How to choose the right travel insurance for Canada?
While the cost of your travel insurance must fit your budget, it’s also important to ensure that the level of cover offered by your chosen travel insurance fits your holiday plans.
Opting for the cheapest travel insurance might mean that your level of cover is inadequate for your vacation itinerary.
For example, if you plan to travel to Canada for a winter sports holiday, it’s likely that you will have to purchase additional ski-sports cover. Also, you should ensure that the type of skiing you plan is covered, too. Off-piste skiing and snowboarding usually require a more expensive level of cover.
Most other holiday sporting pursuits, especially more extreme ones, require separate cover, too. So it’s always a good idea to read the policy small print before you travel, to ensure you’re covered for any eventuality.
If you compare travel insurance for Canada with Canstar, in addition to cover limits for medical treatments and theft and loss of your possessions, you can see clearly whether cover for snow sports are available as an optional extra.
What does travel insurance for Canada cover?
Most general travel insurance policies for Canada include cover for:
Medical and dental treatment expenses
This includes admission to hospital, medical treatments, emergency dental work and evacuation/repatriation to Australia.
Stolen or lost luggage and travel documents
Covers the cost of replacing personal possessions or travel documents, such as passports, lost or stolen overseas.
Unforeseen cancellation or amendment of holiday plans
Life is unpredictable, and illnesses and bad weather can put holiday plans on hold, or cause major changes to itineraries, which can be expensive if you don’t have travel insurance coverage.
Legal liability
Legal liability covers you for any accidental damage you cause to other people or their property while you’re on holiday, including any related legal fees.
Optional extras
Optional extra cover packages offered by travel insurance providers can include: snow and adventure sports, riding a motorbike or moped, rental vehicle insurance excess, cover for individual high-value personal items, existing serious medical conditions, late-term pregnancy, pet kennelling and loss of income due to serious injury overseas.
Repatriation
Should tragedy strike and somebody loses their life while on holiday, repatriation cover will meet the costs of returning their body home. Some policies also include funds to cover funeral expenses.
What does travel insurance for Canada not cover?
General exclusions included in most travel insurance product disclosure statements (PDS) include:
Failing to take due care
If you intentionally put yourself, your property, or others at risk through reckless behaviour, any resulting losses are unlikely to be covered under your insurance. This includes leaving your possessions unattended where they can be easily stolen.
Unreported items
All losses must be reported to your insurance company as soon as possible, and thefts should be reported to the local police. Your insurance company may require a police report to verify your claim.
Acting unlawfully
An insurance company is unlikely to pay any claim for a loss or injury incurred while you were breaking the law.
Riding a motorcycle or moped without a helmet or licence
Even if you take out additional insurance to cover yourself while riding a motorcycle or moped in Canada, the insurance will only be valid if you hold an Australian driver licence that permits you to ride a comparable bike at home. You must also wear a helmet.
Being under the influence
Any claims made for loss while under the influence of drink or drugs will be rejected.
Pre-existing health conditions
Pre-existing, acute health conditions are usually not covered by regular travel insurance, although many insurance providers do offer specialised optional cover for those with serious health issues.
Pregnancy
Issues arising due to a late-term pregnancy, such as childbirth costs, are usually only covered by optional additional pregnancy cover.
How much does travel insurance cost for Canada?
At time of writing, standard comprehensive travel insurance for Canada without any level of snow sports cover for a one-week trip for a couple costs between approx $200-$300, while additional skiing and snowboarding cover costs from approx $480 for a basic snow package, up to around $700 for off-piste skiing cover. Prices and levels of cover vary, however, depending on your choice of insurance provider and travel details. You can compare travel insurance with Canstar to find travel insurance that suits your requirements and budget.