Travel Insurance? Don’t leave home without it!
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I received an urgent call from a good client with a big problem.
His 80 year old mother became ill while travelling and was admitted to a local hospital with symptoms of a stroke.
He thought her travel insurance (with a major credit card company) was in force and up to date until he was shocked to discover otherwise.
Despite his good faith assumptions, it turns out that her travel insurance was not automatically renewed - and her hospital bill exceeded $160,000 in less than 10 days.
He is now trying to get his mother stabilized and flown back to our socialized medical system. The emergency air transportation will cost upwards of $50,000.
A newspaper reporter contacted me last month seeking advice. His mother spends six months of the year in Florida without medical insurance. She is overweight, diabetic and never tried to get any type insurance in Canada.
I told him that it would be possible for her to get coverage, albeit at a higher cost due to her medical condition.
They decided to “throw the dice” and take their chances in the U.S. without insurance, despite the fact that both mother and son do not have the financial capacity to pay the exorbitant costs that would certainly result from a sudden illness or accident.
Before you embark on your next journey - for an African safari, a day of cross-border shopping, or to another province that does not recognize your provincial health plan (like OHIP in Ontario) do yourself and your family a big favour by confirming your travel insurance coverage. Remember to carry a copy of your travel insurance documents with you. If you are not properly covered, take care of it before you go.
We work with some great people if you need help for snowbird coverage or tourist plans.
Most people don’t know that visitors to Canada are not covered by our healthcare system.
They need travel insurance too.
3 types of inexpensive travel insurance are now available at our secure website:
Safe travels.
Stay healthy.