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 advance the required fees 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 have to pay the difference out of your own pocket.
To learn more, visit Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) website.
Travel insurance helps you pay for services and medical care prescribed following a medical emergency that are not covered by provincial health care coverage outside of your province of residence.
In addition, you will not have to pay for health expenses or coordinate the reimbursement request with your provincial health plan. Ontario Blue Cross® will take care of managing your entire claim.
However, it’s important that you contact travel assistance as soon as an emergency occurs. Our first-response team is always available to assist you.
Ontario Blue Cross travel insurance also gives you access to the Flight Delay Service, which provides you with a range of benefits in the event of a flight delay, such as access to an airport lounge or a hotel room.
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.
Even on familiar ground, it’s reassuring to be able to count on a team of professionals in the event of sudden illness or accident.
Whatever the emergency, our travel assistance members are available at any time of the day or night to help you.
Since it was created, our travel assistance service has become the reference for emergency travel support.
An ambulance ride can get expensive.
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 “only” $240.