Canadian Full Timers and Insurance

It's easy. Send a letter to Alberta Health care and explain what you are doing. They will give you an extension with no trouble. They won't do it every year but are usually accomadating in situations of extended travel or absence.

Good luck and good trip.

This is an excerpt from the snow Birds site which should allay any concerns

8840 - Closer Connection Exemption Statement for Aliens

Canadian residents who winter in the U.S. are technically subject to U.S. income tax if they exceed a specific number of days (based on a calculation on the form 8840) in the U.S. in any one year.

To avoid U.S. taxation, IRS form 8840 (Closer Connection Exemption Statement for Aliens) needs to be filed annually with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service.

The form, in essence, acknowledges that you met or exceeded the "substantial presence test" BUT are not going to be filing a U.S. income tax return due to the fact that you maintain "a closer connection" to a foreign country, such as Canada, where you will be paying annual income tax.

You will be considered to have a "closer connection" with a country other than the U.S. based on the location of:
• Your permanent home.
• Your family.
• Your personal belongings, such as cars, furniture, clothing, and jewellery.
• Your current social, political, cultural, or religious affiliations.
• Your business activities (other than those that constitute your tax home).
• The jurisdiction in which you hold a driver's licence.
• The jurisdiction in which you vote.


It does not matter whether your permanent home is a house, an apartment, or a furnished room. It also does not matter whether you rent or own it. It is important, however, that your home is available at all times, continuously, and not solely for short stays.

Canadians should pro-actively complete and file a new 8840 form each year with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service. This is a positive acknowledgment that you are entering the U.S. each year as a "temporary visitor for pleasure" and are complying with U.S. tax laws. A photocopy of each year's completed form should also be carried, when crossing the border into the U.S. the following year, to indicate that you are entering the U.S. as a temporary visitor from Canada.

herbert007 wrote:
Need to watch the 183 days. Go to snowbirds.org and download IRS form.
Basically to need to pass the Substantial Presence Test.
You can stay a total of 183 days for years 2013, 2012 and 2011.
You count all the days you stayed in 2013, 1/3 of the days in 2012 and 1/6 of days in 2011. The possible consequence is that you have to fill out the form if requested. I heard this year the border actually told some Canadians when they have to be home.

Anyways check out the site, lots of good info.

:h Never heard this. What about all the thousands of snow birders that have stayed 183 days in those years and more? No Substantial Presence Test or anything like that. Have heard about tax declarations etc. if you are down longer with the IRS. I have been asked if I have extra insurance for medical and vehicles but that was it.

Need to watch the 183 days. Go to snowbirds.org and download IRS form.
Basically to need to pass the Substantial Presence Test.
You can stay a total of 183 days for years 2013, 2012 and 2011.
You count all the days you stayed in 2013, 1/3 of the days in 2012 and 1/6 of days in 2011. The possible consequence is that you have to fill out the form if requested. I heard this year the border actually told some Canadians when they have to be home.

Anyways check out the site, lots of good info.

In BC you are allowed to be out of province for a total of 7 months. Flying home for 24 hours really doesn't do anything. You will require extra insurance for travel in the US. If you are planning on coming to the US you can get a policy for that or one for straight. The US will only allow in for 182 or 183 days in a year without special visa's.
So if you go south for the winter and stay 6 months you'll be able to travel out of province to the Yukon for a month. 5 months in the US...2 months in the Yukon or where ever and so forth.

We had our insurance broker check into some options and there are lots available.

Gather much information so you understand what, if any, additional coverage you will want to obtain so you are insured.

Flying home to "reset" - Can you imagine the reality TV opportunity?

Cue Ominous Narrater Voice "Canadians airline hopping home to reset their AB health care denied re-entry into the US - who is going to feed the fish now stranded in their rv in AZ? They desperately try to contact their Fish Sitter, but he has had an argument with the RV Park Boss! Time is running out..." cue commercial

The worst part of the fly home scenario is not the cost, but airports, 4 times per trip... I think I'd rather buy insurance :) but that is just me ...

There is one other factor which prevents us from flying home - our dog! We wouldn't want him kennelled or subject him to flights.

We have neighbors ( winter visitors) here in Mesa AZ that live in Red Deer. They save a lot of insurance $$ by flying home every two months for 24 hrs or so. That gives them a "new" time frame for their insurance.

Thanks to all for replying.

I will try some of the suggestions for quotes and see how it goes.

Tinny, I've been in Whitehorse a couple of times before, and yes, I'm looking forward to eating at Klondike Rib and Salmon Bake again.

Check with your provincial health insurance. In BC and Ontario and other provinces they will give you "permission" to stay out for longer than a year 1 year in 3 or 1 year in 5 depending on the province.
The penalty for not getting permission in Ontario, if they catch up to you, is a 3 month wait to get back on the plan.
Larry