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kimshi
kimshi

I'm a Canadian citizen who has been living in Japan for the past 7 1/2 years. I declared non-residency in Canada for tax purposes. Therefore, I don't have any health coverage in Canada. My husband is Brazilian and has been living in Japan for the past 14 years. Next week we are leaving Japan to go travel for a year or two. We will not be returning to Japan and haven't decided which country we will live in. In Japan we are both insured by the companies we work for but when we leave our jobs at the end of this week we will no longer have coverage.

I just called World Nomads but they can't insure a Canadian citizen who does not have coverage in Canada. I'm really at a loss, I have been surfing the internet with no luck. It seems the majority of companies sell coverage to UK or US citizens. Can anyone recommend a company? Thanks in advance for any help you may be able to offer!

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wayworn1
wayworn1

No Canadian citizen has health coverage once they have been out of Canada for 6 months. So I don't understand WN's policy at all. A Canadian from one Province is not even covered in another province when they travel and do have coverage in their home Province and that's from day one. No Provincial health plan covers a Canadian when they are out of Canada. So even if someone is covered at home, the only way WN could take advantage of that is to fly you home within the first 6 months of travel. That's a pretty limited advantage to them, given that they will insure people on the road for several years.

I am suspicious of what you were told. I wonder if it was in the way you presented your case to them. Have you tried simply applying online for coverage with them? Your country of LEGAL RESIDENCE is Japan, not Canada and you do have current coverage there. I think your Citizenship is irrelevant. What you may find however is that in the case of a situation that requires flying you 'home', your 'home' will be considered to be Japan. Which in fact it is.

The WN website asks for your COUNTRY OF RESIDENCE, not your citizenship.

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kimshi
kimshi

Very true Wayworn1 it does ask for your country of residence and my husband and I are residents of Japan so I guess that is the country I should enter for the online app. Thanks!

I really don't understand their rules regarding Canadians, of course no Canadian will have provincial health coverage after 6 months so do they renew policies for Canadians? hmmmmm

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