Travel insurance
is essential for your travels in Canada
Whenever you travel outside your province of residence
Why purchase insurance for a trip within Canada?
Provincial health insurance does not cover everything outside Ontario
When you travel outside of your province of residence, your provincial health insurance plan provides you with limited coverage.
Although it covers most of the costs associated with hospitalization (diagnostic procedures, nursing care, medication administered during hospitalization), many services are not reimbursed. Non-reimbursed expenses can include ambulance transportation, emergency repatriation and prescription medication.
You should also know that your provincial health insurance card is not accepted everywhere. As a result, you may have to pay for the required fees out of pocket and then submit a reimbursement request to your provincial health plan. In addition, the costs incurred may only be partially reimbursed. If so, you will be responsible for paying the difference.
To learn more, visit Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) website.
More comprehensive coverage
Trip Cancellation or Interruption - Get reimbursed for non-refundable travel expenses in the event of a trip interruption or cancellation. This includes the cost of accommodations, transportation and activities.
You will also be able to claim the additional transportation or vehicle return costs or receive subsistence allowance.
Baggage loss, damage or theft - Get a refund in case of baggage loss, theft, damage or delay of more than 12 hours. This coverage is over and above that available by the Air Passenger Bill of Rights.
Other benefits are available to you. To learn more, visit the “Travel Insurance” section of this guide.
To help you in case of emergency
It is important that you contact travel assistance as soon as an emergency situation occurs.
Our agents are available 24/7 to assist you: provide referral to a healthcare facility, coordination of care, ongoing support, repatriation.
Ontario Blue Cross travel insurance also includes the Flight Delay Service, giving you access to an airport lounge or a hotel room depending on the length of your delay.
AN AMBULANCE RIDE,
AS EXPENSIVE AS A PLANE TICKET?
Do you really know the cost of an ambulance ride?
For example, in Nova Scotia, a non-resident would pay $733 for ambulance transportation. The same service in British Columbia costs almost $850! The province where this service is the cheapest is Newfoundland, at $220.