gorleen

Hello. Me, my wife and mother-in-law all have our PR status, but are unable to make the final move from the UK to Canada until about summer 2014. So we are trying to accrue our 730 days. This means we are toing and froing to Canada 2 or 3 times a year, as my wife and I are both over 60 and dear Mum-in-Law is 91 travel insurance is very expensive! Can anyone advise me of maybe approaching this from another angle so reducing our insurance costs. The main thing, of course, is covering any health issues or accidents. Our next trip over to Ontario is this October to next February............yes, winter time!!!

Many thanks. Gordon.

Aviator

Leave the old girl behind?

gorleen

Thanks, Aviator, I understand where you are coming from, but thats not the answer I am looking for. Mum-in-Law has to get her days in too.

bats

presumably you were not in Canada for the required number of days after landing and you can't declare that Canada is your main residence?? Otherwise you could get OHIP. Have to be in Canada for 5 months of the year.

gorleen

Thank you, we are coming over sponsored by our son who lives in Ontario. As we live with them whilst in Canada we declare his address. We see the requirements of Canadian Immigration are 730 days residence in the first 5 years. We gained our PR status in Dec. 2010, intending to move in with our son and his family, but he was made redundant and moved from NS to On, he may well have to move again soon to Alberta, as his future is a little uncertain we have remained in the UK, whilst things get sorted. That is why we are in the situation of having to fly over every now and then to "get our days in". But we are now finding the cost of travel insurance a little prohibitive. Hence my question.
Forgive my ignorance, but what is OHIP and why 5 months of the year?
Many thanks for your time and info.

Novocastrian

OHIP is the Ontario Health Insurance Plan which covers most health costs (except drugs). There's a 3 month waiting period between applying for it (as PR for example) and it kicking in. You say you'll be here from Oct. until Feb. So if you apply upon arrival, it'll be valid before you leave again.

It will remain valid in your next absence(s) so long as you reside in Ontario for a minimum period each calendar year.

bats, who should know, says 5 months: I thought it was six, but whatever.

bats

I thought it was 5 too as most snowbirds are absent for 6 but I think they allow some extra for more jaunts out of Canada

to the OP, not wanting to rain on your parade but are you aware that your UK pensions will be frozen once you start withdrawing them from Canada? If you go back to the UK, or down to the US you would get the higher rate while you are there, then back to the frozen rate once back in Canada.

Simon Legree

In Nova Scotia it's six months.
Being in the US as a snowbird has no bearing on your UK State Pension. I was told by the kind folks at Tyne Park that you have to be a full time US resident for it to apply.

bats

OHIP is 212 days in a year.

I read that if you are back in the UK, or a country where the frozen thing does not apply then you get the current rate but only for the time you are in the other country. Maybe it's only if back in the UK?

Simon Legree

I believe that is the case. Only in the UK.

bats

Here, I've found a link to info.

http://www.britishpensions.org.au/CF(N)701.pdf

sadly the USA is excluded

Aviator

It is where you are legally resident, the acid test being tax residency if proof is required.

Novocastrian

365-212= (Oh god where's my calculator?) ah yes, 153. So how many Februarys is that?

gorleen

Hello again, many thanks to all who have replied, some useful info there. I shall check out the OHIP and we are aware of the "frozen UK state pension" position. Returning to my original question, is there any way we can reduce our travel insurance costs? They are quite high, due, in part, to Mum-in-Laws age and the fact that I had an op for cancer just 11 months ago and radiotherapy this year, but I seem to be doing ok, having been discharged by my Oncologist. This now begs another question, can my cancer (Prostate) in any way affect my re-entry to Ontario this time? Thank you.

lf1

http://www.pac.bluecross.ca/Corp/travel/travel-vtc.aspx

When MIL visited us in Canada I used to arrange her health insurance through Blue Cross. I have no idea if they will prove to be competitive in your case, but an option to consider.