INDIVIDUAL PLANS
Travel Insurance
If you are travelling outside Canada and have limited or no supplementary out-ofcountry coverage through a group plan or credit card, it is wise to buy an individual
travel insurance policy.
When you need medical care while in another country, your provincial or territorial
health insurance plan pays for the same services it covers when you are at home,
at the same rate it pays for those services at home, and in Canadian dollars.
Moreover, if you extend your stay to more than six months, your government
coverage may lapse (check with your provincial or territorial government to find
out how long you can be away before losing your benefits).
If your government benefits do not cover the entire cost of the services you
receive, you must pay the difference. Emergency surgery or a hospital stay could
leave you with a crushing personal debt, if you do not have supplementary benefits.
Individual health insurance for travellers is offered by many insurance companies,
and application forms are available from many retailers of travel-related products
and services.
If you are travelling within Canada, an inter-provincial agreement exists to provide
coverage for you. Québec participates in this agreement for hospital fees only, so
Québec residents travelling out of their home province should check with their
government health insurance plan for limitations.
Where Can You Buy Individual Health Plans?
You can call the OmbudService for Life and Health Insurance's toll-free number
to find the names of insurance companies that sell individual plans to Canadians.
TIP: Insurers generally provide a card that lists emergency numbers you can call
in case of an accident or illness while travelling. Be sure to carry the card with you at
all times. And get copies of all bills for health care expenses you incur while away
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