Is Visitor Insurance the same as Travel Insurance?

Draw the coverage boundary in chalk. Go for a relatively high limit, remember the bubbly cost of health care in Canada; it may be expensive. Put yourself in Carlos’s shoes, who went with a low limit only because he felt like saving cash. But as a result of a biking accident in Vancouver, Carlos found himself facing hospital bills that far exceeded his coverage limit, and he had to pay thousands of dollars out of pocket. To avoid Carlos’ predicament, consider projected medical expenses for your activities and health issues. As a general rule, I think it’s best to choose a limit that makes you feel safe (and sound) (and salty) under the worst-case scenario.

Some policies are available for purchase after arrival, but it’s a better idea to have your insurance affairs in order prior to your trip. Observe, for example, Lisa, who traveled to Canada and then figured she’d be able to buy visitors insurance when she arrived. But, frankly, in the past 24 hours, it was really hard work looking for a good plan, and clearly, there were not many options. Book your insurance before you leave and make sure it’s taking effect from day one of your trip, therefore preventing you from an immediacy in any health issue or emergencies.

If you have a pre-existing condition, find a plan that covers acute onset of a pre-existing condition. Alex, a diabetic traveller could pick a plan that was an actual emergency one, based on his condition. It’s a good thing, then, that predicting a Lyme infection while strapped into a child seat is no longer the same as knowing you need to see a doctor after a lifelong dream jaunt with friends to Quebec turned into an urgent care visit with five days of antibiotics. Be honest about your health condition when you ask for a quote so that you are protected, and double check the pre existing health condition clause.

A small number of Visitor Insurance plan(s) do include some additional tap-on benefits such as dental coverage or repatriation, but these are rarely utilized and only serve as supplementary to actual medical emergencies. Janet had a dental-coverage policy, for example, so when she needed an emergency extraction while sitting in Ottawa, the policy covered it. These extras could really save your life, so try to think about which additional protections would be necessary during your travels.

Travel Insurance versus Visitor Insurance for Canada The insurances are different, travel insurance insurance gives a complete range of coverage such as lost of luggage, trip cancellations, delays in travel and so on where as visitor insurace gives coverage for their actual stay in the Canada One such example is Mark and Emily whose Travel Insurance saved them when Calgary flight was cancelled at last hour. Also, when Mark was hurt skiing and had to go to the hospital, the visitor’s insurance took care of all the bills that came during the hospital stay. Knowing the difference will allow you to pick the one that’s best for you.

Most visitors’ insurance offer the possibility of an extension, which is important in case your travel period is prolonged. Michael learned it hard: he had to extend his stay for some legal reason, but had no insurance for an extra month. To avoid such issues, check if your chosen plan allows extensions and under what conditions you can renew your policy.

That’s great you’ll never have to use your visitors insurance, but remember that if you do, then the trip wasn’t clean or healthy! Consider it something of a safety net. Neha for one flew from India to Toronto and by God’s grace never had to see a hospital where she would have made use of her insurance. “For me, it was a small price to pay for that peace of mind when I am travelling,” says Neha, who treated her unused insurance in the same vein. Remember, insurance is designed to protect against risks, not serve as a pre-payment for services you want to take advantage of.

Current visitors insurance plans in general also cover the health of a person with COVID-19 to the same amounts that they would provide coverage for any other health care plan. For instance, when Simon became infected during a business trip to Montreal, he also had to be hospitalized. At least he could ease some of the financial strain of his treatment; his visitors’ insurance thus paid his hospitalization bills. To ensure that you’re covered for Covid-19, check that pandemics are included in your new insurance plan.

It is individualized coverage, meaning each guest will have to have his or her own coverage plan. It had turned out to be really useful when the Lee family from South Korea visited Canada, and their youngest daughter required pediatric care out of the blue — all of them had purchased a plan tailored to their health, so it was not an issue. Shopping as individuals guarantees that individuals’ unique medical needs are what get covered.

Filing a claim may seem like a hassle, but with a clearly defined plan it’s relatively simple. Take the example of Roberto’s ski accident which required him to visit a Calgary emergency facility. And so he rang the helpline from his insurance company and followed the instructions of how to do how a claim, submit hospital bills, and a medical report, etc. Overall, you will need to report to your insurance company as soon as you can and maintain all receipts and doctor reports. As a rule of thumb, report the accident to your insurer as quickly as possible, and retain every receipt and all related medical paperwork, along with a completed claim form (which includes information about the incident and your injuries).

Coverage for adventure sports is not standard and varies widely among insurance plans. Jenna’s experience is the kind of cautionary tale; she assumed her visitor’s insurance would pay her medical bills after her rock climbing accident, but in fact, her plan specifically didn’t cover high-risk activities. Look specifically for plans that include adventure sports if you look forward to engaging in such sports, or otherwise purchase an additional cover for it.

So it needs to be an insurance company that will be investigated and verified in its legitimacy. Read reviews, verify their licensing in Canada, and turn to online chat rooms or local contacts for advice. Thomas, who is often abroad on work, has this piece of advice: Give the insurance company a call and clear your doubts. Also, you see the speed and the clarity with which they fall, which means good customer support.