Once you have considered the amount of coverage you need for COVID-19, it is equally important to consider if you will be able to access health care at your destination.  Travel insurers cannot guarantee or control the availability of emergency medical treatment even during non-pandemic times.  The pandemic continues to place high levels of strain on health care systems globally and, given demand by residents and visitors for medical treatment due to the COVID-19 and other reasons, areas with very good and usually very available health care are running at or over capacity. 

KNOW YOUR TRIP – Ask your provider and check available websites for details about travelling to your destination.

Although we are beginning to see travel insurance policies change in specific ways with respect to COVID-19, this pre-travel expense is not likely to be covered by your travel insurance policy in the same way that expenses such as travel visas, travel vaccinations, etc. would not be covered under your travel insurance.  Most travel medical policies cover expenses related to medical emergencies only.  The cost of a vaccine or screening test, for example, would not be considered a medical emergency and would not be covered.  Each province or public health authority has posted information online for residents to be informed on how & where tests for COVID-19 are conducted.  Additionally, be sure that your test results will meet the timeframe for the entrance requirements of your destination.

KNOW YOUR POLICY – Contact your provider for more details.

Check your insurance wording to see if travel advisories impact your coverage and, if so, how.  If you travel to a destination or region after the Canadian government has issued a Level 3 or Level 4 travel advisory against travel to that location and:

1. an event happens to you (e.g., contracting COVID-19) in that destination, and
2. that event relates to the reason the travel advisory was issued,

many travel insurance policies will not cover you.  You would be covered for other things that might happen to you (as per the terms of the wording), but not if you contract COVID-19 and this leads to claims.  Level 3 and Level 4 travel advisories may be treated differently depending on the terms of your policy.

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, many insurers have introduced special coverage upgrades so that, even during a Level 3 – “Avoid Non-Essential Travel” travel advisory, claims due to COVID-19 can be covered (an additional premium may apply).  The amount of coverage provided may also increase once you become fully vaccinated. Ask your provider if you already have coverage for COVID-19 under your Emergency Medical benefit or if you will need to buy extra coverage.  Ask what happens if a Level 3 – “Avoid Non-Essential Travel” advisory is upgraded to Level 4 – “Avoid All Travel” or dropped to a lower level before or during your trip.

KNOW YOUR POLICY – Contact your provider for more details.  Be sure to call your assistance company before seeking any treatment.

Ask your provider what happens to your Emergency Medical and/or Trip Interruption coverage if you are stuck in another country beyond the date that your coverage would normally expire due to COVID-19 and ask if you will be able to purchase a coverage extension if you are delayed or want to extend your trip.

It’s important to remember that your coverage will end at midnight on the last day of your covered days or the last day of your insured trip and not all coverage has an option for extension.  Travel insurance does not cover expenses incurred after your coverage has ended unless your return home was delayed by a previous and covered medical emergency or any automatic extension provision that might be in your policy.

KNOW YOUR POLICY – Contact your provider for more details.

When borders were closed in March 2020, the government arranged emergency transportation to get Canadians home, but those repatriations have been discontinued.  Some insurance may cover the cost of repatriation if you have trip cancellation/interruption coverage with return home benefits but if you left Canada while a travel advisory was in effect, that is unlikely unless your return is for a covered reason and you purchased special coverage for COVID-19.

The costs to return you home are generally covered by travel medical insurance if:

• you have an illness covered by your insurance,
• you require ongoing medical treatment for your illness,
• your medical condition is eligible under your policy (COVID-19 treatment may not be eligible),

• the doctor at your destination and your insurance company agree that you are stable for transport and you should be returned to Canada, and

• transportation is arranged by your assistance company.

Many variables must be considered before you can be transported home such as:

• the nature of your medical emergency,
• your location,

• the availability of air and other modes of transportation, and
• the availability of medical staff to accompany you if required.

One certainty is that COVID-19 places increased strain and potential complexity around the ability for healthcare solutions to be delivered when and as needed.

KNOW YOUR POLICY – Contact your provider for more details.

Finding a bed in Canada for a patient with COVID-19 will take time and is largely dependent on case counts in Canada.  If a COVID-19 patient needs to be admitted to an ICU bed, it may not be possible at all.

If you show any COVID-19 symptoms or test positive for COVID-19, you will not be able to simply book a flight and come home on a commercial flight.  In fact, you may need to be repatriated in an air ambulance, in a negative pressure environment.  Medical attendants on the repatriation flight may have to quarantine before they can go back home after the flight, affecting the availability of crew and driving up the total cost of these repatriations.

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES – Keep in contact with your travel provider.

The intent of travel medical insurance is to stabilize the emergency and return you home for continuing treatment.  If your treatment is not deemed emergent and you are stable to return home, your policy may not cover any further treatment abroad and your benefits may be limited to unrelated conditions for the duration of your trip.

Travel medical insurance may not cover situations where a patient elects to get treatment abroad in order to stay the duration of their trip or because they may get treated sooner abroad than in Canada.

KNOW YOUR POLICY – Check your eligibility by contacting your provider before seeking treatment.