Travel Insurance FAQs for Canadian Travelers

Disclaimer: These questions have been answered to the best of our knowledge but we cannot guarantee the accuracy of all answers because some questions require further reading of your policy document to become truly specific, and/or due to human error. This information is provided as a helpful starting point, but please read your policy document before obtaining the insurance for more specific answers to your questions.

Q: Should I buy a multi-trip annual plan or just a single trip policy?
A: We quote all the top Canadian companies and let you compare the price difference between annual plans and single-trip plans. A single trip plan will be cheaper, but if you occasionally want to travel at the spur of a moment to shop, golf, or whatever, an annual plan will quickly be the better deal.

Q: Can I purchase emergency medical coverage if I have already left Canada?
A: Unfortunately, no. Outside of the country, the only coverage you can buy would be an expatriate policy. You can get a quote for 'Expats', to see what your options may be. Or, make sure to obtain your travel insurance before you travel. If you travel frequently, you may want to buy a multi-trip plan to avoid having to apply each time you go away.

Q: I have been advised to buy travel insurance even though I'm only traveling out of province in Canada. But I'm sure I'll be covered in other provinces so why would I buy travel insurance for just leaving my province?
A: Most provincial health authorities recommend having travel insurance even for out of province coverage. While most provincial health authorities have agreements in place to help Canadians outside their home province, many expenses are not covered, or have to be paid for up front and claimed (when possible) from your home province provider. And travel insurance covers many things that your provincial health provider will not cover such as:

• up-front payment of eligible medical expenses whenever possible;
• emergency paramedical service including chiropractor, osteopath, physiotherapist, or podiatrist;
• emergency dental treatment;
• expenses to bring someone to your bedside;
• expenses for meals, hotel, phone calls, taxi or incidental hospital expenses;
• emergency evacuation, local & air ambulance and expenses to bring you home;
• expenses to bring your vehicle home;
• expenses for medical appliance rental;
• expenses to bring your children or travel companion home;
• expenses related to your death;

Out of province plans are usually offered at half the cost of out of country plans, and can also include trip cancellation and trip interruption coverage. 

Q: I have travel insurance coverage through my credit card. Will that cover my whole family?
A: A lot of people believe that they have solid travel insurance coverage through their credit card provider. As with all travel insurance, it is important to read your entire policy to ensure that you have the coverage that you truly need. All policies have different definitions for family, and how many family members can be covered. You might be surprised by the following issues with travel insurance provided through your credit card:

• most often, coverage will not extend past age 65;
• often, the travel health insurance provided is for accidental injury, not illness;
• even when the policy is adequate, the annual fee you have to pay for the card can be twice as high as the cost of a comparable annual multi-trip plan - so there better be some other perks that come with the card too!

Q: How long does it take to receive my insurance coverage if I buy online? I need proof of coverage before I leave.
A: When you purchase through BestQuote online, in most cases you will receive an email with your confirmation of coverage immediately or within a couple hours. Depending on whether your application has to be manually processed, and the time you place your order the email may take up to 24 hours. If you have not received your confirmation email within 24 hours please check your junkmail folder, as the email may have been screened by your email program. You can also call us during business hours 10:00am to 9:00pm EST to expedite your application.  

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