I’m an American student studying in Ontario Canada. How can I get health insurance?

As an American, you will not be qualified for the insurance provided free to all Canadian citizens. In some cases, you may be able to take part in limited rage, but your best option is to secure your own health insurance before you go to Canada. And forget the idea of simply doing without health care, because Canadian law will require you to be insured, just like all Canadian residents.

Purchasing travel insurance is usually the easiest and most affordable option for students studying in Canada. You can pick up travel insurance from most health insurance companies at affordable rates. The concept is that the risk of serious health concerns is lower for a predefined period of time than for an open enrollment. So your travel insurance should be less than you'd pay for a complete health care package at home, but will provide you with the insurance you will need if something goes wrong while you are abroad.

If you wait until you go to Canada to purchase health insurance, you will have to purchase the coverage in the province where you attend classes. In Canada, international student health insurance is regulated in each province; this is similar to the way that health insurance in the United States is regulated on a state by state basis. When you know which province you will be living in, start researching international student coverage for that province.

Health coverage is socialized in Canada, which means that Canadian citizens have full healthcare benefits throughout the country. But students and other visitors are not entitled to Canada's socialized health care. You may be able to pick up a health care plan from a Canadian insurance company, but you will not be able to just go to a hospital and expect the national health care system of Canada to pay for your treatment.

Speak to a licensed, local insurance agent to get more details regarding your options.