Will You Risk Not Having Health Insurance When Traveling To Canada?

Canada has a universal public health insurance program (Medicare) that usually covers the cost of most injuries and illnesses for citizens, meaning that individuals requiring dental or medical attention can visit doctors and hospitals with no bills to pay. However, some areas of health care arent covered by the governmental plan and travellers from other countries or new residents may not have access to the free health care, making short-term insurance a must. Suffering a medical emergency in a foreign country, even one as close as Canada, can empty your wallet very quickly.

Most short-term health insurance providers offer insurance for periods from as little as a few days to up to a year. Considering that many travellers to Canada can visit for only six months per year, health insurance coverage for longer periods may be unnecessary. However, individuals planning to enter and leave the country frequently over the course of a year should look into coverage that is as long as possible.

If you have health insurance in your own country, you can check with the insurance provider to see if your current coverage will also cover any accident or illness while travelling abroad, as you may not need a separate short-term insurance while on vacation or business. United States insurance companies can provide extra insurance for travellers to Canada based on the time spent out-of-country and the limits of coverage required. While health care costs in Canada are relatively lower than costs in the United States, you can estimate that a hospital stay in Canada might average 3,000 a day and having insurance coverage limits of approximately 50,000 is a good idea.

Compare costs between insurance companies and find out ahead of time what medical needs are covered and what arent. Never assume that the worst wont happen, as its always better to be safe than sorry. Also, do work with an insurance company that is professional and that carries a strong reputation. While unknown companies may have cheaper rates, choosing an insurance provider with a name most people recognize is the best decision. Be careful of deductibles, as theyll affect the overall cost of the insurance coverage. Higher deductibles lower rates and while paying out of pocket may seem feasible at the time you agree to take short-term insurance coverage, you may find yourself in serious medical straits without the available cash or funds required for treatment.

A consideration about requiring short-term health insurance for Canada is whether the individual has a pre-existing condition, as most short-term insurance plans will not cover costs relating to existing situations. Short-term health insurance is for emergencies only and for medical attention that is sudden or unplanned. Evacuation is something to look into, should you need to return to your home country or place of residence quickly. Many insurance providers dont offer the option of covering costs of evacuation, and the procedure could be expensive. Also, include dental insurance in your coverage if possible, as many people overlook this aspect but find themselves requiring emergency oral care.

Always carry identification on you, as well as information or a policy card that lets emergency attendants know that you have insurance coverage. Your identification should include the provider and policy name, effective dates, and as much pertinent coverage information as possible.

If you are looking for a fishing trip to remember, then one of the locations you should consider is Canada. Canada offers some of the best Saltwater and Freshwater fishing around. There are a wide area of rivers and ponds, freshwater lakes, and saltwater streams to choose from. Fish and wildlife are very abundant to make any tourist or Canadian happy. There would not be any reason for you to be unhappy.

Canada has the ideal water where the fish are abundant. There are plenty of shops and establishments that sell fishing gear and tools. Fishing in Canada is divided into two groups. They are the Lake Water Fishing, and the Salt Water Fishing. The two groups are totally different, especially in Canada.

Canada is most famous for its salmon fishing. Salmon are known for the great size and beauty. This type of fishing is enjoyed and is very rewarding because of the wide variety and abundant salmon. In Canada there are the Coho, Sockeye, Chinook and the Chum salmon. If you are looking to do this type of fishing there are many guides that specialize in salmon fishing adventures.

Saltwater fishing is popular on the 3 coasts of Canada. They are the Atlantic, Pacific, and Arctic oceans. This is a chance for the shark and tuna fishing. A lot of big saltwater are caught only on deep seas, and that is what these coast offer.

Ice Fishing is also an option for you if you would like to experience fishing in Canada. There are also ice fishing guides that could assist you in your trip. They will ensure your safety and enjoyable experience in Canada. Ice fishing requires special gear, outfits and techniques that require the help of a skilled ice fishing guide. Many tourists who come to Canada for ice fishing can rent ice huts to keep them warm and away from wind.

For safe fishing there are many things that are advised. It is always recommended that you have a fishing guide who knows the area and are specialized in each fishing type. You should also bring your normal safety gear like a compass, cell phones and flashlights, or anything else you feel you would need in an emergency situation.

Canada is located in North America and stretches all the way from the Atlantic to the Pacific, being made up of ten Provinces and three Territories. To the North is the Artic ocean; Davis Strait on the North East separates it from Greenland, to the East is the Atlantic Ocean; the South is bordered by the United States of America and the West by the Pacific Ocean and Alaska.

A country of outstanding natural beauty, Canada has a wide variety of landscapes; the mountains, the prairies, lakes and rivers with many national and provincial parks to protect the habitats. With a total land mass of 9,984,670 sq km (3,855,103 sq mi), Canada is the second largest country in the world. There are more lakes and inland waters in Canada than any other country, in fact 7.6% or 755,180 sq km (291,577 sq) is made up of fresh water.

Most images of Canada refer to the Mounties, bears, snow or the Rocky Mountains with the amazing turquoise lakes though there is truly more to this vast landscape. Tourism is a large part of the economy with the abundant natural resources quickly turning Canada into a rich and vibrant country that is a permanent listing at the top of the best places to live. With distinct seasons the winters are cold with plentiful snow and then warm summers, the best way to survive is to make the most of natures offerings. Skiing, snowboarding and snowmobiling are popular pastimes and great exercise and fun. In the summer, hiking, camping and exploring the great outdoors are fantastic ways to spend your free time. This is especially true when you are amongst the most breathtaking and fabulous scenery the world has to offer!

The monetary unit is the Canadian Dollar. It is made up of cents with 100 cents making 1 Canadian dollar. There are 1 cent coins usually called a penny, 5 cent coins usually called a nickel, 10 cent coins called a dime, 25 cent coins called a quarter, 1 dollar coins called a loonie and two dollar coins called a twoonie. The notes or bills are in 5 dollar, 10 dollar, 20 dollar, 50 dollar and 100 dollar denominations. The Canadian dollar traditionally trades at a lower value than its American counterpart but is now coming closer to parity.

All motor vehicles are driven on the right hand side of the road and are left hand drive. Each Province or Territory is responsible for its own driving laws and regulations so each has a different system.

Demographics

Canada has a population of 30,007,094 (2001 Census), compared with 28,846,761 (1996 Census) which shows a 4% increase. Most of the population lives in the cities and most of these are located in the South of the country; about three quarters of the population live within about 300 kms of the U.S border. The most populated Provinces are Ontario and Quebec with Toronto (in Ontario) being the most populated city.

There are two official languages – English and French – and Montreal in Quebec is the world’s largest French-speaking city outside of France. All of the services offered by the Federal Government are in English and French. Almost every product you buy has English and French on the labels and most public services are available in both languages. Outside of Quebec the majority of people speak English; about 18 percent of Canadians are fluently bilingual.

The First Nations or Indian people were the original inhabitants of Canada and the name comes from their language and means “Village” or “Community”. The Vikings, who arrived in the 11th century and didn’t stay for long, were the first Europeans to land in Canada.

More Europeans arrived in the 16th century bringing with them manufactured goods which they traded for furs and native products – because of this they were made welcome by the indigenous people. The two main groups of European settlers were the French, who came first, and then the English. Despite France losing its part of the territory to Britain in a war in 1760, many of the French speaking people stayed. In 1867, three colonies of Britain merged in an event called Confederation; this created a partially independent state of four Provinces. Six more Provinces and three Territories have since been added and in 1931 full independence was achieved. Canada still belongs to the Commonwealth of Nations.

Canada is a Democratic Federation and has both a Federal and Provincial Governments. The responsibilities and powers are divided between the Federal and Provincial Governments which make for a complex political system (see http://www.onestopimmigration-canada.com/canadian_political_system.html for more details).]

Education

Public education is the responsibility of each Provincial Government (please refer to our Provincial pages for more information) and is paid for through taxes. Public education is free and all children are required by law to attend school from the age of 6 years until they are 15 or 16, the majority of students continue until they are 18 and graduate high school with a high school diploma.
The main languages of instruction are English and French.

Healthcare

Canada has a public health care system; essential medical treatment is available to all Canadian citizens and permanent residents. Although the health care systems are run by the Provincial ministries of health, the Federal Government sets the standards for health care across the country.

There are three Provinces that charge healthcare premiums (BC, Alberta & Ontario). In the other Provinces and Territories healthcare is paid for through taxes. In some Provinces there is a three month waiting period before you qualify for healthcare, (refer to http://www.onestopimmigration-canada.com/healthcare.html for more information) so you should make sure that you have insurance to cover any medical expenses for this period.

In essence such an article can never describe such a vast and beautiful country in adequate detail so if you are planning a visit or move go to http://www.onestopimmigration-canada.com/canada.html for detailed information.