6 ‘Golden Rules’ You Need To Know About COVID-19 Travel Insurance Before You Book A Trip
Check and double-check your policy!👇✈️
With fall just around the corner and winter on the horizon, many Canadians are dreaming of leaving the cold behind and travelling outside of Canada on vacation.
Although a non-essential travel advisory remains in place, it's becoming easier for fully vaccinated Canadians to take trips away from home. If you do decide to book a plane ticket, the feds suggest getting travel insurance to cover your trip.
To help you get prepared, experts from the Travel Health Insurance Association of Canada (THIA) suggest getting familiar with a number of "golden rules." Here's what you need to know:
Check travel restrictions
Thanks to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, travelling abroad looks a little different right now.
There are various travel restrictions in place in countries across the world, which vary depending on your departure country and destination. Some measures may also vary based on the COVID-19 vaccine that you received.
Before you begin researching travel insurance, it is essential to check and double-check the most recent health measures in place at your intended destination.
Understand your insurance policy
Experts at the THIA told Narcity that anybody hoping to take a trip away from home should contact their insurance provider to get answers related to their policy.
"Make sure to ask your provider about extended coverage options for COVID-19, recent policy updates or changes, and what additional benefits apply to you if you have the COVID-19 vaccine," a spokesperson advised.
Know your health
Before you go away, experts suggest consulting your health care provider if you have any questions.
If you're concerned that you may be vulnerable to COVID-19, worried about travelling or want to find out more about the vaccine you received, reach your doctor before you go abroad.
Research your trip
Consultants from the THIA recommend finding an insurance policy that is specifically tailored to your trip so that you have all of your bases covered.
The easiest way to do this is by answering questions like "How long will you be gone? Are you a snowbird? Will you be travelling many times during the year?" and even "Do you plan to scuba dive?"
Learn your rights
Before confirming a new travel insurance policy, travellers should consider looking at the THIA's Bill of Rights and Responsibilities.
Experts say this will help to "provide all travelling Canadians with additional confidence in their travel insurance purchase knowing their company is supporting their rights as a consumer and making them aware of their responsibilities."
You can take a look at it here.
Check your documentation
"Vaccination status is a factor for some policies and, more importantly, for some activities in other countries," said Will McAleer, the THIA's executive director.
"It will be important for Canadians travelling to these jurisdictions to understand whether they have adequate documentation to move freely while vacationing for weeks or months," he added.
This means that even if you are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, it's essential to gather the documentation to prove this (as required at your destination).
Before you get going, check out our Responsible Travel Guide so you can be informed, be safe, be smart, and most of all, be respectful on your adventure.