A fall road trip through the Rockies. A quick weekend getaway in Nova Scotia. When the destination is still within Canada, it's easy to assume you're covered if something goes wrong. After all, you're still at home – right? Not necessarily.
In fact, insights from a recent TD Insurance survey found that nearly three-quarters of polled Canadians plan to travel for pleasure over the next 12 months, and 50% of them plan to do so domestically outside of their home province. However, less than half of that group plan to purchase emergency travel medical insurance, with a large percentage indicating that they believe they're already protected.
Indeed, 44% of those travellers think they are already covered by their provincial health plan, 36% believe they're covered through their employer and 25% believe they're covered through their credit card provider.
The reality? All of these options could have coverage gaps that may leave you footing the bill for medical expenses your home province or territory health plan doesn't cover once you're elsewhere in Canada. For example, if you live in Ontario and need an ambulance in Nova Scotia, OHIP won’t cover it, and, without private insurance, that ride alone could cost you more than $700.
Now consider a few more common "vacation mishaps," like a tumble on a hiking trail that requires an air ambulance or a bout of food poisoning on a coastal getaway that needs a prescription medication – when these unexpected events happen (and they do), the unexpected costs can climb quickly.
Check your insurance before you go so you can adventure with confidence. Martinmark | Dreamstime
The good news?
The best way to help financially protect yourself from the unexpected is to make sure you're insured before you go travelling – even for short trips within Canada.
Before you head out:
- Confirm what's actually covered by your employer, credit card company or current insurance provider.
- If there are gaps in your coverage, you can top up to make sure that you have enough coverage for the full length of your trip.
- Bring your travel documents, ID, insurance details and prescription information.
- Take a few minutes to learn about your destination in advance, including any local safety risks.
You can't prevent every emergency, but you can travel with confidence. With the right protection in place, you'll be free to focus on what really matters – making memories.
Visit TDInsurance.com for more information or to get a quote so you can make the most of your travels.