Why Every Canadian Traveler Needs Travel Health Insurance
Why get travel insurance? Canadian travel insurance is your safety net. We never think something bad will happen, but if it does, you’ll feel much better knowing you have travel health insurance to protect you from unexpected medical expenses.
The risks of travelling without travel insurance benefits
You never know when a simple shopping trip to the United States may end differently than planned.
The Government of Canada shares a great example to demonstrate the importance of travelling with health insurance:
In one case, a man suffered a stroke on a cruise off the coast of South America. He received emergency transportation to a hospital, receiving care from an internationally-qualified physician. His travel insurance benefits saved him over $40,000 in medical bills.
Canadian travellers should know that our Canadian healthcare won’t cover medical expenses incurred in another country. A provincial or territorial health plan will likely cover nothing or a tiny portion of medical care abroad. Foreign hospitals can be expensive without local healthcare coverage, and the Government of Canada cannot pay your medical bills.
Beyond coverage for an unexpected medical emergency, travel insurance can also cover expenses due to trip cancellation or interruption, accidental death or dismemberment and lost baggage. It can even offer a range of benefits if your flight is delayed.
One study found that 43 percent of Canadians have experienced at least one unwanted scenario while travelling. Of those Canadians, 16 percent lost luggage, and 15 percent had to go to a local hospital or doctor’s office.
Even travelling within Canada without travel health insurance has its risks. Provincial and territorial health plan coverage doesn’t automatically transfer to another area of Canada. For example, your Saskatchewan provincial health plan can’t help you cover the cost of the following while travelling:
- Ground and air ambulance
- Prescription drugs given outside of a hospital
- Medical devices
- Emergency dental
- Repatriation to your home province
- Return of your vehicle
- Flying in a family member
- Additional charges for private hospital rooms
- Cosmetic surgeries
- Private nursing
- Services provided by paramedical health providers
- Routine dental care
The fees you accrue can range from several hundred to several thousand dollars. Instead of being hit with insurmountable costs, ensure you have the medical care you need when you need it with travel health insurance in Canada.
Why get travel insurance
We can see the risks and costs avoided when you’ve secured travel health insurance in Canada. But there’s more to it than saving money. Travel health insurance provides you with important care in the case of an emergency and other non-emergency situations.
At Saskatchewan Blue Cross, we offer travel health insurance plans that cover the following:
- Ambulance services
- Medical repatriation
- Health professional services
- Hospital and room chargers
- Medically necessary diagnostics and lab tests
- Drugs and medication
- Emergency dental care
- Bringing a family member to you
- Vehicle return
- Medical devices
For coverage specifics, please refer to your travel insurance policy booklet. You can preview coverage for Saskatchewan Blue Cross annual, individual and package travel insurance plans here.
You can add coverage for trip cancellations or interruptions and lost or stolen baggage for non-emergency coverage. Trips can be cancelled or interrupted for many reasons, usually out of your control. But you can take control of the costs with travel insurance so your trip can continue as planned or be taken at another time. We also can’t control what happens to our luggage from point A to point B—whatever happens, travel insurance with baggage coverage can help recover the loss. Make sure you review your travel insurance policy before you leave on your trip to confirm you have the coverage you need.
For help in a medical emergency
With your Saskatchewan Blue Cross travel insurance plan, we have a team of professionals at your disposal to support you in the event of a sudden illness or accident. Whatever the emergency, Blue Cross Travel Assistance Services is available 24/7 to help you get the help you need.
If you have an Annual, Individual, or Top-Up Travel Plan
- Toll-free within North America: 1-833-729-0186
- Collect in all other locations: 1-306-518-0145
If you have a VIP Travel or Group/Workplace Travel Plan
- Toll-free within North America: 1-866-330-3633
- Collect in all other locations: 1-306-667-5299