I always get supplemental health coverage when I go to the States, even if it’s just for a Walmart run. I buy my coverage through CIBC since I can purchase it from their website and have them debit my chequing account. But when I looked at the cost of six months’ worth of coverage, I decided I needed to shop around.

I used Kanetix to get a few quotes, which ranged from $313 to $650. The only difference I could see between the least and most expensive was that the least expensive one had a $250 deductible. So it made sense to buy that one and only pay the difference in policy price if I actually need to use the coverage. There was also the issue that policies are non-refundable, so it made sense to pay less in case my plans change.