Do Students Need Travel Insurance?
Is your child away at school going on a trip for break week or travelling for the summer? Is your child away at university going to study abroad for a year? If the answer to these questions is yes, your child needs student travel insurance.
Your child’s provincial health coverage does not travel with them. If your child has a medical emergency while travelling and is without travel insurance, as parents you could be stuck with costly medical bills.
What is travel insurance for students?
Travel insurance for students covers emergency and non-emergency medical costs for Canadians travelling or studying abroad.
Even if your child is going away for a week-long trip during university or college break week, student travel insurance is recommended that would cover emergency medical care. You should also consider coverage for trip cancellation, trip interruption, and lost baggage.
What are the risks for your child travelling without travel insurance?
Provincial healthcare plans cover about 10% or less of emergency medical costs outside Canada. One overnight stay in a U.S. hospital could cost thousands of dollars.
Not having student travel insurance could put a significant financial burden on students and their parents.
Will the federal government cover my uninsured child while travelling?
The Government of Canada will not pay your child’s out-of-country medical bills.
The Government of Canada recommends buying trip interruption and travel health insurance.
Does your child studying abroad need travel insurance?
Travel insurance isn’t legally required for Canadians who study in another country, but it’s strongly recommended because provincial health plans typically offer no coverage if you need medical care outside the country.
Without travel insurance, you will have to pay out-of-pocket for doctor visits for check-ups, prescription drugs, ambulance, hospital stays and other health care-related expenses.
What is trip cancellation/interruption insurance?
Cancellation or interruption coverage isn’t included under emergency medical travel insurance for your child away at school.
Trip cancellation and trip interruption Insurance should be purchased to cover non-refundable travel costs. The type of risks the insurance can cover: schedule changes, cancellations and delays and other events like the non-issuance of a visa, a travel advisory or quarantine.
Your child may have a credit card that provides adequate trip cancellation/trip interruption insurance for travel to and from school. Check to see whether trip cancellation/interruption insurance extends to flight delays and lost baggage.
What conditions aren’t covered under student travel insurance?
- Any pre-existing medical conditions that have not remained stable in the 3 months leading up to the effective date are not covered.
- Travelling against doctor’s orders
- Terminal illness
- Is receiving non-emergency medical treatment
What are the benefits of buying your child travel insurance?
Student travel insurance gives you a layer of financial protection as parents should your child require medical attention.
Even if your child is travelling out of province or for a quick cross-border day trip, travel medical insurance should be considered necessary for financial peace of mind.
What’s all-inclusive travel insurance?
Depending on the insurer, an all-inclusive plan could include emergency travel medical coverage, trip cancellation and interruption and more for multiple covered trips up to the maximum trip duration selected within one year.
Do you know the difference between travel insurance and travel medical insurance?
Protect your child away at school or studying abroad with student travel insurance. TuGo, Western Financial Group's trusted travel insurance provider, is your perfect travel partner.
