Your Resource to Kitchener Travel Insurance
What Type of Travel Insurance Do I Need? Will my Provincial Medical Plan fully cover me? No!
Doesn’t my Government health plan cover me when I am travelling in the U.S. or Canada?
We recommend that you carefully review your government health plan coverage. Government plans may not cover all emergency medical expenses once you leave your home province/territory and typically cover only a limited portion once you leave the country.
In fact, the Canadian Government (Consular Services, Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada) urges all Canadians to purchase supplemental health Insurance when leaving the country:
Do not rely on your provincial health plan to cover costs if you get sick or are injured while abroad. Out-of-country healthcare can be costly, and your health plan will cover only part of the bill at best.
Why do I need travel medial insurance when I travel abroad?
An accident, Illness or emergency can happen anywhere. If you need medical care in another country, your government health plan may pay Only a portion of the costs. Travel Insurance starts where these plans leave off.
Will my age affect my coverage eligibility?
Generally speaking, no. While your age can affect the type of coverage you can buy, we have packages and plans that cover all age groups. If you are age 60 or older, we may ask you to answer a few questions about your health to ensure you have the appropriate coverage in place.
Will all My Health Conditions Be Covered?
Do you have Pre-Existing health Condition?
“Pre-Existing condition” is defined in the Travel policy as a medical condition that exists before your effective date of insurance.
Stable medical condition means that all of the following apply:you have not had any new symptom(s); and
- existing symptom(s) have not become more frequent or severe; and
- your physician has not determined that your medical condition has become worse; and
- no test findings have shown that your medical condition may be getting worse; and
- you have not received, been prescribed, taken or had a Physician recommend any new medication, any change in medication. Exceptions: the routine adjustment of Coumadin, Warfarin, insulin to control diabetes (as long as the medication is not newly prescribed or stopped) and a change from a brand name medication to a generic brand medication (provided that the dosage is not modified); and
- you have not received, been prescribed or had a physician recommend any new treatment or any change in treatment; and
- you have not been hospitalized or referred to a specialty clinic or specialist; and
- your physician has not advised you to see a specialist or to have further tests, and you have not undergone testing for which you have not yet received the results.
Do Changes to Medical Impact My Travel Insurance? What You Need to Know About Your Stability Clause
“Change in medication” means the medication dosage or frequency has been reduced, increased, stopped and/or new medication(s) has/have been prescribed. Exceptions: the routine adjustment of Coumadin, Warfarin or insulin (as long as they are not newly prescribed or stopped) and there has been no change in your medical condition; and, a change from a brand name medication to a generic brand medication of the same dosage.
You need a stable health condition for 3 to 12 months depending on condition and insurer to be able to but travel insurance.
Will a pie-existing medical condition affect my coverage?
Possibly. Depending on your age, condition and, if applicable, your answers to
our health questions, pie-existing medical conditions are covered If they are stable for a certain time period (as specified in your policy) before your policy’s effective date.
Note: Please refer to the policy document for complete coverage details
regarding pre-existing conditions before you buy it.
Does My Travel Insurance Cover me doing any Risky Sports?
Risky sports are bungee jumping.parasailing, or hand gliding to name a few. coverage can be available for a extra premium for some items
Questions to ask when applying for Travel Insurance
What countries am I planning to visit? Are they on Canada’s excluded list? If the country I am going to is on the excluded list, only certain insurers will offer Travel Insurance coverage.
Am I planning on doing any hazardous sports while travelling? Most exotic sports are excluded on the standard Insurance policies.
How is my health? Has it changed in the last six months? Have any of my medications or the prescribed dosage changed in the last six months?
TYPICAL TYPES OF TRAVEL INSURANCE POLICIES ARE
Trip Cancellation/Trip Interruption Insurance
This type of Travel Insurance protects your travel investment if you must unexpectedly cancel your trip. Your eligible prepaid trip expenses will be protected up to the amount of coverage purchased.
Baggage and Personal Effects Insurance
This type of Travel Insurance protects your damaged or lost luggage.
Comprehensive Insurance
This Travel Insurance provides coverage for Emergency Medical, Trip Cancellation/Trip Interruption, Baggage and Personal Effects and Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance.
HAVE A CHECK LIST TO HELP YOU BUY TRAVEL INSURANCE!
HAVE YOU:
- researched what Travel Insurance is available or have you chosen the first plan that you found?
- spoken with your doctor or are you guessing for which health conditions you are being treated?
- called a licensed Travel Insurance Agent or are you rushing to complete the application before you board the plane?
- read the fine print or are you making assumptions about what is and what isn’t covered under the Travel Insurance policy that you have chosen?
- checked out the policy glossary or are you relying on your friend’s interpretation of a confusing term?
- enquired about deductibles or are you prepared to pay a lower cost now and a higher premium later?
- asked questions, questions and more questions or are you concerned that you will be a bother?
NOW YOU ARE READY TO SPEAK WITH A LICENSED AGENT TO PURCHASE YOUR TRAVEL INSURANCE
call Glenn at glenn@cuttherisk.com or call 1.888.256.8685
Travelling out of Province or Country?
Travel Insurance may be the last thing on your mind when planning on jet-setting to exotic locations across the globe or out of province but forgetting or ignoring proper Travel Insurance coverages could cost you thousands of dollars.
Get your Travel Insurance when planning your trip making sure that you can pass all medical questions before leaving home! If you travel frequently throughout the year, purchase an annual Travel Insurance Policy to cover your travel in Canada and foreign countries.
Know what Travel Insurance you are buying to avoid a vacation disaster. Make sure you are covered for the type of activities you plan to do while out of country. Note that the “Standard Travel Insurance” may not cover you for diving or mountain climbing. You must be aware that if you have a special need or if you are going to a different kind of destination or participating in different activities, you must make sure that the Travel Insurance product that you purchase will actually cover your needs.
The Travel Insurance Industry is one of the highest paying claims groups within the Insurance Industry. Denied claims represent 2 to 3percent of active policies.
Are you thinking of buying Travel Insurance?
HAVE YOU:
- search what Travel Insurance is available or are you accepting the first plan you came across?
- spoken with your doctor or are you guessing which health conditions you are being treated for?
- call a licensed Travel Insurance agent or are you rushing to complete the application before you board the plane?
- read the fine print or are you making assumptions about what is and what isn’t covered under the Travel Insurance Policy that you have chosen?
- checked out the glossary or are you relying on your friend’s interpretation of a confusing term?
- inquired about deductibles or are you prepared to pay a lower cost now and a higher premium later?
- asked questions, questions and more questions about Travel Insurance or are you concerned you will be a bother?
Not all Provincial Health Coverages for travel are the same. Recently, a lady visiting Ontario from Alberta had a premature baby. She is faced with an air ambulance bill of $30,000 because the Province of Alberta does not cover this situation. An Ontario resident would have this service covered.
QUESTION, QUESTION AND THEN QUESTION TO MAKE SURE THAT YOUR TRAVEL INSURANCE COVERS YOUR NEEDS!
BUYING MY TRAVEL INSURANCE POLICY
Travelers need to be very cautious about the type of Travel Insurance coverage they buy before they leave the country. Travel Insurance may be the last thing on their minds when planning on jet-setting to exotic locations across the globe. Forgetting or ignoring proper coverages could cost the traveller thousands of dollars. They may have to sell some of their assets to pay the bills or it may affect their retirement savings.
You can purchase up to $5 million in Travel Insurance coverage when you travel outside of your province, territory or the country. Coverage is available for single trips as well as multi-trip annual plans. With a multi-trip annual plan, you can enjoy the convenience and savings of a once-a-year Travel Insurance purchase that includes coverage for an unlimited number of 15 day or 31 day trips taken within a year.
Travel is up! Our dollar is down! Travel Insurance is still a must!
Even with the low Canadian dollar, as many as 10.4 million Canadians could make the US their travel destination of choice with another 4.2 million looking to visit Mexico, the Caribbean, Europe and Asia. With trips outside the country coming at a higher cost, travelers may wish for creative ways to have the best trip possible on a tighter budget. However, if keeping dollars in your pocket is important to you, then purchasing adequate Travel Insurance protection should actually be a top priority. If you require emergency medical care while travelling, not having medical Travel Insurance could end up costing you much more than you would have saved by not buying coverage before you left on your trip.
The reality is particularly true for travelers planning trips to the US or other destinations that use US currency. A visit to the hospital in the US can cost as much as $10,000 US each day. With the Canadian dollar at its lowest since 2005, medical costs for Canadian travelers seeking treatment in the US are even more significant than in recent years. Without Travel Insurance, you would be responsible for your medical bills. If you have a pre-existing condition, you can find insurance but it will cost more than a regular policy. The Insurer may offer to cover you for everything except issues arising from your pre-existing condition. Either option is better than assuming you can fail to disclose a health condition and have your Travel Insurance Policy honoured. That won’t happen. There are many stories of “Snowbirds” who failed to disclose pre-existing conditions and were denied coverage after incurring tens of thousands of dollars in US medical bills.
Insurance companies, Travel Agencies and Financial Institutions may not communicate well with travellers. Consumers get a little dizzy when they read the wording within policies or contracts and they need to be better educated consumers of financial products.
Consult a Licensed Insurance Broker for Your Travel Insurance Needs!
Glenn Stewart represents Travel Insurers, Blue Cross, Manulife and GMS policies.
Why Buy Travel Insurance?
I have Credit Card coverage – Know it’s limitations
“I don’t think I need buy travel insurance; I’m covered by my credit card!”
The travel insurance coverage provided by your credit card may have limitations or restrictions. It is important to review your contract thoroughly for coverage details. I recommended that you purchase additional coverage for complete protection to be sure you are protected from financial disaster.
Check your plan for the following:
Travel duration
Travel Insurance cannot be purchased once you depart from Ontario. It is important to check the length of stay covered with your credit card coverage, as well as any restrictions based on age. Does it cover travel in Canada when you leave Ontario?
Emergency Medical Care coverage
There are often strict eligibility and stability requirements based on your health. Blue Cross offers the option of a medical questionnaire for individuals 61 years of age or older with a chronic illness, this option is not always available with credit card coverage.
Trip Cancellation or Interruption
You may need to purchase additional protection, depending on the cost of your trip. Most credit card companies do not cover Trip Interruption or Cancellation coverage and when covered, the maximums are not sufficient to protect your investment.
Protect yourself and your family. Don’t risk your financial security with incomplete protection. With a Blue Cross Travel insurance plan, you will benefit from complete medical coverage, recognized worldwide.
Call Glenn for travel insurance
By glenn@cuttherisk.com or 1.888.256.8685