Do Canadians Need Travel Insurance for Canadian Travel?
You’re taking a vacation, but you’re not leaving Canada. Do you need travel insurance?
Does your provincial health insurance cover all your medical expenses if you’re in another province and get sick or injured? No, it usually does not cover all expenses. Travel insurance for travelling in Canada is recommended to protect yourself financially if you have a medical emergency and for peace of mind.
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Why do I need travel insurance if I’m travelling within Canada?
Canadians should have travel insurance if they’re travelling within Canada. You may assume that your provincial health coverage will cover any unexpected medical costs that happen while travelling outside your home province. Reality check: Your provincial health insurance plan may not cover all your medical expenses.
Many Canadians can be surprised to learn that their provincial health coverage does not fully cover them outside their home province.
Medical billing rates aren’t always the same for each province and territory
In most cases, the province that you’re visiting will bill your home province directly and you won’t have to cover medical costs upfront, but it gets tricky in Quebec. Quebec is the only province that didn’t sign an interprovincial billing agreement and visitors to the province may have to pay medical costs upfront and then submit claims for reimbursement to their home province. In some cases, this also may be true for Quebec residents visiting other provinces.
Keep in mind that billing rates between provinces for medical costs may not be the same and you may have to pay out-of-pocket for any difference.
Note that if you have group health insurance through your job, you can check to see whether your plan covers these expenses.
What medical expenses aren’t usually covered if you’re visiting another province?
Here are some of the services that may not be covered when you are in another province:
- Ambulance
- Prescription drugs
- Air ambulance
- Hospital transfers
- Transportation back to your home province
- Dental emergencies
Will my credit card cover medical expenses and emergencies in another Canadian province as a Canadian?
It will depend on your credit card, but don’t count on it. You will need to check your credit card's terms and conditions as well as your provincial health insurance plan for specific coverage details.
Why Canadians should get travel insurance for Canadian travel
Unexpected emergencies, medical expenses, and trip disruptions can happen even when you're travelling in Canada.
Travel insurance for Canadians travelling in Canada helps cover gaps in their provincial or territorial coverage.
Benefits:
- Trip cancellations and interruptions
- Flight delays
- Lost or delayed baggage
- Medical emergencies
Why you also need travel insurance if you’re travelling outside Canada
Travel insurance can help cover the cost of medical emergencies, trip cancellations, lost baggage, and other unexpected events for Canadians travelling outside Canada.
Make sure that your travel insurance covers: Medical evacuations to Canada or the nearest place with medical care.
Make sure your travel insurance also covers: Pre-existing conditions if possible, repatriation in case of death, trip cancellations and interruptions, lost or stolen luggage.
Note that the Canadian government does not typically cover medical bills for Canadians while travelling outside Canada. Provincial and territorial health plans might offer limited coverage for emergency services abroad. Travel insurance is highly recommended for Canadians travelling outside Canada.
To sum it all up
Travel insurance, whether you’re travelling inside or outside Canada, is a good investment to protect yourself financially and for peace of mind during your vacation. Not being able to pay for a medical emergency not only ruins your vacation, but it also drains your bank account.
5 FAQs about travel insurance
Does my age affect my eligibility for travel insurance?
Some insurers may have age limits, especially for multi-trip or annual policies, while others may require completion of a health questionnaire for older travelers.
Do children need travel insurance?
Yes, safety first. Children travelling on their own without a parent or legal guardian will need travel insurance. Travel insurance for families can include coverage for you, your partner, and any dependent children, as long as you're all travelling together.
What doesn’t travel insurance cover?
Travel insurance typically doesn’t cover known storms, epidemics, acts of war and travel restrictions imposed by governments.
It also generally doesn't cover routine health checkups, non-emergency care, elective surgeries, mental health care, and some pre-existing medical conditions.
Does travel insurance cover pre-existing medical conditions?
It depends. If you have a pre-existing medical condition, it doesn’t disqualify you from getting travel insurance, but it will need to be considered stable for a specified period of time before your effective date, to receive coverage. Some travel insurance policies have exclusions or restrictions regarding pre-existing medical conditions. Check with your travel insurance provider.
Does travel insurance cover stolen luggage?
Travel insurance policies often include coverage for lost, stolen, or damaged luggage, which can help reimburse you for the loss of your belongings. Coverage limits and specific exclusions can vary, so it’s important to review your travel insurance policy details.
