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RTIPLogo-(2).pngRTIP Travel FAQ


 

Who do I contact in case of an emergency while travelling?

 

 

24-Hours Emergency Assistance

 

Canada/U.S.: 1-800-936-6226

Outside Canada and the U.S.: 519-742-3556. If calling collect, please note you must use a landline.

 

IMPORTANT: If you are travelling and in need of medical treatment, please contact OTIP Travel Assistance (CanAssistance) before seeking treatment if possible.

 

What is considered a medical emergency?

 

When travelling Out-of-Province/Out-of-Country, medical emergency is defined as:

  • A sudden, unexpected injury or a new medical condition which occurs while you or your eligible dependent(s) (e.g. spouse/child) are travelling outside of their province of residence, or
  • A previously diagnosed medical or chronic condition that is medically stable (see the question below for our definition of medically stable) at the time of departure.
  • A medical emergency ends when the attending physician feels that, based on the medical evidence, a patient is stable enough to return to their home province or territory.
 

What is “medically stable”?

 

In the 90 days before your departure, you or your eligible family member/dependant has not:

  • been treated or tested for any new symptoms or conditions or illnesses.
  • had an increase or worsening of any existing symptoms.
  • had any new test results showing your condition or illness has worsened.
  • changed treatments or medications unless it was because your condition or illness got better.
  • been admitted to or treated at a hospital for the medical condition or illness.
  • planned any non-routine appointments, further health investigations/tests or future treatments.
 

Should I buy top-up travel insurance?

 

Consider extra coverage if you want to increase the number of days out-of-province/out-of-country over the 95-day limit.

Get comprehensive protection for as long as you need it with top-up coverage from Allianz Global Assistance. For more information, call Allianz at 1-866-520-8823 or 519-742-9013.

 

What happens if I get sick while travelling abroad?

 

In the event of an illness or medical emergency, you or your covered family members must call OTIP Travel Assistance as soon as possible. RTIP members have access to 24-hour emergency assistance while travelling. Emergency travel numbers can be found here.

 

I have a chronic illness, am I still covered? Or, what are pre-existing conditions?

 

If you are medically stable when travelling and experience a medical emergency, you will be covered as per the terms of your RTIP contract. We recommend you discuss your medical conditions with your physician before travelling to ensure you’re considered stable.

Please note: We cannot guarantee coverage as claims are reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

 

What happens if I can’t reach OTIP Travel Assistance within 48 hours before commencing treatment?

 

If it is medically impossible for the covered person to call prior to obtaining emergency treatment, it is important to have someone (family member, caregiver, friend, etc.) call OTIP Travel Assistance on the covered person’s behalf within 48 hours and alert them of the treatment. If possible, please ensure the individual calling has your RTIP ID handy.

 

What is a travel advisory? If I am stranded abroad but left Canada before the travel advisory changed, do I still have coverage?

 

Travel Advisory Level One and Two:

  • Coverage is not affected for these travel advisory levels. We do recommend closely monitoring government-imposed restrictions or advisories before departure and while travelling.
 

Travel Advisory Level Three and Four:

  • If the advisory is issued prior to departure, the plan member has the opportunity to use their trip cancellation coverage to receive reimbursement.
  • If an advisory is issues while the member is travelling, coverage will not be affected; however, we recommend that the plan member utilizes their trip interruption coverage to return home immediately, as per the government website instructions.
  • If the member decides to travel during a Level Three or Four advisory, there may be no assistance or coverage.
 

Before travelling, we recommend that members:

  • Follow the advice of the Government of Canada and local government when booking trips and travelling.
  • Read your RTIP contract for full coverage details to understand your benefits. Visit otip.com and click the Log In button at the top of the webpage, then select RTIP (for retired members) from the drop-down menu to log in and view your contract.
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