FAQ about the mandatory WHV insurance

Travel medical insurance is a type of insurance policy that individuals can buy when they travel abroad. It typically covers medical expenses incurred abroad resulting from illnesses or injuries. It is an important consideration because in most cases, the health insurance that you have in your home country or province does not cover medical expenses incurred abroad. And conversely when you are in France or elsewhere as a visitor (including as a working holiday maker), the local public health insurance doesn’t cover you either.

Yes. Canadians heading to France on a WHV must have private medical insurance, even residents of Quebec who have a RAMQ attestation. This is stipulated in the Franco-Canadian accord.

French authorities require you to present proof of insurance as a part of your visa application. So yes, you must purchase insurance for the intended duration of your stay even before obtaining your visa.

In case of visa denial, you can try to request a refund from your insurance provider. Refund policies vary from insurer to insurer. Globe WHV is an insurance that can reimburse you in case of visa denial.

According to French authorities, the insurance should cover medical expenses, hospitalization, and repatriation. Globe WHV meets the requirements set forth by France.

Refund policies for early returns also vary from insurer to insurer. For the greatest flexibility, choose one that offers this kind of refund. Globe WHV is an insurer that can reimburse you for unused months of coverage, as long as there are at least 2 months left (minus a €30 administrative fee).

The answer can only be fully answered by reading your policy handbook in detail. But in general, travel insurance is intended for injuries, illnesses, and medical emergencies, not routine or elective expenses. This means that things like annual checkups, vision exams, and teeth cleanings must be paid for out of pocket.

It depends on what your needs, finances, and risk tolerance are. If you opt for the cheapest insurance, it is possible that the coverage is more limited. But this is certainly not to say that more expensive policies are always better. Read the following questions to learn what to look for when choosing insurance.

In case of injury or illness, the excess or deductible (interchangeable terms) is the amount that you have to pay out of pocket before your insurance starts covering for you. For example, if your policy has an excess of $90 but your qualifying medical claim totals $500, the insurance would only reimburse you $410. The excess threshold applies on every claim you file, not just the first one of the year. As you can see, insurance policies with zero excess like Globe WHV provide the highest level of protection.

Policies can have a coverage limit of anywhere from a couple hundred thousand dollars to several million dollars. There are also policies that don’t have a limit. It goes without saying that the ones without a limit provide the greatest level of protection. These numbers might all seem very high, but don’t underestimate the true cost of medical care in serious accidents or long periods of hospitalisation. Globe WHV covers true costs up to €150,000.

If you plan to visit other countries than France during your working holiday, make sure that your policy offers coverage outside of your main destination. Globe WHV covers you worldwide (including visits to Canada) on trips less than 30 days, up to €15,000.

Injuries sustained in these higher risk activities are not covered by all insurance policies and their coverage may require you to pay extra for add-ons. However, these activities are covered by default in the Globe WHV insurance.

Finally, assess the premium. In the insurance world, the premium refers just to the price of the insurance policy (i.e. how much you need to pay per month or year). Is the premium reasonable for the level of coverage it provides? Is it within your budget? Also don’t blindly assume the premium is a perfect indicator of level of coverage; a higher premium can but doesn’t always mean better coverage.