The cost of travel insurance is a fraction of the potentially catastrophic expenses that can arise due to an unexpected medical emergency when you leave your province and travel across Canada. Why? There are limits on how much your government health insurance plan will pay for healthcare outside of your province – even if it is still in Canada. You may be faced with healthcare costs you may unexpectedly need for an ambulance, emergency dental treatment and prescription drug expenses, just to name a few.
For safe travels in your year ahead, travel insurance can cover you if your travel plans are disrupted or if you get sick or injured while away from home.
What matters most when you plan your travels is that every dollar counts, and travel insurance protects your finances. No matter which of the six time zones you end up in, which of the one hundred airports you use or the count-less open roads you can travel to see this amazing country, we’ve got tips on keeping your travel insurance costs affordable.
Travelling strictly in Canada for your annual adventure? Save 50%
If you plan on just one trip outside of your province, there is simple, low-cost travel insurance designed specifically for you by Manulife offered at 50% off the regular Single-Trip Emergency Medical rates. It covers many emergency expenses including
- Hospital and physician services
- Paramedical services
- Emergency dental treatment
- Ambulance Emergency medical return home
- Visit to bedside if travelling alone
- Return home of children in care of insured, travel companion, pet and/or vehicle
- Return of excess baggage
- 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.
If you are travelling with a companion and you both apply for coverage you can save an additional 5%, plus there is family coverage provides savings for two or three generations travelling with you if you are under age 60.
Here’s an extra special cost-saving tip for you
If you buy a short multi-trip plan (4 days) and travel strictly in Canada, you are covered for the entire duration of your trip no matter how much longer it is than 4 days, up to the number of days allowed out of your province before you lose your provincial healthcare.
This is an extremely inexpensive way to make sure that all your emergency medical costs are taken care of should the unexpected happen.
Just imagine what would happen if you don’t have travel insurance
Arriving in Calgary after a scenic drive from Halifax, you could find yourself stiff from the drive and favouring your back from a little pain. As you are heading to the Midway through the crowd at the Stampede you slip on a corndog. Ouch! Did you just break your right ankle? After the ambulance gets you to the ER and some X-rays, you are diagnosed with a stress fracture and sciatica and given painkillers and a walking boot. And you can’t drive home…
Are the bills adding up? Your provincial coverage will only pay for some—not all—of the unexpected medical expenses you incur outside your province. Without travel insurance, your medical cost coverage is limited to ‘physician and hospital services only’. That means your ambulance ride, your prescription and maybe even your walking boot (or cane) will not be covered. You will need to pay out of pocket even if you submit a medical expense claim to OHIP (or your own province’s GHIP) when you return home. There is variation in billing rates between provinces, and if there is any difference you have to pay it.
If you have your Emergency Medical Travel Insurance in place, take your travel insurance policy and wallet card with you everywhere you go on your Canadian adventure when you are outside of your province. Your wallet card has contact information for your Assistance Centre, available 24/7 to help you before you receive any treatment while on your trip.
Remember, with travel insurance is it vital that when you have an emergency you call the Assistance Centre prior to receiving treatment. If you don’t make the call, you will have to pay 20% of the eligible medical expenses your policy would cover. If it is medically impossible for you to call, please have someone call on your behalf as soon as possible.
When you return home you can claim and your ambulance and prescription costs will be covered. And you won’t have to worry about getting your car back to Toronto – that can be covered too.
And one last tip: if you are planning to be an extensive time away from home, check if there is a if a limit to the number of days you spend away before you lose your provincial health care protection. Once you lose your provincial healthcare you will also lose your travel insurance.
For any of your travel insurance planning, talk to us at SBIS
At SBIS we offer a wide range of affordable plans specifically for travel within Canada, or your adventures abroad. And if you travel out of province often, multi-trip plans automatically include coverage for unlimited travel (during a one-year period) throughout Canada or you can find coverage for outside of Canada too. Contact us online or give us a call today to find out more, or start your search for the perfect travel insurance coverage here.
