Travel insurance protects Canadians when they are outside their province and abroad. Find out why it’s so important.
Canadians love to travel to Canada. And who could blame us? The choices are virtually endless, from hiking in the Rockies to whale watching in Newfoundland.
If you love to explore our beautiful country, however, it is quite possible that you forgot to take with you an essential item: travel insurance. You probably know you need it to travel to other countries, but did you know that travel insurance for Canadians is also a good idea for trips to other provinces?
What your provincial health insurance plan does not cover
Since our health insurance system covers our medical needs without creating financial problems, many of us believe that a national health insurance plan protects us equally across the country. Provincial health insurance plans cover our medical costs, and the generosity of this coverage differs from province to province. This means that although the areas cover certain medical services provided to their residents while elsewhere in the country, they could only pay the equivalent of what these services cost in the province of origin. So if a service costs less where you live than in the area you are visiting, your provincial health insurance plan may only reimburse part of the bill you will receive in that other province. You may have to pay the rest. In addition, provincial programs generally do not pay:
Transport by ambulance, by air or by road
Prescription drugs
dental emergencies
Medical transportation to your province
Without a private travel insurance contract, you will have to pay for these expenses yourself.
What does non-medical travel insurance cover?
Aside from medical bills, you may have other types of expenses while travelling, such as lost luggage, damaged items, or even cancellation of your trip. There is a type of private travel insurance called a non-medical insurance policy that reimburses these expenses. You can buy this insurance alone or as part of a more comprehensive contract that includes medical care.
If you decide to vacation in Canada this year, remember that while we use the same currency everywhere, we don’t have the same medical coverage. If you plan to visit another province, consider bringing travel insurance with you.
