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A recent survey from BMO Insurance found that just half of Canadians purchase travel insurance before leaving home. With 83% of us saying we?re planning to travel between May and September, that?s a lot of travellers who opt to travel without insurance.
As an avid traveller, I know choosing and understanding travel insurance can be confusing and frustrating. In the hopes of answering some of our Canoe.ca and Sun Media readers? most asked travel insurance questions, Travelzoo Canada?s travel insurance expert Michael Duchesne joined us for a live chat yesterday. These are his top tips for choosing an insurance provider and finding the very best deal on travel insurance.
Safe travels!
I?m travelling from PEI to Banff. Since I?m not leaving Canada, do I need to buy extra travel insurance? ? Reb82
Michael Duchesne: If you plan to travel outside of your home province, it is strongly recommended that you obtain additional private medical insurance and fully understand what your policy covers. This comes into play with things like trip cancellation or interruption insurance, which covers pre-paid non-refundable expenses should your travel plans be interrupted or cancelled.
I?m flying to Central America. What if I cancel my trip for reasons that are not medical or emergency, will insurance cover that?? ? MFJ
MD: Trip cancellation and travel health insurance are two distinct services. Trip cancellation covers pre-paid and non-refundable expenses if your plans are interrupted or cancelled. The five main types of insurance are generally sold in a combo of sorts. If you only want one, then ask for it and ask whether there are incentives to upgrade to all or just some. A comprehensive package covers trip cancellation and interruption, evacuation, medical and baggage, even flight insurance.
My 92 year old mother in law wants to go on a one week Alaska cruise. Trip leaves and returns to Vancouver, where we live. She will probably stay on the ship the whole time. She has had heart attack and a cancer issue which she takes medication for. She is OK now. I am finding that companies do not offer coverage over 90 years old. Your advice. ? John
MD: I would encourage you search for specialist travel insurers. Select insurance companies cover people if their medical conditions are under control and stable for certain period. As a caveat, be advised that a minor change in someone?s prescription or medication can mean that the medical condition is not considered ?stable?.
I cannot help but be cynical with insurance because of the number of incidents that I hear of where the insurance company refuses coverage for some technicality. How can I be sure that I am not just wasting my money on a premium where coverage will be denied, delayed or altered if I should ever have to use it? ? John Wood
MD: Because of our public healthcare system, many Canadians are unaware of the cost of hospitalization and treatment outside of their own borders. This is where planning comes into play. Ask a litany of questions when speaking with potential providers. The cost to purchase trip insurance is nominal when you consider what it could cost for a stay in hospital outside of Canada. Everyone should strive for peace of mind, because you have already taken time to plan a trip and spent money.
Michael, what are some questions travellers should be asking their travel insurance providers? ? Nicole
I would suggest asking what is the coverage cap? Does it cover trips longer than 30 days? Keep in mind that travel agents recommend that you get travel insurance because they get a percentage when you buy it, and because they could be held liable for losses if insurance options aren?t explained correctly. While they can give you information and provide direction, they are not insurance agents. It?s very important to direct specific questions to the insurance provider.
To read the full chat transcript, click here.
Categories: Travel tips
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Source: http://blogs.canoe.ca/travel/travel-tips/your-travel-insurance-questions-answered/
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