Do I Need Travel Insurance?
Planning to head abroad to bake in the sun on a beach or hike mountain trails? Read the following carefully before you board your plane!
What Travel Insurance Is For
If you have a valid health insurance card, note that the coverage provided by the Régie de l’assurance maladie du Québec is valid anywhere in the world, as long as your stay outside Quebec does not exceed 183 days. Keep in mind, however, that the Régie does not cover certain expenses and only partially covers others. That’s why it’s wise to get travel insurance to cover everything the RAMQ doesn’t.
What Kind of Insurance Should You Get?
Some of you may already have travel insurance through your credit card or your group insurance. If not, you can choose between single-trip insurance and annual insurance that covers all your trips. The latter is a good deal if you plan to take more than two trips in the year. You can also get additional coverage for your baggage and for trip cancellation.
Emergency Care
Travel insurance policies provide an amount to cover emergency care costs that are not covered by the RAMQ, as well as transportation and repatriation costs. Many also offer compensation in the event of disability or accidental death. However, be careful if you are hospitalized because of a known medical problem. The insurer may refuse to cover any pre-existing condition, meaning any injury or medical condition that arose before you took out the insurance and for which you had received a diagnosis, a prescription or treatment, or even had symptoms.
A Few Handy Tips
In general, it’s a good idea to take the baggage option, since your home insurance policy has limits for property away from the insured premises, as well as a deductible. The trip cancellation option can be very useful if you are travelling on business and your meeting is cancelled, or if you miss a connection. If you practise an extreme sport, note that most policies have an exclusion for it.
Make the Right Choice
Need an insurance professional who can help you identify your real needs and offer you the protection that suits you best? The best place to go is ClicAssure. Don’t wait: in just a few clicks, you’ll get the best offer from one of our partners.
