May the peace, mercy and blessing of Allah be upon you,

I live in Canada and my mother and father are coming to visit me. Would it be permissible for me to get them health insurance because the cost of medical treatment here is very high and I am afraid something bad might happen to them or that my mother might get sick. Note that everyone who lives here has health insurance, either government-sponsored or private.

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful,

All praise is due to Allah and may peace and blessing be upon the Messenger of Allah, his family, companions and true followers. To proceed:

The basic principle in terms of the commercial insurance contracts that are widespread in this day and age is that they are null and void due to the gross uncertainty and risk (gharar) they contain, whether that is medical insurance or any other type. None of them are permitted except when called for by exigent need (daroorah) or the general necessity that assumes its status. Since medical insurance is a dire need by virtue of its relation to the preservation of life, there is a lack of Islamic alternatives, and also considering the elevated cost of treatment without insurance coverage, there would be no blame in getting medical insurance in situations like this, but it must be limited to only that which is called for by necessity.

And Allah Almighty is more Exalted and He knows best.