Travel Insurance 101
Travel insurance shouldn’t be a mystery, so we’ve broken down everything you need to know about buying travel insurance and top things to consider.
Your vacation plans are in full swing, and you’re excited to head out on your next adventure – whether it’s your first trip in a while or you’re a frequent flyer, if you’re traveling outside your home province, make sure your plans include travel insurance!
Why should I buy travel insurance?
Emergencies can happen anywhere, but the cost of an emergency happening while you are travelling can be expensive. To avoid paying out of pocket for unexpected emergency medical expenses, always consider purchasing travel insurance.
Travel insurance plans cover Emergency Medical Care and Non-Medical Emergencies. If you are travelling outside your province of residence, your provincial health insurance may not cover the cost of your medical bills.
What benefits does travel insurance include?
Travel plans with Saskatchewan Blue Cross cover:
- Up to $5 million for Emergency Medical Care per trip, including coverage for hospitalization fees and professional fees for nurses, physicians and other health professionals for emergency medical treatment and care.
- Up to $2,000 for emergency dental treatment as a result of an accident.
- Transportation and out-of-pocket expenses for a relative coming to your bedside if you are hospitalized for more than seven days.
- Expenses for subsistence allowance, including accommodation costs in a commercial establishment, meals, essential phone call, taxi transportation and childcare costs for dependent children who accompany you on the trip.
- 24/7 access to Travel Assistance
- Trip cancellation or interruption
- Accidental death or dismemberment
- Baggage loss
*Always refer to your policy booklet for full coverage details and a listing of allowable expenses.
What should you consider when buying travel insurance?
When buying travel insurance, always look out for the following:
- Make sure the policy covers the specific risks and activities you plan to undertake on your trip.
- Check the limits and deductibles of the policy to ensure that they provide adequate coverage and are within your budget. All travel policies define their requirements for eligibility. They also have certain limits on benefits and maximum amounts for certain types of claims, such as trip cancellation or interruption.
- Review the policy’s exclusions, which are situations or events that the policy does not cover, to avoid surprises later. Claims generated by activities such as skydiving, bungee jumping, alcohol or drug abuse may not be payable. It is important you read and understand the exclusions and limitations; as travel coverage covers unexpected emergencies only.
- If you have any pre-existing medical conditions, make sure the policy covers them or that you purchase additional coverage to protect against them.
What do I need to know about pre-existing conditions?
Most travel insurance policies include an exclusion for pre-existing medical conditions. If you have a pre-existing medical condition, it’s important that your condition is considered stable. This means that in the specified period prior to departure:
- there has not been any new treatment prescribed or recommended, or change to existing treatment (including a stoppage of treatment)
- there has not been any change to any existing prescribed drug (including an increase, decrease, or stoppage to prescribed dosage), or any recommendation or starting of a new prescription drug
- there has not been any new, more frequent, or more severe symptoms
- there has been no hospitalization or referral to a specialist
- there have not been any tests, investigation, or treatment recommended but not yet complete, nor any outstanding test results, and there is no planned or pending treatment.
Insurance is assurance – providing you with peace of mind, so you can focus on enjoying your trip!
Saskatchewan Blue Cross’ travel plans provide customized coverage for trips outside of Saskatchewan. Whether you’re taking an international adventure, visiting family or just exploring Canada, coverage options are available under the Annual, Individual, Package Plus and Canada Package Plans. For more details on Saskatchewan Blue Cross Travel insurance packages visit sk.bluecross.ca/travel, contact your local insurance advisor or get in touch with us at 1-800-667-6853.
Know before you go
These are the top six things to remember before you take your next trip. Check out our all-inclusive pre-travel checklist which will help you stay ahead, worry free and safe on your next journey.
Read your policy and understand your coverage
Make sure you have thoroughly read your travel insurance policy and understand your coverage. There may be changes in benefits available, eligible expense amounts, differing pre-existing condition clauses and health questionnaires, that you should know about.
Know what to do in case of emergency
Know what to do in case of medical emergency at the destination you are visiting. You should know the local emergency numbers and have emergency contacts easily available when travelling.
Make a list of your medications, and be sure to bring enough
Make a list of your current medications, and make sure you have a supply of your medications that will last for the duration of your stay, with some extra in case your trip is unexpectedly extended. Pack a copy of any original prescriptions, as well as a note from your doctor explaining why it has been prescribed. In the event your medication is lost or stolen, you may be able to replace it.
Carry your travel insurance card with you
Always carry your travel insurance card with you while travelling. Your travel insurance card holds vital contact information that will be needed in the event of an emergency.
Register for Flight Delay Service
Register your flight details at flightdelayservice.ca to receive exclusive access to the airport lounge or hotel accommodation in the event of a delay. You must register your flight at least 24 hours prior to your departure. (Flight Delay Service benefits are exclusive to Saskatchewan Blue Cross travel insurance plans.)
Learn about the region you’re visiting
Find out about vaccine-preventable illnesses that may be in the region you’re travelling to prior to your departure. Travel advisory and vaccine information is available from the Government of Canada at travel.gc.ca.