In these trying times, a recent vacation confidence survey found that Canadians are still ready to travel – in Canada! Opting for Canadian travel is a smart and convenient choice, offering a wealth of beauty and diverse experiences without the added complexities and costs of international travel.
But don’t forget – when you leave your home province, you need travel insurance to protect yourself against financial loss and provide a safeguard during uncertain times. Whether it is a flight delay or cancellation, weather disruption, or unexpected emergency medical care due to illness or accident, make sure you have comprehensive protection.
Canada – The Smarter Vacation Choice
Canada is known for its safe and welcoming environments. Travelling within your own country provides a level of comfort and familiarity, making it easier to plan trips and navigate new places. If you haven’t decided on staying in Canada for your vacation yet… here are three more good reasons to consider it:
1. Diverse Experiences Close to Home
Canada boasts an incredible range of destinations that cater to all interests, from the breathtaking Rocky Mountains in Alberta to the charming historic streets of Québec City. You’re never too far from a new and exciting experience without the hassle of crossing borders. Our country offers a mosaic of cultures and communities, with unique festivals and culinary delights. Exploring the provinces can be just as enriching as travelling abroad, with the added benefit of supporting local economies and discovering your own backyard.
2. Lower Costs and Simplicity
Travelling within Canada eliminates the need for currency exchange and reduces travel-related expenses like international flights. Additionally, there’s no need to worry about passports, visas, or dealing with different regulations and legalities. Read this for more information on Flying Domestic In Canada To Keep Vacation Costs Down.
3. Healthcare Accessibility
Travelling within Canada means that your provincial health card will let you visit a physician or hospital within Canada. But your provincial coverage will only pay for some – not all – of the unexpected medical expenses you incur. Your province’s website recommends that you have additional travel insurance for out-of-province expenses they don’t cover. For more information read Do I Need Travel Insurance For Trips Within Canada.
Why You Need Travel Insurance for Canadian Travel
Even though you’re travelling within Canada, unforeseen medical emergencies and trip interruptions can still occur. Here’s why having travel insurance is essential:
- Emergency Medical Coverage: Provincial health insurance may not cover all medical expenses incurred in other provinces. Travel insurance can help cover costs like ambulance services, hospital stays, and emergency transportation. And it is more than financial protection. If you face an unexpected medical incident when you are travelling, you can call your Emergency Travel Assistance (ETA) provided by your travel insurance – it is there to help. With one phone call you connect to an expert team who will refer you to a local doctor, dentist, pharmacist, or other appropriate medical facility. Then they maintain contact with you and continue to monitor your care and the services you are receiving. They will help manage—and pay for—your eligible medical expenses.
- Trip Interruption and Cancellation: Travel insurance can protect your financial investment in your trip by covering costs related to trip cancellations, interruptions, or delays due to unforeseen circumstances. You can purchase your insurance any time before the date of your departure, but for best financial protection you’ll want to purchase it as soon as possible after booking. If you need to cancel your trip before your scheduled departure, trip cancellation insurance reimburses you for non-refundable, prepaid travel arrangements that can’t be recovered from another source. The insurance may also pay cancellation penalties that a carrier or tour guide may charge. Remember, your travel insurance does not cover cancellations for everything. Travel insurance policies provide a list of qualifying reasons for trip cancellation coverage. If your reason is not on the list, you will not be covered.
- Lost or Delayed Baggage: Travelling within Canada still carries the risk of lost or delayed baggage. Travel insurance can provide coverage for these inconveniences, ensuring you’re not left without essentials. Baggage insurance covers items that you owned before the trip including your bag itself, whether it’s expensive luggage or a simple backpack, personal necessities like make-up and toiletries, sporting equipment like diving gear, skis, or bikes (except when they are checked as baggage), clothing and shoes. You can also be reimbursed up to $500 for clothing and essentials you need to buy if your bags are delayed more than 12 hours, so you can get on with your vacation.
Save with Manulife’s Single-Trip Emergency Medical Travel Insurance Plan within Canada
Manulife Travel Insurance for Canadians travelling out-of-province helps protect you against the cost of unexpected emergencies that may occur during your trip – costs only marginally covered by your provincial health insurance plan. The best news if that the Travel Canada Emergency Medical plan is offered at 50% off the regular Single-Trip Emergency Medical rates. That’s right. If your entire trip is within Canada, premiums are half the cost you’d pay if you were travelling outside Canada for the same length of time.
This simple, low-cost protection for travel within Canada covers many emergency medical costs for:
Health services
- Hospital and physician services
- Paramedical services
- Emergency dental treatment
Transportation
- Ambulance
- Emergency medical return home
- Visit to bedside if travelling alone
- Return home of children in your care, travel companion, pet, vehicle
- Return of excess baggage
Additional protection
- Hospital allowance
- Extra meal, hotel, childcare and phone call costs
- Expenses related to death
- Trip break without terminating coverage
You are covered for up to $10 million in emergency medical benefits, and you can apply at any age if you are a Canadian resident covered by a Canadian provincial or territorial health insurance plan. There are no medical questions if you are under age 60.
And there are more ways to save: family coverage provides savings save when two or three generations (under age 60) travel together or save 5% when you travel with a companion.
Think Canada, Think SBIS For Your Travel Insurance
At SBIS we’re proud to work with Canada’s leading travel insurers including TuGo, Manulife and Destination Travel. Call us if you want to choose this Manulife travel insurance protection, or our wide range of other affordable plans specifically for travel within Canada. And if you travel out of province often, there are some multi-trip plans that automatically include coverage for unlimited travel (during a one-year period) throughout Canada.
Whether you are travelling outside of your province or outside of Canada, at SBIS we have both online and telephone support Monday to Friday 8:45 a.m. – 4:45 p.m. Eastern Time If you need help choosing or buying your travel insurance, go online or call us at 1-800-667-0429 or 416-601-0429 during our regular business hours, or email us at [email protected] – we promise to make your experience smooth and simple.
