 8-9 times and threaten to claim back the insurance premium with my credit card company unless they pay $30 for the doc's visit charge. So the moral:
FORGET ABOUT MARITIME LIFE! THEY ARE COW BOYS!