Sickness or Injury
Expect the best while preparing for the worst – stay protected wherever you travel!
Regardless of your age, destination, or length of travel, medical emergencies can happen to anyone.
Many Canadians are still surprised to learn that their provincial health insurance plan does not extend to out-of-country medical care. The fact is, your provincial or territorial health plan covers only a very small portion of the costs (if any) for medical care you receive while abroad. It’s for this reason that the Government of Canada recommends securing travel insurance with medical benefits before you leave on a trip.
Whether it’s outpatient care or you’re admitted to a hospital, the financial losses related to medical emergencies abroad can be substantial, impacting significantly you and your family’s resources.
Travel insurance plans with medical benefits can help protect you against these risks.
Travellers can enjoy peace of mind knowing that not only does their travel insurance cover unexpected medical costs, but potentially additional services as well:
- Referrals to medical providers
- Monitoring the quality of your care
- Communicating with your treating physician at your destination as well as your primary physician at home
- Arranging for medical escorts or an air ambulance to bring home, and more.
Trip Cancellation or Travel Interference
You’ve planned the perfect trip. But anything can happen!
You’ve invested time, consideration, and money in making your travel plans.
Unfortunately, even before you leave the unexpected can happen; unforeseen illness, yourself or a loved one or being called to jury duty. Unforeseen circumstances like these can force a change of plans, cancelling or delaying your travels even before they’ve begun.
In these instances, Trip Cancellation benefits can help you recover non-refundable travel expenses which you’ve paid for in advance of your trip if you need to cancel for a covered reason.
You may also need to cut your trip short due to a covered reason such as a medical emergency. Trip Interruption benefits may reimburse you for any unused and non-refundable trip expenses you’ve paid for in advance.
There’s More!
Stolen or Lost Luggage: There are millions of pieces of luggage handled daily throughout airports, domestic and international. Luggage is lost, stolen or delayed all the time.
Whether at the airport or on the road at your international destination, Lost or Stolen Baggage benefits may reimburse you for the value of your personal items in your baggage if it is lost or stolen during your trip.
For added protection, Baggage Delay benefits may help cover the cost of purchasing necessary items such as toiletries and clothing to get you by if your baggage is delayed for 8 hours or more by your airline.
Travelling Within Canada?
Due to provincial health coverage billing agreements, provincial health insurance will pay some basic costs for medical care, BUT they may not pay the same rates they would when seeking care in your home province.
In fact, it’s quite likely that you would be liable to pay a larger portion of your expenses out of pocket, as some provinces only offer reimbursement after the fact.
Find out more about coverage for travel within Canada HERE.