Travelling is an exciting adventure filled with opportunities for learning and discovery. However, unexpected setbacks like trip cancellations, lost baggage, or sudden illness sometimes happen. This makes it crucial to have adequate travel insurance. There are many travel insurance options available to enhance your protection and provide peace of mind. Here, we’ll explore everything you need to know.

Trip Cancellation Insurance
Have you bought an airline ticket or made a non-refundable or non-transferable hotel deposit? If so, trip cancellation insurance is designed to protect your financial investment in case you need to cancel your trip, come home early, or delay your return.

What’s covered:

• Non-refundable or non-transferable prepaid travel arrangement costs.
• Unused prepaid travel arrangement costs if you need to return home sooner or later than planned.
• Out-of-pocket expenses, such as hotel stays, meals, taxi fares, and other related costs, if a covered reason occurs.

Covered reasons may include:

• You or an immediate family member is seriously ill, injured, or has passed away.
• You lost your job or have work obligations that prevent you from taking the trip.
• Your travel visa is denied for reasons beyond your control.
• Weather conditions cause you to miss your departure or connecting transportation.
• You’re required to serve for jury duty or make a court appearance.

What’s not covered:

• Voluntarily cancelling the trip.
• Changing your mind about the trip.
• Having an undisclosed pre-existing medical condition.

Baggage Insurance
Lost, damaged, or delayed baggage can be a major inconvenience—and a costly one, especially if your essential items or valuables are involved. Baggage insurance provides coverage for these situations.

What’s covered:

• Lost, damaged, or stolen baggage.
• Essential items, such as toiletries or clothing, if your checked baggage is delayed.
• Lost or stolen personal documents, including your driver’s license, passport, birth certificate, etc.
• Valuables, such as cameras, laptops, and jewelry.

What’s not covered:

• Certain items, including cash, medication, cosmetics, etc.
• Broken items that are considered fragile or breakable.
• Neglect, recklessness, or disappearance (not classified as theft).

Limitations:

• Certain items have specified limits, and some high-value items may require additional coverage.

Emergency Medical Insurance
Medical emergencies can happen anywhere and at any time. Your provincial health plan may cover some, or even none, of your medical care outside your home province or abroad.¹ Moreover, it won't pay your bills upfront. Hospitals and clinics in other countries can be expensive and may require immediate cash payment.¹ In some places, you may not be treated if you don't have enough insurance or funds to pay your bills.¹ This is why dedicated emergency medical insurance can offer more comprehensive protection.

What’s covered:

• Emergency medical treatment and hospitalization.
• Emergency transportation.
• Emergency dental treatment.
• Prescription medication costs due to an emergency.
• Repatriation of remains in case of death.
• Return of dependents.

Considerations:
It’s important to review your coverage limits, as medical care abroad can be costly. Pay close attention to exclusions related to high-risk activities, pre-existing conditions, and travel to countries under travel advisories.

Additional emergency medical insurance is vital for Canadian expatriates, retirees spending extended periods abroad, or frequent travellers, ensuring they have continuous and adequate protection against unexpected medical events.

Coverage for dependent children
When your dependent children travel away from home—whether for family vacations, school trips, or solo adventures—it’s important to ensure they’re protected every step of the way. As the world becomes more interconnected, many young people are seeking opportunities to study or work abroad. However, protecting your dependent children in these situations goes beyond your standard travel insurance. Enhanced coverage for dependent children ensures access to medical care, emergency assistance, and support services, no matter where their journeys take them.

Coverage for visitors to Canada
Are you planning to host visitors from abroad? One crucial aspect that often gets overlooked is health coverage for these visitors. While Canada’s universal health care system is renowned, it’s primarily designed for eligible residents. Visitors from overseas typically aren’t covered by provincial health plans.

When visitors arrive in Canada, many mistakenly assume that their medical needs will be taken care of in case of an emergency. However, the reality is that healthcare costs can be substantial for non-residents. Medical services can quickly add up, leaving visitors and their hosts to face unexpected and sometimes overwhelming bills.

To mitigate these risks, many Canadian insurance companies offer specialized health coverage tailored for visitors. These plans cover a wide range of medical emergencies and unforeseen health events. By preparing in advance, you can help your guests enjoy their time in Canada without worrying about medical emergencies or unexpected expenses.

Choosing the right travel insurance
Selecting the appropriate enhanced travel insurance coverage depends on several factors, including your health status, travel destination, planned activities, and the value of your trip and belongings. It's a good idea to speak with a licensed insurance broker who can provide personalized support and advise you on important coverage options. They can offer informed recommendations tailored to your needs.

OTIP has partnered with 21st Century Travel Insurance Limited and Allianz Global Assistance to give you exclusive rates and comprehensive coverage, wherever and whenever you need it. Get coverage that picks up where your group coverage leaves off, or standalone coverage if you don’t have group coverage. Call 21st Century Travel and identify yourself as an OTIP member.
 

1. Government of Canada – Trip interruption and travel health insurance