Before making the decision to travel outside your province of residence
Provincial health insurance plans cover only a small portion of medical services provided abroad. If you have an accident or get sick during your trip, you’ll be responsible for most of the expenses incurred.
That’s why travel insurance is so important: it covers you if you have an accident or suddenly become ill while travelling, even if you’re travelling within Canada.
What’s more, in the event of an emergency, you have 24/7 access to a team of professionals ready to offer you all the support you need until the situation has stabilized.
When you purchase a Ontario Blue Cross® travel insurance policy, you also have free access to Serenity Service™, which provides exclusive benefits in the event your flight is delayed for three or more hours.
If you take more than one trip a year, Annual travel insurance that covers an unlimited number of trips abroad is probably a good option for you.
Trip Cancellation or Interruption insurance covers eligible, non-refundable expenses associated with the cancellation or interruption of a trip. To be eligible for a refund, the reason for cancelling or interrupting your trip must have been unknown at the time your insurance policy took effect or when you purchased your trip.
Ontario Blue Cross® Trip Cancellation or Interruption insurance does not include coverage for COVID-19 since March 12, 2020, as this is a known situation.
If you already have access to travel insurance, see what it covers. You may, for example, already have access to travel insurance through a group insurance plan or with your credit card. You should be aware, however, that these plans often have restrictions, particularly regarding the maximum length of stay.
Read your policy carefully to find out if your travel insurance provides you with all the coverage you need for your stay abroad. Pay attention to the following:
It’s important to choose insurance that covers COVID-19 for your trips. To find out if this virus is covered by your contract, read your insurance policy and any endorsements carefully or contact your insurance company.
Ontario Blue Cross® travel insurance for Emergency Medical Care does not contain any exclusions related to COVID-19. However, given the magnitude of the crisis, the reduced availability of medical resources around the world and the measures being taken by individual countries to limit the spread of COVID-19, our assistance service is very limited in its ability to secure services in emergency situations abroad. For example, in the event of a medical emergency, our service may have great difficulty finding you a bed in a hospital or planning medical repatriation.
Our Emergency Medical Care benefit does not cover the cost of getting tested for COVID-19 while travelling unless prescribed by a doctor following a medical emergency or sudden illness.
To learn more about our travel insurance with regard to COVID-19, please refer to our FAQ section.
More and more companies are offering insurance covering COVID-19. However, it often has significant limitations, particularly with respect to:
Furthermore, some insurance companies only reimburse expenses incurred if you get COVID-19 and don’t cover you against other types of medical emergencies.
Read your insurance policy to find out what it covers.
Don’t travel if you...
Have symptoms
of COVID-19.
Have been in contact with someone who has symptoms of COVID-19 in the 14 days prior to your departure.
Have been in contact with someone who has COVID-19 in the 14 days prior to your departure.
