Snowbird Travel Insurance FAQ

Snowbird travel insurance is travel insurance designed for Canadians who spend weeks or months abroad each winter — typically in the southern United States, Mexico, or the Caribbean. It provides emergency medical coverage, trip cancellation and interruption protection, and coverage for stable pre-existing conditions, tailored to the longer trip lengths and specific needs of seasonal winter travellers.

Canadian provincial health plans like OHIP, MSP, and RAMQ cover only a small fraction of out-of-country medical costs — often less than 10% of a typical U.S. emergency room visit. A single overnight hospital stay in Florida can exceed $20,000 USD, and medical evacuation back to Canada can cost $25,000 or more. Without dedicated travel insurance, a single unexpected illness or injury abroad can wipe out years of savings.

The cost depends on your age, trip length, destination, coverage limit, deductible, and medical history. A typical 60-year-old buying a single-trip emergency medical policy for a 4-month winter stay might pay $300 to $800. Multi-trip annual plans typically range from $200 to $600 per year. Choosing a higher deductible can reduce your premium by 10% to 20%. SoNomad offers rates up to 25% lower than traditional providers by selling directly online with no broker mark-ups.

Single-trip insurance covers one specific trip for a set number of days — ideal for snowbirds who take one long winter trip south. A multi-trip or annual plan covers unlimited trips within a 12-month period, each up to a maximum number of days per trip (commonly 30, 60, or 90 days). Annual plans are more cost-effective if you travel south multiple times per year or take shorter trips throughout the year.

Many policies cover stable pre-existing conditions, but the definition of 'stable' varies by insurer. Most require that your condition has not changed — no new symptoms, medication changes, or treatment — for a specified stability period, typically 90, 180, or 365 days before your departure date. Some plans offer a stability period waiver for an additional premium. Always disclose your medical history honestly when purchasing.

A stability period is the number of days before your departure date during which a pre-existing medical condition must have remained unchanged — no new symptoms, no new or changed medication, no new treatment, and no test results that would cause a reasonable person to seek investigation. If your condition has been stable for the required period (commonly 90, 180, or 365 days), it is generally covered. If it has changed, claims related to that condition may be denied.

Most insurance professionals recommend at least $1,000,000 in emergency medical coverage for snowbirds, though many policies offer $2,000,000 to $5,000,000. A single overnight hospital stay in the United States can exceed $20,000, and a multi-day stay can reach $100,000 or more. We recommend at least $2,000,000, especially for travellers with pre-existing conditions or those spending several months abroad. Look for a policy that includes unlimited emergency medical evacuation.

Canadian provincial health plans cover only a tiny fraction of out-of-country medical costs. OHIP, for example, reimburses just $50 per day for outpatient emergency care and up to $400 per day for inpatient care — far below actual U.S. hospital costs. Provincial plans do not cover ambulance services, emergency dental care, prescription medications dispensed abroad, or medical evacuation back to Canada. Dedicated travel insurance is essential.

Emergency medical travel insurance covers hospital stays, doctor and specialist visits, ambulance services, diagnostic tests (X-rays, CT scans, lab work), prescription medications, emergency dental care, and medical evacuation back to Canada. Most policies include 24/7 emergency assistance and coverage for accommodation and meals if your travel companion is also affected. It covers sudden, unexpected emergencies — not routine or elective care.

Call the emergency assistance number on your insurance card as soon as reasonably possible — before seeking non-life-threatening care. The assistance team is available 24/7, can direct you to a nearby hospital or clinic, pre-approve expenses, and coordinate medical evacuation if needed. In a life-threatening emergency, call 911 (or the local equivalent) first, then contact your insurer as soon as you are able. Always carry your insurance card with the assistance number on it.

Yes — most insurers allow you to extend your coverage before your original policy expires, provided you have not filed a claim and your health status has not changed. Contact your insurer or use their online portal to top up your coverage. It's important to extend before your current policy ends; once a policy has expired, you typically cannot extend it retroactively and would need to purchase a new policy.

Click 'Get a Quote' on any page to open the SoNomad quote form in a new tab. Enter your destination, departure and return dates, and traveller ages. Complete the medical questionnaire honestly, choose your coverage limit and deductible, and apply reference code SON027 so our concierge team can support your account. You'll receive your policy confirmation by email — print it and carry it with you while travelling.