SoNomad is a travel insurance company that caters to all your travel insurance needs. Their mission is to help Canadians save money on travel insurance while making the process simple and easy to understand. They also have a strong commitment to transparency, affordability, and simplicity. With these core values as their main principles, they apply them to all their products including medical care insurance, trip cancellation/interruption insurance, snowbird insurance and, visitor travel insurance.
Our Verdict
| Who is SoNomad Good For? | Consumers who: – Are looking for a quick and easy way to get an insurance quote – Have a pre-existing medical condition – Want coverage for COVID-19 without paying extra |
| What We Like | – Quick quotes after answering a few simple questions – Snowbirds can save up to 25% on insurance – Several insurance plans to choose from – Save with a multi-trip plan – Different deductible amount options |
| What We Don’t Like | – Has not been in the industry very long |
What Does SoNomad Offer?
SoNomad offers a variety of travel insurance plans:
Medical Insurance
If you find yourself requiring medical attention while travelling abroad, a medical insurance plan from SoNomad can help you avoid a potentially devastating medical bill. Medical coverage includes the following:
- 24/7 emergency medical assistance
- Ambulance (including air ambulance)
- Hospitalization
- Doctor visits
If you have a pre-existing medical condition, you may still be able to qualify with one of SoNomad’s partner insurers, as long as you meet the qualification and stability requirements. Simply fill out a quick health questionnaire to see what you can qualify for.
For frequent travellers, a multi-trip plan from SoNomad can save you time and money. Choose from 7-, 15-, 30-, or 45-day plans.
Trip Cancellation Insurance
Anything can happen before you depart for your travels, including illness, injury, family emergency, or other unforeseen event. If you have to cancel your trip or return home early, SoNomad’s travel cancellation and interruption insurance plan will help you get reimbursed.
Choose from two trip cancellation insurance plans:
Trip cancellation insurance:
- Trip cancellation
- Trip interruption
- Travel delay
- Supplier bankruptcy
- National disaster
- Political evacuation
- 24/7 emergency assistance
The all-inclusive plan is more comprehensive and includes everything covered under the travel insurance plan, plus the following:
- Emergency medical assistance
- Ambulance (including air ambulance)
- Hospitalization
- Doctor visits
Snowbird Insurance
Hundreds of thousands of Canadians spend a big chunk of their winters in a southern destination to escape the frigid temperatures in Canada. But while down south, snowbirds should have some form of insurance coverage in case the unexpected happens.
SoNomad offers a snowbird insurance plan to provide ample coverage during your travels down south. You can also save up to 25% on SoNomad’s exclusive insurance products.
Coverage includes the following:
- Emergency medical assistance
- Ambulance (including air ambulance)
- Hospitalization
- Doctor visits
- COVID-19 coverage at no extra charge
- Coverage for pre-existing medical conditions
Visitors to Canada Insurance
Canada’s health insurance has a great reputation for its comprehensive coverage, but it is exclusively for Canadian citizens. Visitors to Canada are not covered under the country’s health insurance program. That’s why everyone who visits Canada should take steps to ensure they are covered.
SoNomad offers affordable rates on insurance plans for visitors to Canada. Coverage includes the following:
- 24/7 emergency medical assistance
- Ambulance
- Hospitalization
- Doctor visits
- Prescription medication
- COVID-19 coverage at no extra charge
Super Visa
A super visa allows non-Canadians to visit their children or grandchildren in Canada for five years at a time. It also permits multiple entries into Canada for a period of up to 10 years.
SoNomad’s super visa insurance plan provides all the coverage needed while visiting family in Canada at the best rates. The plan also follows all guidelines set by the Canadian government for super visa applicants.
Qualifying For Travel Insurance
Generally speaking, it can be difficult to get travel insurance coverage for a pre-existing medical condition, particularly one that is not under control. For your pre-existing condition to qualify for coverage, it typically must be stable for at least three months before your departure.
That said, SoNomad’s questionnaire will help you determine what you may qualify for and where you can get the best coverage.
Other than that, travel insurance is relatively easy to qualify for. Simply answer a few questions, make your required payment, and you’ll have travel insurance for your next trip.
How To Apply With SoNomad
Applying for a travel insurance plan with SoNomad is easy and takes just a few minutes to complete:
Once you’ve completed these steps, SoNomad will populate a handful of travel insurance plan options for you, along with their cost and coverage.
What We Like About SoNomad
SoNomad has plenty of perks for travellers to take advantage of:
- Multiple insurance plans to choose from
- Multi-trip plan form to save money
- Up to 25% in savings for snowbirds
- Easy online application for a quick quote
- Options for deductible amounts
What We Think You Should Watch Out For
The only downsides we found with SoNomad are as follows:
- Relatively new in the insurance industry – but managed by industry veterans with more than 20 years experience.
- Minimal customer reviews are available.
Is SoNomad Safe?
SoNomad, while new to the market, has made it’s way up through a number of partnerships. For example, they’ve partnered with Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection (BHTP) to ensure Canadians get the best coverage when travelling. Moreover, the company is known for its high level of transparency and innovative technology as being among the best in the industry.
Under its privacy policy, SoNomad says that it only collects personal information required within the limits permitted by law. The company also claims to implement control measures to protect personal information. Data is only communicated to authorized personnel after specific permission is provided by consumers.
How Does SoNomad Compare To Manulife?
When it comes to insurance products, Manulife is a veteran in the industry. So, how does SoNomad compare to Manulife?
| SoNomad | Manulife | |
| Products Offered | – Medical Insurance – Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance -Snowbird Insurance – All Inclusive Insurance – Visitors to Canada Insurance – Super Visa Insurance | – Emergency Medical Insurance – Trip Cancellation and Trip Interruption – Non-Medical All-Inclusive Insurance – Student Insurance – Visitors to Canada Insurance – Senior and Snowbird Insurance |
| Coverage Amounts | Up to $5 million in emergency medical & hospital coverage | Up to $10 million in emergency medical coverage, including COVID-19-related medical costs |
| Items Covered | – 24/7 emergency medical assistance – Ambulance (including air ambulance) – Hospitalization – Doctor visits – Prescription medication – COVID-19 coverage – Coverage for pre-existing medical conditions (restrictions apply) – Trip cancellation and interruptionTravel delay – Supplier bankruptcy – National disaster – Political evacuation | – Hospitalization – Doctor visits – Ambulance – Emergency medical return home – Trip cancellation and interruption – Trip delays – Lost baggage – Flight and travel accidents – COVID-19 travel insurance (extra cost may apply) |
Final Thoughts
Having travel insurance will give you peace of mind knowing that you’ll be financially protected in case the unexpected happens while travelling abroad. SoNomad has plenty of options available to help you tailor your coverage to suit you. The platform provides a quick and hassle-free way to shop around and buy a policy in a user-friendly and easy-to-understand format so you can obtain a quick policy in time for your upcoming trip.
