Many of us love to travel. Some of us get to do it all the time, and some of us travel only on special occasions. But all of us should be aware of the importance of getting travel insurance when visiting Canada. Yes, Canada has a world-renowned national health insurance program, but this universal health insurance plan covers only Canadian citizens and lawful residents.
Medical Care Is Expensive
If you are in an accident or become ill and need to be hospitalized, you’ll find out quickly that emergency medical costs can be exorbitantly high even in Canada. If you plan a trip to Canada without obtaining travel insurance and you end up needing medical care, you will need about $50,000 in coverage for emergency medical costs.
Even if you live in Canada and are traveling to another province, your government health insurance will not cover all of your medical expenses. For example, if you require the use of either an air or ground ambulance, prescription drugs or emergency dental care while you are out of province, these expenses will not be covered.
Additional Services Included
The great thing about travel insurance in a country like Canada is that it may surprise most visitors with the services that it includes. While most countries don’t include these services on their standard medical insurance for their own citizens, Canada offers visitors who have purchased travel insurance emergency specialists such as physiotherapists, chiropractors or acupuncturists when their services are warranted.
Dental Services
Similar to medical care for visitors, Canada doesn’t offer full coverage for dental work while you’re in the country, so in case of an emergency, you will definitely want to have it. Most travel insurance plans offer dental coverage of $500 – $1,000 for emergencies. So if you are thinking of getting, for example, dental implants while you’re traveling to Canada, you definitely can’t do that using your travel insurance. Although, if you do think about fixing your teeth while you’re in Canada, make sure you contact reliable people, like these North York dentists.
Coverage in Canada and the U.S.
A great benefit of getting travel insurance when visiting Canada is that you are covered from the moment you leave your home country. This means that if when in Canada, you decide to make a side trip to go to the U.S. , your travel insurance will cover you in the U.S.
Who Should Obtain Travel Insurance?
Relatives with a Super Visa
Parents and grandparents who have a Super Visa to visit their children in Canada for up to 24 months must provide proof that they have private medical insurance coverage that meets the following criteria:
- Be valid for 1 year from the time you specify
- Be issued by a Canadian insurance company
- Provide a minimum coverage of $100,000
- Cover emergency medical care, hospitalization and repatriation
- Be valid for each entry to Canada and available for review by a port of entry officer
New Canadians and Temporary Foreign Workers
If you are a new Canadian and you’re still waiting to get your health care coverage, or a temporary foreign worker, your best option is to purchase a travel insurance plan. Travel insurance is also recommended for Canadians returning to Canada from an extended stay who are waiting for their provincial health coverage to take effect.
No one likes to think that anything could go wrong while on vacation, but unfortunately, there are situations where you need medical care while traveling. For individuals visiting Canada, obtaining travel insurance is the best option to ensure you are not faced with debilitating medical bills.
