You need insurance to travel in Canada
Summer holidays are on the horizon. What better way for you and your family to spend it than soaking up the sunshine right here in Canada?
Believe it or not, most Canadians aren’t aware of the need for travel insurance, especially when it comes to travelling within Canada.
Many think they’re fully covered by their provincial health plan.
Are you planning a staycation this summer, such as a road trip within B.C. or possibly to a neighbouring province? If so, this article is for you. If you are crossing provincial borders, the B.C. health care plan only covers a limited amount of medical emergency costs.
Expenses not covered when you travel to another province include ambulance, ground, mountain, air and sea rescue, prescription drugs, certain medical supplies and equipment, dental services, family transportation to your bedside and accommodation costs and meals for travel companions.
Additionally, services not covered include home care nurses, massage therapy, chiropractic, acupuncture, naturopathy and optometry.
Other expenses are only partially covered include hospital and emergency-room fees, doctor visits, X-rays and lab tests.
Provincial health care plans don’t always pay up front, either.
You may be expected to pay for your whole or partial medical bill, before being reimbursed.
Travel insurance is economical and covers expenses provincial health plans don’t cover, like ambulance rides, hospital and ER fees and prescriptions when travelling outside your home province.
Even a partial bill for an emergency room visit, hospital stay, doctor visits and lab tests could reach over $100,000.
Travel insurance is inexpensive at perhaps several hundred dollars.
Make sure you are covered from the day you leave B.C. to the day you return to B.C.
If you plan to cross the border or fly home in the evening, add a day to your travel insurance plan.
Unexpected things happen and travel doesn’t always go as planned.
To cover yourself and your family for the unexpected medical bills, there are two options. Single-trip plans This plan covers you for a specific trip, for example July 28 to Aug. 19, a total of 23 days.
A single-trip plan covers medical emergencies, either health-related or accidents. Multi-trip annual plans When you purchase this plan, you choose number of days to be covered.
For example, eight, 15 or 31 days.
If you choose 15 days, you can take as many 15 day trips during the year, a single 15-day trip or any number of trips that add up to 15 days.
Between each trip, you must be able to prove that you touched down in B.C.
Annual plans allow for flexibility.
Even for a short four-day trip to Alberta or to the United States, you are covered. Top-up option If you have an annual plan with 15 day trips, and your summer holiday is 23 days, you can top-up your plan with an additional eight days to be fully covered for your whole holiday.
Plans cover you for travel within Canada as well as trips abroad.
Travel insurance through your group benefits plan
Many employees have travel insurance through their group plan.
It is common to have an annual plan with 30 or 60 day trips.
It’s important check to see if there is a plan maximum.
While travelling, if you make a claim, this will affect your plan maximum.
Be aware as some out of country claims, especially those made in the U.S., can be large.
An upcoming trip is always a great time to review your coverage.
Equip yourself and your family with the right coverage for your summer travel plans.
Lisa Jaffary is a life insurance agent and financial adviser with Points West Insurance Services in Kelowna. Reach her at lisa@pointswest.ca.