Please can anyone advise as to what type of insurance they have taken out prior to leaving the UK, to cover them for the first few weeks in Canada. I have done a few searches and it's a bit of a minefield. We are moving to Alberta, and if I understand correctly, we should be covered for health issues as soon as we get our SIN (other provinces need you to be there for 3 months) but do we need a general insurance that covers everything, not just health, but belongings etc until we are established? I assume we can't really take a British travel insurance if we are not returning to the UK?? If so, has anyone got any companies they can recommend?

Thanks so much!

Until you have a place to live, there is no insurance you can take out for belongings. Your UK travel insurance ends when you arrive in Canada. Your UK homeowners insurance may cover you if you still have it when you arrive in Canada. You cannot take out homeowners or renters insurance here until you have bought or rented somewhere to live. Visit and insurance broker when you arrive, they can guide you.

Thanks, but I thought there was something called immigration insurance for newly arrived immigrants? CanadaSure and Blue Cross for example?

If we were taken ill before we had our SIN, we wouldn't be covered would we?

Thanks

http://www.health.alberta.ca/AHCIP/m...o-Alberta.html

There is an emigrants insurance available from this company that covers you for up to 3 months of arrival, if it is of any use to you.

http://www.duinsure.com/sites/duinsu...ies_Emigration

Thanks Siouxie, that's the sort of thing. That's the only one I've read about so far that gives you a choice of length of cover which is good. However, reading the other link, it looks like Alberta will cover us immediately.

The other advantage to one of their policies is that it covers baggage etc., whilst you are in Canada and also is a travel insurance policy.

I have a great broker who set up our tenant insurance. We had it ready for when our container arrived. PM me if you want her details!

I am pretty sure you are covered by Alberta Healthcare when you arrive. We didn't get sick quickly so don't know for definate.

You can get your SINs really easily and quickly - we got them Monday morning and landed Saturday

You got them 5 days before you arrived?

Hardly. We landed Saturday and got them 2 days later on the Monday...

I could have structured my initial sentence better. "It is what it is!"

That was not what you said though