When suggesting Travel Insurance, Travel consultants are frequently met with the reply, “No thank you, I have credit card coverage.” Over the years, we have had to deal with so many of our clients’ travel “mishaps” that we could write a book on the benefits of travel insurance. We have a moral obligation to offer travel insurance to ensure that our clients have “Peace of Mind” while on their trip. Since this is a personal choice, we provide our clients with reasons why they might want to consider it, and then let them decide for themselves. With so many options and variations, as licensed Travel Insurance agents we are able to narrow down what you need based on your personal situation, your destination, type of travel, etc.
Here are a few reasons you may want to ensure that you have travel insurance to protect your travel investment:
- Emergency medical treatment or hospitalization, which can put you out of pocket thousands of dollars
- Having to cancel your trip after a sudden illness that forces you to lose all the non-refundable, prepaid travel costs
- Having to return early from your trip because of a death of an immediate family member
- To continue your trip or be reimbursed for out of pocket expenses if your flight is delayed due to weather conditions, volcanic eruption, or mechanical failure
- An air ambulance benefit to bring you home if needed
- Help when a hospital demands up-front payment, and assistance with foreign languages during a medical emergency
- To feel protected if your passport is stolen
- A few things to tide you over if your luggage is delayed
- To cancel your trip because you lost your job through no fault of your own
Travel insurance can help. Here are some real-life situations involving travellers who were glad to have the protection and assistance it provides when it counted most.
Provincial medical plans don’t cover the hefty costs of medical care in the United States or other countries. So, it’s a good thing Amelia bought travel insurance before her trip to Nevada. Just two days in, she developed fever, muscle pain and fatigue resulting from a bacterial infection, which required her to stay at a local hospital for two days.
- Out of pocket Medical emergency cost: $8,000 USD
- Cost of an Emergency Hospital & Medical plan: $49 CAD
70 year-old Linda was visiting her sister in Florida for a month when she fell and fractured her hip. Linda required immediate surgery and several days of acute rehab before being discharged.
- Out of pocket Medical emergency cost: $104,944 USD
- Cost of an Emergency Hospital & Medical plan: $154 CAD
Government healthcare plans don’t cover many incidentals outside of your home province, such as an ambulance ride and out of pocket expenses. While Margaret from Ontario was visiting her son in B.C. for one month, things were going great until two weeks into her trip she started feeling intense pain in her stomach. A CT scan showed she needed emergency surgery to remove a bowel obstruction.
- Out of pocket Medical emergency cost: $12,289 CAD
- Cost of an Emergency Hospital & Medical plan: $151 CAD
Specifically for credit card coverage, to ensure that you have the proper protection, here are some questions that should be considered. Key points to know about your credit card insurance coverage are:
- Coverage varies greatly (Click here see the chart)
- Are there any sports excluded under the coverage?
- Restrictions could include traveller’s age and trip length
- Credit card travel insurance coverage may stop at certain ages (for example age 65).
- Medical cost limits might not be enough to cover treatment
- Do age, medical history, medication, or pre-existing condition affect the coverage?
- Are you covered if an air ambulance is required to bring you back to Canada?
- May exclude trip cancellation and trip interruption and baggage coverage
- Flight accident and accidental death coverage might not be available
- Do you have to purchase your trip on that credit card in order to activate the insurance coverage?
- Are you covered entirely for cancellation of your trip – that is: air, hotel, transfers, tax and services – before your departure ?
- Are you covered for cancellation or interruption of your trip if your travelling companion gets injured or sick?
- What is the Family Member definition? Does your credit card provide coverage for each of your family members? What could happen if your elderly parent suddenly became ill? Would you be covered if you had to cancel?
- Are you covered for cancellation or interruption if a new travel advisory is issued for your destination?
Even when you’ve planned your trip down to the last detail, the unexpected can happen, so it’s best to be prepared.
Another popular comment we hear is, “I’m covered by my work policy.” Many employer plans have exclusions that could limit coverage amounts. These plans don’t usually include return of deceased, return to original trip destination, trip cancellation and interruption or baggage coverage.
If you never travel overseas or outside of Canada and, even if you did assume that provincial insurance will cover you, consider the following points.
- Emergency medical treatment is expensive – especially while travelling. Canadian government plans only provide about $75 to $400 for medical care outside of your home province or territory – and you would be responsible for the rest.
- Your government health plan will not cover the cost of having a family member flown to your bedside if you are hospitalized.
- Your government health plan will not cover the cost of returning your vehicle or the cost of an air ambulance if you need one.
- Travel insurance helps take care of emergency medical bills so you can focus on your health.
If you think you are safe because you are only going to be sitting on the beach …
- Travel emergencies can happen at any time during your trip – swimming at the pool, slipping on a wet floor, sightseeing or souvenir shopping.
- More travellers than ever are experiencing flight delays, lost or delayed luggage, and unexpected weather, which could ruin your trip.
You have decided on a destination, made the deposit on your trip and are looking forward to your vacation! Now that you’ve finalized your travel arrangements, as I mentioned earlier, we always suggest our clients make sure they understand how much coverage they have, whether from us, or another source.
We strongly recommend protecting your trip investment and financial well-being by purchasing Travel Insurance. Whether a full coverage plan is required, or just an add-on to complete the coverage you have with your credit card or employer coverage, we will help ensure that you are protected.
Below are a few types of the Plan options that we recommend.
All-inclusive Package
Everyone appreciates the convenience of a package deal. This plan meets the needs of most travellers. It’s ideal if you want protection against unexpected medical costs, and care about protecting your finances – both before and during your trip. It provides convenient, comprehensive protection whether you need to go to the hospital, see a doctor in an emergency, or cut your trip short due to an unexpected emergency at home. Plus, because it’s a bundled plan, you enjoy a savings over purchasing the coverage types separately.
Coverage for this plan includes:
- Option to cancel for any reason prior to departure
- Emergency Hospital & Medical
- Trip Cancellation & Interruption
- Accidental Death & Dismemberment
- Flight Accident
- Baggage
All-inclusive Multi-trip Package
When taking your annual vacation, shopping across the border in the US and even visiting the next province, you probably travel more often than you think. With this plan you don’t have to worry about arranging travel insurance each time you do. You simply buy once and you are covered for an unlimited number of trips during the 365 day period. This plan includes hospital and medical as well as trip cancellation coverage. It provides convenient, comprehensive protection whether you need to go to the hospital or see a doctor in an emergency or cut your trip short due to an unexpected emergency at home. This plan offers a savings over purchasing two single-trip plans as well as medical and non-medical coverage separately.
Young Travellers
Whether you’re headed to Europe, Australia or Southeast Asia, you need travel insurance that will meet your needs and fit your budget. Our Young Travellers Plan offers terrific benefits at a great value, including emergency hospital and medical, trip interruption and baggage protection, which are ideal for longer trips.
Emergency Hospital & Medical
Our Emergency Hospital & Medical plan is a popular choice with Canadians of all ages travelling outside their home province or territory for business or pleasure. This plan provides payment for emergency medical expenses that might occur when travelling. These are expenses your government healthcare plan doesn’t cover, including, but not limited to, a hospital stay (might not be covered, or the cost may be limited), the cost to bring a family member to your bedside, and an air ambulance to bring you home.
Emergency Hospital & Medical Multi-trip
Whether you’re a business or leisure traveller, two trips a year is all it takes to make this plan worthwhile. It offers convenient and affordable coverage for emergency medical costs including, but not limited to, a hospital stay, the cost to bring a family member to your bedside, and an air ambulance to bring you home. You only have to buy coverage once and you’re protected for an unlimited number of trips for the whole year. Plus, one multi-trip policy could cost you less than two single-trip policies, which can help you save money.
Non-medical Plans
If you already have travel medical insurance through your employer or credit card that’s great but, it might not be enough for all your travel protection needs. One or more of our non-medical plans can help you round out or give a boost to your existing coverage. Choose from options including Trip Cancellation –Package, Trip Cancellation & Interruption, Baggage, Flight Accident, and Rental Car Collision.
Trip Cancellation & Interruption
Flight delays, bad weather or an illness to you, a family member or travelling companion are examples of what could happen to change your travel plans. If they do, this plan can help ease the situation. For example, if your flight is cancelled, interrupted, or delayed due to an insured risk, you’re eligible to be reimbursed for the non-refundable trip costs. This plan also provides one-way transportation home in the event of an unplanned insured situation.
Baggage
If your luggage is lost, stolen or damaged this plan provides reimbursement for personal items, and can help replace money and travel documents you’ve brought with you. It also provides protection for your accompanying cat or dog if your pet is injured during your trip.
Flight Accident
Flying is one of the safest ways to travel. For extra peace of mind, this plan offers coverage for all flights ticketed for and arranged on multi-engine, regularly scheduled flights before you leave. Once you arrive on airport property and while travelling to or from the airport in a vehicle operated by the airline or airport, you’re covered for loss of life and limb resulting from an accidental injury.
Rental Car Collision Damage
There’s nothing like travelling the open road as a way to discover new places. If you are renting a car during your trip, this plan provides coverage for physical damage to or loss of the vehicle anywhere in the world. You must have a valid Canadian driver’s license to purchase this plan. Car rental companies typically offer this protection but at a much higher premium.
Visitors to Canada
The Visitors to Canada plan helps make sure you’ve planned for the unexpected when family or friends come to Canada for a visit. Ideal for Super Visa applicants, tourists, non-residents of Canada or visiting former Canadian residents, the plan offers coverage for emergency medical care, emergency transportation, dental accidents and more.
One last thing you need to check out thoroughly is Pre-existing medical conditions. Ask the company to explain the definition of, and the limitations and restrictions on, any pre-existing conditions and tests and treatments you may have had. Make sure you get a written agreement that your insurance covers your pre-existing medical condition, and the agreement must also include a stability clause that says that if you are to be covered for any pre-existing medical conditions for a specific period of time.
COVID-19 Insurance coverage is evolving as the world begins to open up. In simple terms, if your cancellation is related to COVID-19, it depends on whether you booked your trip before, or after, a Government Advisory was issued. If you booked your trip while the current government advisory is in place, COVID-19 is considered a known issue. In general, with most Travel Insurance, that means that if you were to cancel for anything related to COVID-19, you wouldn’t be covered and therefore not eligible to make a claim for reimbursement of payments you made for the trip. Even after the Government Advisories have been lifted, specific Covid-19 coverage may be required unless the travel insurance provider specifically mentions it as being included in their coverage.
The most reliable place to access the latest updates and information on COVID-19 can be found on the Government of Canada’s website which includes a list of Frequently Asked Questions . The Public Health Agency of Canada is continually assessing the health risk as new information becomes available.
We are licensed to sell travel insurance and would be happy to answer any questions you may have. Give us a call at 403-474-6985 or drop us a line at Paul Dumouchel.
