Three Recommended Habits for Canadian Travel Insurance Buyers
Reading your travel insurance policy and being honest about your medical condition can make a lot of difference
No one wants to fall sick in the middle of a vacation they've always looked forward to. Just when you thought you can now get away from the stresses in life even just for a while, you're suddenly catapulted into another source of stress: a medical emergency abroad.
Ideally, travel insurance should provide enough financial support for fortuitous events that delay, cancel or interrupt a trip. More importantly, travel insurance should be able to shoulder the financial burdens of travellers who need medical attention during the trip.
Canada's travel insurance industry has its fair share of intrigue – which can be prevented of course. Some Canadian travellers were disappointed when they realized their respective travel insurance providers refused to honor their claims.
To avoid these scenarios, however, travellers are advised the following pre-travel habits (but be mindful of your age and reason for taking the trip):
1. Take note of the state of your health
Always be on the loop as far as your health is concerned. Travellers and travel insurance companies in Canada constantly argue about pre-existing medical conditions. One good way to avoid disputes and misunderstandings is to have a sincere and level-headed talk with your provider before sealing the deal.
Never withhold salient medical information. Lay out all your medical conditions into the open. Enumerate all the ailments you've gone through over the years. This helps your provider come up with a travel insurance policy suitable to your situation. Be just as sincere and open when answering claim questions.
The denial of a claim is mostly the result of a deliberate nondisclosure which many travel insurance companies consider deceitful. All relevant details concerning your health must be disclosed. If you are not sure about a particular question, seek assistance from a medical professional. Your private physician perhaps or someone in the family with sufficient medical know-how.
In the name of fairness and for your benefit as well, read the policy from cover to cover and pay attention to the Pre-Existing Conditions clause.
2. Read between and beyond the lines
It's not cool to spend the rest of your trip reading your travel insurance policy so make sure to do your reading before your travel date. The sooner you read, the sooner you'll be able to ask for clarifications.
Don't read just for the sake of reading. Understand each clause and its corresponding purpose. Know the scope of your coverage and the grounds through which your claim can be denied. Prior knowledge will prevent any unnecessary headache. For every word, phrase or sentence that escapes your understanding, ask your provider.
Before leaving for your trip, you must have already gone through your travel insurance policy. Meaning, ambiguous provisions have already been clarified and you remain confident in your choice.
3. Plan out your trip itinerary
Are you an adrenaline junkie? Or just the usual foot traveller? If you can't make up your mind, at least know what kind of activities you're getting yourself into during your trip. Not all travel insurance companies cover high-risk activities like mountain climbing, skydiving or deep-sea diving.
That's why it's very important to read your policy. You will be sufficiently forewarned about which activities are not covered – and these are mostly the hazardous types. A few travel insurance companies do cover high-risk activities but even then, terms and conditions still apply. Policies have limits and certain exclusions must be taken into consideration.
Stick to these habits before buying travel medical insurance and the rest of your trip will go smoothly even when push comes to shove.