Whether you’re a cross-border shopper, business traveller, backpacker, snowbird or family on vacation, unforeseen incidents can happen at any time. Costs for medical care in the US and many places around the world can be very costly, and most provincial health plans only have a small allowance for medical expenses that can be incurred outside of your home province and outside of Canada.

Consider these costs for services in the US if, while on your trip, you suddenly experienced serious unexplained abdominal pain*: You would need an MRI to assess what the source of the pain is ($1,200). You would be kept in hospital for 24 hours of observation ($5,000+). If the MRI reveals that your appendix is inflamed, you will need to have it removed ($16,000). Suddenly, you are looking more than $22,000 for a common procedure.

Travel health insurance is essential to ensuring you, your family, and your finances are protected if met with a medical emergency. You will have access to 24/7 emergency medical assistance by specialists that can help you navigate health care services outside of Canada and guide you in seeking and receiving proper treatment.

Travel health insurance provides peace of mind so you can focus on enjoying your trip. If something unexpected happens, you will have someone to turn to for help if you’re sick or stranded. Travel insurance is a necessity that you should not leave the country without.

*These are approximations. There is no standard system for determining the cost of hospital care in the US. No two hospitals are likely to be the same. Source: https://www.internationalinsurance.com/resources/healthcare-costs-in-the-usa.php