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The best travel insurance companies for visitors to Canada (2024)

If you’re planning a trip to Canada, visitors insurance will help you avoid having to pay out-of-pocket if something unexpected happens, like if you need medical care or if you need to return home early. But it can be hard to know which insurance policy you should buy. So, we did the research for you to find the top 10 Best Travel Insurance For Visitors to Canada.

What is visitors to Canada insurance?

• Why do visitors to Canada need travel insurance?

The best visitors insurance in Canada

• Manulife - Best for Comprehensive Coverage
• Tugo - Best for Pre-Existing Conditions
• Allianz - Best for International Students
• GMS - Best for Super Visa Insurance
• Travelance - Best for Monthly Payment Plans
• 21st Century - Best for Long Stays
• Destination Canada - Best for Convenience
• MSH - Best for Side Trips
• 21st Century - Best for Companion Discounts
• Secure Travel - Best for Customizable Deductibles

How to get the best Canadian visitors insurance?

Travel insurance is an important part of staying protected on any trip, and people visiting Canada have a lot of choice! When deciding what kind of travel plan you need, it can be tricky to know where to start. Which Canadian provider is reliable? Who has the best rates? Who has the most choice? How’s someone who’s never been to Canada supposed to know?

Worry not! Your trusty friends at PolicyAdvisor.com are experts in travel insurance and we put together a list of the 10 Best Travel Insurance For Visitors to Canada just for you! We rank the top choices, list the pros and cons of each, and provide some useful product information to help you choose the plan that would best cover you and your family.

Read on for more information or click here to skip straight to our travel insurance for visitors to Canada ratings !

Need insurance answers now?

Call 1-888-601-9980 to speak to our licensed advisors right away, or book some time with them below.

Visitors to Canada insurance refers to travel insurance you can get for a trip to Canada. It helps to pay for unexpected costs that you might have before or during your trip. There are lots of different types of travel insurance, but most people get visitors health insurance or travel medical insurance to pay for health care costs if they need medical care while they’re in Canada.

What does visitors insurance cover?

Depending on what type of policy you choose, Canadian visitors insurance can cover:

✅ Medical expenses

• Emergency doctor or hospital visits
• Emergency dental care
• Prescription drugs
• Travel accident
• Ambulance transportation
• Repatriation

✅ Non-medical expenses

• Trip cancellation
• Trip interruption (ending a trip early)
• Flight delays
• Hotel/accommodation costs
• Extra meal costs
• Adventure sports

✅ Super visa

• Meets the requirements of the Canadian super visa program for parents and grandparents

Life Insurance Tip

Check out our article on visitors to Canada insurance for an easy-to-read, in-depth guide, complete with pricing info, key terms, and everything you need to know to prepare for your trip up north!

Why do visitors to Canada need travel insurance? 

Visitors to Canada should get travel insurance to avoid having to pay a lot of money if something unexpected happens on your trip. It helps you travel with peace of mind and enjoy your time up north without worrying about what would happen in an emergency.

Think of it this way: a flight delay could cost you hundreds in hotel fees and meal expenses that you didn’t expect to pay. One trip to the doctor in Canada could cost you thousands — Canada’s government health insurance plan won’t cover any bills for visitors, and insurance from your home country won’t cover you either. But visitors insurance doesn’t cost a lot, and can help make sure you don’t get stuck with any unexpected bills.

Most visitors to Canada aren’t required to get travel insurance to come to Canada, except for super visa holders. But we strongly recommend that you get visitors insurance for your trip — it’s well worth the peace of mind!

At PolicyAdvisor.com , we work closely with more than 30 of Canada’s best insurance companies to provide tailored travel insurance options for visitors. In this article, we did the work of searching the market for you to find out who has the best deals. Based on our in-house research, we put together this list of the Canadian providers who have the absolute best visitors insurance to offer.

The 10 best travel insurance companies for visitors to Canada in 2024 are: 

• Best travel insurance for comprehensive coverage: Manulife
• Best travel insurance for pre-existing conditions: Tugo
• Best travel insurance for international students: Allianz
• Best travel insurance for super visa: GMS
• Best travel insurance for monthly payment plans: Travelance
• Best travel insurance for long stays: 21st Century
• Best travel insurance for convenience: Destination Canada
• Best travel insurance for side trips: MSH
• Best travel insurance for companion discounts: 21st Century
• Best for customizable deductibles: Secure Travel

Best Travel Insurance for Comprehensive Coverage: Manulife

Visitors who want a travel insurance plan that covers all their bases can trust that Manulife will be one of their best choices. Or, if you’re not sure exactly what you need and you just want to get general travel insurance coverage that has a little bit of everything, their comprehensive plan is well-rounded enough to do that for you too.

With Manulife, you can get travel medical insurance by itself or as part of a package with trip interruption protection . They’re one of the only Canadian insurance companies that lets visitors do this. You can also use their travel insurance for your super visa . Plus, all of their plans cover things like stable pre-existing health conditions , side trips, travel accidents, and more.

There’s a reason why Manulife usually gets high ratings from us. They’re one of Canada’s oldest and biggest insurance companies , and they have really good insurance plans to fit people’s needs!

PolicyAdvisor Rating

Best Travel Insurance for Comprehensive Coverage

AM Best Rating A+

Product Name: Emergency Medical Plan for Visitors to Canada

Types of Coverage: Emergency medical + super visa + optional trip interruption

Maximum Amount of Coverage: $150,000 CAD

Age Range: 30 days to 85 years

Pre-existing Conditions Covered: Yes, if stable

Deductible Range: $0 – $5,000 CAD

Free Look: Yes, 10-day

Family Plans: Yes

Manulife Travel Insurance for Visitors to Canada Pros and Cons

Best travel insurance for pre-existing conditions: tugo.

If you’re coming to Canada and you already have a health condition, we strongly suggest that you get an insurance plan with Tugo. Like Manulife, Tugo is another well-known Canadian company that sells travel insurance. And they have the best plans for people who may have health concerns.

A pre-existing medical condition is a health issue that you already had before you got travel insurance. It refers to things like cancer, heart conditions, high blood pressure, obesity, and others. ( Read our article about pre-existing medical conditions for a full list )

Some Canadian providers can cover pre-existing conditions as long as they’re stable. This means that it hasn’t gotten worse, needed a new diagnosis, or caused new symptoms in 90-180 days, depending on your insurance company’s rules. Tugo goes the extra mile. They have additional travel plans for visitors that can cover a pre-existing condition even if it’s not stable. This is an extremely rare insurance option for visitors to Canada.

Plus Tugo has some of the best coverage options. They’re one of the few that let visitors get non-medical forms of insurance for things like trip cancellation insurance. And they have a unique MyFlyt service that can compensate you for flight delays.

Best Travel Insurance for Pre-Existing Conditions

AM Best Rating N/A

Product Name: Visitors to Canada Emergency Medical Insurance, Visitors to Canada Trip Cancellation & Trip Interruption Insurance, Visitors to Canada Trip Interruption Insurance

Types of Coverage: Emergency medical + super visa + trip cancellation/interruption + trip interruption + optional sports & adventure activities, accidental death & dismemberment, and unstable pre-existing conditions

Maximum Amount of Coverage: $500,000 CAD or $2,000,000 CAD for international students

Age Range: 15 days to 90+ years

Pre-existing Conditions Covered: Yes + optional coverage for unstable conditions

Deductibles: $0 – $10,000 CAD

Tugo Visitors to Canada Emergency Medical Travel Insurance Pros and Cons

Best travel insurance for international students: allianz global assistance.

Many international students in Canada get their own travel medical insurance policy to cover anything their school’s health plan doesn’t cover. This means things like covering them for winter and summer holidays, or for any side trips they take outside of the province or country too. And Allianz travel insurance is the best choice.

Allianz has the best plans for international students in Canada . They actually have a unique package just for international students. And they have the highest coverage amount for students too — they’ll cover up to $5 million for medical emergencies. Their plans can be a little pricey, but they’re a reputable company and their plans are worth it.

Best Travel Insurance for International Students

Product Name: Visitors to Canada Plan, International Students to Canada Travel Insurance

Types of Coverage: Emergency medical + super visa

Maximum Amount of Coverage: $100,000 CAD or $5,000,000 CAD (international students)

Age Range: 15 days to 84 years

Pre-existing Conditions Covered: Limited; up to age 59 only, if stable

Deductibles: $0 CAD

Family Plans: No

Allianz Visitors to Canada Travel Insurance Plan Pros and Cons

Best travel insurance for super visa: group medical services (gms).

GMS is our top recommendation for people who are travelling to Canada on a super visa. ( Read our Guide to Canadian Super Visa Insurance to learn more about the program. ) Its plans meet the requirements of the program, and it has well-rounded coverage options.

Their Immigrants & Visitors to Canada Insurance covers stable pre-existing conditions and has excellent coverage for seniors. It also has a fair range of deductible options and decent coverage amounts if you need something a bit more than the $100,000 limit. And their rates are affordable too!

Best Travel Insurance for Super Visa Insurance

Product Name: Immigrants & Visitors to Canada Insurance

Age Range: 0 to 80 years

Deductibles: $0 – $1,000 CAD

GMS Immigrants & Visitors to Canada Travel Insurance Pros and Cons

Best travel insurance for monthly payment plans: travelance.

Travelance is one of the few Canadian companies that lets you pay for super visa insurance monthly instead of paying for everything at once. And, as far as we’re concerned, it’s the best if you want a plan specifically to pay monthly.

The reason we recommend Travelance so highly is in the details. It lets you get 3 follow-up doctor visits within a 30-day period, covering up to $3,000 worth of related costs. Most providers don’t cover follow-up visits this much. It also has great coverage for prescription drugs and really high deductible options. This is fantastic health insurance for visitors to Canada if you do end up needing medical attention during your trip. And you don’t even have to pay for the entire thing upfront!

Best Travel Insurance for Monthly Payment Plans

Product Name: Visitors to Canada Emergency Medical Insurance (VTC) Essential Plan or Premier Plan, International Student Travel Insurance (ISP) Smart Plan or Smart-Plus Plan

Maximum Amount of Coverage: $150,000 CAD (visitors) or $2,000,000 CAD (international students)

Age Range: 14 days to 86 years

Pre-existing Conditions Covered: Limited; up to age 69 and only with premium plans, if stable

Travelance Visitors to Canada Emergency Medical Travel Insurance Pros and Cons

Best travel insurance for long stays: 21st century.

If you plan to stay in Canada for long periods of time, we recommend that you get a visitors insurance plan with 21st Century. They have a rare upgrade feature that lets you extend your insurance plan for up to 2 years while keeping the exact same price. This makes it a great deal if you have long-term travel plans.

Their 2-year extension is perfect for people who apply for the 2-year extension for their super visa . Plus, 21st Century is another one of the few providers who lets you pay for super visa insurance monthly . They offer different levels of insurance to cover your trip, and you can choose higher or lower deductibles .

Best Travel Insurance for Long Stays

Product Name: Visitors to Canada Insurance Basic Plan, Standard Plan, or Enhanced Plan

Maximum Amount of Coverage: $200,000 CAD

Age Range: 0 to 111 years

Pre-existing Conditions Covered: Yes, if stable (Enhanced Plan only)

Free Look: No

21st Century Visitors to Canada Travel Insurance Pros and Cons

Best travel insurance for convenience: destination canada.

Destination Canada is a nice and simple option for visitors to Canada insurance . It’s the kind of insurance plan you can buy quickly without worrying too much. It will cover the basics for emergency medical — stable pre-existing conditions , super visa insurance , etc. And it can give you a lot more coverage than normal. It can even cover travellers who are over 86 years old. So, it’s a good click-and-buy choice.

On the downside, it doesn’t have the most comprehensive travel insurance policies. So, if you’re looking for things like trip cancellation insurance or coverage for extreme sports , this isn’t the best choice for you. It also has fairly low deductible options, only going up to $500 — and that matters because deductibles affect the price of travel insurance .

Best Travel Insurance for Convenience

Product Name: Canada Visitors to Canada Plan, International Student Insurance

Maximum Amount of Coverage: $300,000 CAD

Age Range: 0 to 86+ years

Pre-existing Conditions Covered: Limited; up to age 79 only, if stable

Deductibles: $0 – $500 CAD

Destination Canada Visitors to Canada Travel Insurance Plan Pros and Cons

Best travel insurance for side trips: msh.

An MSH plan is the perfect travel insurance for international frequent flyers. Many Canadian insurance companies  cover side trips once most of your time is spent in Canada. But they won’t cover trips outside of Canada more than 30 days at most. MSH doesn’t have this limit.

MSH doesn’t have restrictions on outside trips, so even if you spend an extended period of time in countries outside of Canada, you can still get coverage. Its plan also gives you a LOT of coverage and some of the highest deductible options around.

Best Travel Insurance for Side Trips

Product Name: Discover Canada Insurance, Patriot Travel Plan

Maximum Amount of Coverage: $1,000,000 CAD

Age Range: 15 days to 90 years

Pre-existing Conditions Covered: Limited; up to age 80 only, if stable

Deductibles: $0 – $25,000 CAD

MSH Discover Canada Travel Insurance Pros and Cons

Best travel insurance for companion discounts: 21st century.

The 21st Century travel insurance is a good choice if you’re not travelling alone. In Canada, many insurance companies have plans for families, which means you can get lower prices if you’re going on a trip with your close family or other dependents. 21st Century does that too, but it also gives discounts if your travel companion might not be in your family. So, if you and a few friends want to visit Canada and save money while making sure you’re protected, this insurance plan would be a smart option.

Best Travel Insurance for Companion Discounts

Deductibles: $0 – $10,000 CAD

Best Travel Insurance for Customizable Deductibles: Secure Travel

Visitors to Canada who want more deductible choices should think about getting a travel insurance policy from Secure Travel. A deductible is the amount you pay upfront before insurance pays for the rest. A higher deductible makes your insurance premium cost less, and vice versa. Secure Travel lets you customize a deductible up to $3,000, and that can help if you’re looking to lower the cost of travel insurance.

They also have a high travel medical insurance coverage limit. And has 2 tiers of plans, so you can decide how enhanced or how basic you want your travel insurance to be. You can get all of this plus good standard coverage for things like super visa insurance , pre-existing conditions , side trips, travel accident, and more.

Best Travel Insurance for Customizable Deductibles

Product Name: Visitors to Canada Insurance Standard or Enhanced Plan, Super Visa Insurance, International Student Insurance Standard, Enhanced, or Premium Plan

Maximum Amount of Coverage: $1,000,000 CAD or $2,000,000 CAD for international students

Age Range: 15 days to 89 years

Deductibles: $0 – $3,000 CAD

Secure Travel Visitors to Canada Travel Insurance Pros and Cons

If you’re looking for the best visitors insurance for your trip to Canada, you can easily find the perfect plan right here on PolicyAdvisor.com! You can get free travel insurance quotes online in minutes , so it’s super easy to compare plans from different travel insurance providers all in one click. Plus, we have a wonderful team of friendly, licensed insurance professionals who are happy to help if you’d rather talk to someone one-on-one.

Don’t risk your big trip! Check out our quoting tool or book a call with one of our representatives to get the best Canadian visitors insurance today!

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The information above is intended for informational purposes only and is based on PolicyAdvisor’s own views, which are subject to change without notice. This content is not intended and should not be construed to constitute financial or legal advice. PolicyAdvisor accepts no responsibility for the outcome of people choosing to act on the information contained on this website. PolicyAdvisor makes every effort to include updated, accurate information. The above content may not include all terms, conditions, limitations, exclusions, termination, and other provisions of the policies described, some of which may be material to the policy selection. Please refer to the actual policy documents for complete details. In case of any discrepancy, the language in the actual policy documents will prevail. All rights reserved.

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11 Best Travel Insurance Companies in May 2024

Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This influences which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money .

If the past few years have shown us anything, it’s that travelers need to be prepared for the unexpected — from a pandemic to flight troubles to the crowded airport terminals so many of us have encountered.

Whether you’re looking for an international travel insurance plan, emergency medical care or a policy that includes extreme sports, these are the best travel insurance providers to get you covered.

How we found the best travel insurance

We looked at quotes from various companies for a 10-day trip to Mexico in September 2024. The traveler was a 55-year-old woman from Florida who spent $3,000 total on the trip, including airfare.

On average, the price of each company’s most basic coverage plan was $126.53. The costs displayed below do not include optional add-ons, such as Cancel For Any Reason coverage or pre-existing medical condition coverage.

Read our full analysis about the average cost of travel insurance so you can budget better for your next trip.

However, depending on the plan, you may be able to customize at an added cost.

As we continue to evaluate more travel insurance companies and receive fresh market data, this collection of best travel insurance companies is likely to change. See our full methodology for more details.

Best insurance companies

Types of travel insurance

What does travel insurance cover, what’s not covered, how much does it cost, do i need travel insurance, how to choose the best travel insurance policy, what are the top travel destinations in 2024, more resources for travel insurance shoppers, top credit cards with travel insurance, methodology, best travel insurance overall: berkshire hathaway travel protection.

Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection

• ExactCare Value (basic) plan is among the least expensive we surveyed.
• Speciality plans available for road trips, luxury travel, adventure activities, flights and cruises.
• Company may reimburse claimants faster than average, including possible same-day compensation.
• Multiple "Trip Delay" coverage types might make claims confusing.
• Cheapest plan only includes fixed amounts for its coverage.

Under the direction of chair and CEO Warren Buffett, Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection has been around since 2014. Its plans provide numerous opportunities for travelers to customize coverage to their needs.

At $135 for our sample trip, the ExactCare Value (basic) plan from Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection offers protection roughly $10 above the average price.

Want something cheaper? Air travelers looking for inexpensive, less comprehensive protections might opt for a basic AirCare plan that includes fixed amounts for its coverage .

Read our full review of Berkshire Hathaway .

What else makes Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection great:

Pre-existing medical condition exclusion waivers available at no extra cost.

Plans available for travelers going on a cruise, participating in extreme sports or taking a luxury trip.

ExactCare Value (basic) plan was among the least expensive we surveyed.

Best for emergency medical coverage: Allianz Global Assistance

Annual or single-trip policies are available.

• Multiple types of insurance available.
• All plans include access to a 24/7 assistance hotline.
• More expensive than average.
• CFAR upgrades are not available.
• Rental car protection is only available by adding the One Trip Rental Car protector to your plan or by purchasing a standalone rental car plan.

Allianz Global Assistance is a reputable travel insurance company offering plans for over 25 years. Customers can choose from a variety of single and annual policies to fit their needs. On top of comprehensive coverage, some travelers might opt for the more affordable OneTrip Cancellation Plus, which is geared toward domestic travelers looking for trip protections but don’t need post-departure benefits like emergency medical or baggage lost.

For our test trip, Allianz Global Assistance’s basic coverage cost $149, about $22 above average.

What else makes Allianz Global Assistance great:

Annual and single-trip plans.

Plans are available for international and domestic trips.

Stand-alone and add-on rental car damage product available.

Read our full review of Allianz Global Assistance .

Best for travelers with pre-existing medical conditions: Travel Guard by AIG

Travel Guard by AIG

• Offers last-minute coverage.
• Pre-Existing Medical Conditions Exclusion Waiver available at all plan levels.
• Plan available for business travelers.
• Cancel For Any reason coverage only available for higher-level plans, and only reimburses up to 50% of the trip cost.
• Trip interruption coverage doesn't apply to trips paid for with points and miles.

Travel Guard by AIG offers a variety of plans and coverages to fit travelers’ needs. On top of more standard trip protections like trip cancellation, interruption, baggage and medical coverage, the Cancel For Any Reason upgrade is available on certain Travel Guard plans, which allows you to cancel a trip for any reason and get 50% of your nonrefundable deposit back as long as the trip is canceled at least two days before the scheduled departure date.

At $107 for our sample trip, the Essential plan was below average, saving roughly $20.

What else makes Travel Guard by AIG great:

Three comprehensive plans and a Pack N' Go plan for last-minute travelers who don't need cancellation benefits.

Flight protection, car rental, and medical evacuation coverage, as well as annual plans available.

Pre-existing medical conditions exclusion waiver available on all plan levels, as long as it's purchased within 15 days.

Read our full review of Travel Guard by AIG .

Best for those who pack expensive equipment: Travel Insured International

Travel Insured International

• Higher-level plan include optional add-ons for event tickets and for electronic equipment
• Rental car protection add-on for just $8 per day, even on lower-level plan.
• Many of the customizations are only available on the higher-tier plan.
• Coverage cost comes in above average in our latest analysis.

Travel Insured International offers several customization options. For instance, those going to see a show may want to add on event ticket registration fee protection. Traveling with expensive gear?Consider adding on coverage for electronic equipment for up to $2,000 in coverage.

Be sure to check which policies are available in your state. You will need to input your destination, residence, trip dates and the number of travelers to get a quote and see coverages.

What else makes Travel Insured International great:

Comprehensive plans include medical expense reimbursement accidents, sickness, evacuation and pre-existing conditions, depending on the plan.

Flight plans include coverage for missed and canceled flights and lost or stolen baggage.

Read our full review of Travel Insured International .

Best for adventurous travelers: World Nomads

World Nomads

• Travelers can extend coverage mid-trip.
• The standard plan covers up to $300,000 in emergency evacuation costs.
• Plans automatically cover 200+ adventurous activities.
• No Cancel For Any Reason upgrades are available.
• No pre-existing medical condition waivers are available.

Many travel insurance plans contain exclusions for adventure sports activities. If you plan to ski, bungee jump, windsurf or parasail, this might be a plan to consider.

Note that the Standard plan ($72 for our sample trip), while the most affordable, provides less coverage than other plans. But it can be a good choice for travelers who are satisfied with trip cancellation and interruption coverage of $2,500 or less, do not need rental car damage protection, find the limits to be sufficient and do not need coverage for certain more adventurous activities.

What else makes World Nomads great:

Comprehensive international travel insurance plans.

Coverage available for adventure activities, such as trekking, mountain biking and scuba diving.

Read our full review of World Nomads .

Best for medical coverage: Travelex Insurance Services

Travelex Insurance Services

• Top-tier plan doesn’t break the bank and provides more customization opportunities.
• Offers a plan specifically for domestic travel.
• Sells a post-departure medical coverage plan.
• Fewer customization opportunities on the Basic plan.
• Though perhaps a plus for domestic travelers, keep in mind the Travel America plan only covers domestic trips.

For starters, basic coverage from Travelex Insurance Services came in at $125, almost exactly average for our sample trip.

Travelex’s plans focus heavily on providing protections that are personalized to your travel style and trip type.

While the company does offer comprehensive plans that include medical benefits, you can also choose between cheaper plans that don’t provide cancellation coverage but do offer protections during your travels.

Read our full review of Travelex Insurance Services .

What else makes Travelex Insurance Services great:

Three comprehensive plans available, two of which cover international trips.

Offers a post-departure plan geared exclusively toward disruptions after you leave home.

Two flight insurance plans available.

Best if you have travel credit card coverage: Seven Corners

Seven Corners

• Annual, medical-only and backpacker plans are available.
• Cancel For Any Reason upgrade is available for the cheapest plan.
• Cheapest plan also features a much less costly Interruption for Any Reason add-on.
• Offers only one annual policy option.

Each Seven Corners plan offers several optional add-ons. Among the more unique is a Trip Interruption for Any Reason, which allows you to interrupt a trip 48 hours after the scheduled departure date (for any reason) and receive a refund of up to 75% of your unused nonrefundable deposits.

The basic coverage plan for our trip to Mexico costs $124 — right around the average.

What else makes Seven Corners great:

Comprehensive plans for U.S. residents and foreigners, including travelers visiting the U.S.

Cheap add-ons for rental car damage, sporting equipment rental or trip interruption for any reason.

Read our full review of Seven Corners .

Best for long-term travelers: IMG

• Coverage available for adventure travelers.
• Special medical insurance for ship captains and crew members, international students and missionaries.
• Claim approval can be lengthy.

While some travel insurance companies offer just a handful of plans, with IMG, you’ll really have your pick. Though this requires a bit more research, it allows you to search for coverage that fits your travel needs.

However, travelers will want to be aware that IMG’s iTravelInsured Travel Lite is expensive. Coming in at $149.85, it’s the costliest plan on our list.

Read our full review of IMG .

What else makes IMG great:

More affordable than average.

Many plans to choose from to fit your needs.

Best for travelers with unpredictable work demands: Tin Leg

• In addition Cancel For Any Reason, some plans offer cancel for work reason coverage.
• Adventure sports-specific coverage is available.
• Plans have overlap that can be hard to distinguish.
• Only one plan includes Rental Car Damage coverage available as an add-on.

Tin Leg’s Basic plan came in at $134 for our sample trip, adding about $8 onto the average basic policy cost. Note that you’ll pay a lot more if you shop for the most comprehensive coverage, and there are eight plans to choose from for trips abroad.

The multitude of plans can help you find coverage that fits your needs, but with so many to choose from, deciding can be daunting.

The only real way to figure out your ideal plan is to compare them all, look at the plan details and decide which features and coverage suit you and your travel style best.

Read our full Tin Leg review .

Best for booking travel with points and miles: TravelSafe

• Covers up to $300 redepositing points and miles on eligible canceled award flights.
• Optional add-on protection for business equipment or sports rentals.
• Multi-trip or year-long plans aren’t available.

Selecting your travel insurance plan with TravelSafe is a fairly straightforward process. The company’s website also makes it easy to visualize how optional add-on elements influence the total cost, displaying the final price as soon as you click the coverage.

However, at $136, the Basic plan was among the more expensive for our trip to Mexico.

What else makes TravelSafe great:

Rental car damage coverage add-on is available on both plans.

Cancel For Any Reason coverage available on the TravelSafe Classic plan.

Read our full TravelSafe review .

Best for group travel insurance: HTH Insurance

HTH Travel Insurance

• Covers travelers up to 95 years old.
• Includes direct pay option so members can avoid having to pay up front for services.
• A 24-hour delay is required for baggage delay coverage on the TripProtector Economy plan.
• No waivers for pre-existing conditions on the lower-level plan.

HTH offers single-trip and multitrip medical insurance coverage as well as trip protection plans.

At around $125, the Trip Protector Economy policy is at the average mark for plans we reviewed.

You can choose to insure group trips for educators, crew, religious missionaries and corporate travelers.

What else makes HTH Insurance great:

Medical-only coverage and trip protection coverage.

Lots of options for group travelers.

Read our full review of HTH Insurance .

As you shop for travel insurance, you’ll find many of the same coverage categories across numerous plans.

Trip cancellation

This covers the prepaid costs you make for your trip in cases when you need to cancel for a covered reason. This coverage helps you recoup upfront costs paid for flights and nonrefundable hotel reservations.

Trip interruption

Trip interruption benefits generally involve disruptions after you depart. It helps reimburse costs incurred for flight delays, cancellations and plenty of other covered disruptions you might encounter during your travels.

This coverage can cover the costs for you to return home or reimburse unexpected expenses like an extra hotel stay, meals and ground transportation.

Trip delay coverage helps cover unexpected costs when your trip is delayed. This is another coverage that helps offset the costs of flight trouble or other travel disruptions.

Note that many policies have a total amount a traveler can claim, with caps on per diem benefits, too.

Cancel For Any Reason

Cancel For Any Reason coverage allows you to recoup some of the upfront costs you paid for a trip even if you’re canceling for a reason not otherwise covered by your standard travel insurance policy.

Typically, adding this protection to your plan costs extra.

Baggage delay

This coverage helps cover the costs of essential items you might need when your luggage is delayed. Think toiletries, clothing and other immediate items you might need if your luggage didn’t make it on your flight.

Many travel insurance plans with baggage delay protection will specify how long (six, 12, 24 hours, etc.) your luggage must be delayed before you can make a claim.

Lost baggage

Used for travelers whose luggage is lost or stolen, this helps recoup the lost value of the items in your bag.

You’ll want to make sure you closely follow the correct procedures for your plan. Many plans include a maximum total amount you can claim under this coverage and a per-item cap.

Travel medical insurance

This covers out-of-pocket medical costs when travelers run into an emergency.

Because many travelers’ health insurance plans don’t cover medical care overseas, travel medical insurance can help offset out-of-pocket health care costs.

In addition to emergency medical coverage, many plans have medical evacuation or repatriation coverage for costs incurred when you must be taken to a hospital or return to your home country because of a medical situation.

Most travel insurance plans cover many trip protections that can help you be prepared for unexpected travel disruptions and expenses.

These coverages are generally aimed at protecting the money you put into your trip, expenses you incur because of travel trouble and costs incurred if you have a medical emergency overseas.

On top of core coverages like trip cancellation and interruption and travel medical coverage, some plans offer add-on options like waivers for pre-existing conditions, rental car collision damage waivers or adventure sports riders. These usually cost extra or must be added within a specified timeframe.

Typical travel insurance policies offer coverage for many unforeseen events, but as you research to select a plan, consider your needs. Though every plan differs, there are some commonly excluded coverages.

For instance, you typically can’t get coverage for a named storm if you bought the coverage after the storm was named. In other words, if you have a trip to the Caribbean booked for Sept. 25 and on Sept. 20 a hurricane develops and is named, you generally won’t be able to buy a travel insurance plan Sept. 21 in hopes of getting your money back.

Many plans also don’t cover activities performed under the influence of drugs or alcohol or any extreme sports. If the latter applies to you, you might want to consider a plan with specific coverages for adventure-seekers.

For numerous plans, a few other situations don’t qualify as an acceptable reason to cancel and make a claim, such as fear of travel, medical tourism or pregnancies (unless you booked a trip and bought insurance before you became pregnant or there are complications with the pregnancy). This is where a Cancel For Any Reason add-on to your coverage can be helpful.

You can also run into trouble if you give up on a trip too soon: a minor (or even multihour) flight delay likely isn’t sufficient to cancel your entire trip and get reimbursed through your plan. Be sure to review what requirements your specific plan has when it comes to canceling a trip, claiming trip interruption, etc.

Travel insurance costs vary widely. The final price of your plan will fluctuate based on your age, length of trip and destination.

It will also depend on how much coverage you need, whether you add on specialized policies (like Cancel For Any Reason or pre-existing conditions coverage), whether you plan to participate in extreme sports and other factors.

In our examples above, for instance, the 35-year-old traveler taking a $2,000 trip to Italy would have spent an average $76 for a basic plan to get coverage for things like trip cancellation and interruption, baggage protection, etc. That’s a little less than 4% of the total trip cost — lower than average.

If there were multiple members in a traveling party or if they were going on, say, a rock-climbing or bungee-jumping excursion, the costs would go up.

On average, travel insurance comes to about 5% to 10% of the trip cost. However, considering many of the plans reimburse up to 100% of the trip cost (or more) for disruptions like trip cancellation or interruption, it can be a worthwhile expense if something goes wrong.

It depends. Consider the following factors that might affect your decision: You’re young and healthy, all your bookings are refundable or cancelable without a penalty, your flights are nonstop, you’re not checking bags and a credit card you carry offers some travel protections . In that case, travel insurance might not be necessary.

On the other hand, if you prepaid a large chunk of money for a nonrefundable African safari, you’re going on a Caribbean cruise in the middle of a hurricane season or you’re going somewhere where the cost of health care is high, it’s not a bad idea to buy a travel insurance plan. Here’s how to find the best travel insurance coverage for you.

If you’re thinking of booking a trip and not planning to buy travel insurance, you may want to consider at least booking refundable airfare and not prepaying for hotel, rental car and activity reservations. That way, if something goes wrong, you can cancel without losing any money.

Selecting the best travel insurance policy comes down to your needs, concerns, preferences and budget.

As you book, take a few minutes to consider what most concerns you. Is it getting stranded because of flight trouble? Having the ability to cancel for any reason you see fit without losing money? Getting sick or injured right before departure and needing to postpone the trip? Injuring yourself or falling ill while overseas?

Ultimately, you want a plan that protects you, your money and the large investment in your trip — but doesn’t cost too much, either.

Medical coverage. If your priority is having adequate medical coverage abroad, you might want to look for plans with high limits for medical emergencies and medical evacuation.

Complex travel itinerary. If your itinerary has lots of flight connections, prepaid hotels and deposits for activities you can’t get back, prioritizing a plan with the best coverage for trip cancellations or interruptions may land at the top of your list.

Travel uncertainty. If you’re on the fence about a trip and have nonrefundable reservations, you may want to select a plan with a Cancel For Any Reason coverage option, which can help you recoup about 50% to 75% of the costs. This helps provide peace of mind, placing the decision on whether to travel entirely in your hands.

Car rentals. If you’re renting a car, a collision damage waiver is often worth looking into.

The following destinations are the top insured destinations in 2024, according to Squaremouth (a NerdWallet partner).

The Bahamas.

Costa Rica.

Antarctica.

In 2022, travelers spent about 25.53% more on trips than they did before the pandemic.

As of December, NerdWallet analysis determined travel prices are 10% higher than pre-pandemic. Each statistic makes a strong case for protecting your travel investment as you plan your next trip.

Bookmark these resources to help you make smart money moves as you shop for travel insurance.

What is travel insurance?

CFAR explained.

Is travel insurance worth getting?

10 credit cards that provide travel insurance.

Here is the list of travel cards offered by Chase that include various forms of travel insurance.

Having one of these in your wallet is a good start to protecting your travel investments and preventing expensive accidents; however, savvy travelers check card terms closely and sometimes supplement with a third-party policy, like from one of the companies above, to better protect themselves.

on Chase's website

• Trip delay: Up to $500 per ticket for delays more than 12 hours.

• Trip cancellation: Up to $10,000 per person and $20,000 per trip. Maximum benefit of $40,000 per 12-month period.

• Trip interruption: Up to $10,000 per person and $20,000 per trip. Maximum benefit of $40,000 per 12-month period.

• Baggage delay: Up to $100 per day for five days.

• Lost luggage: Up to $3,000 per passenger.

• Trip delay: Up to $500 per ticket for delays more than 6 hours.

• Trip delay: Up to $500 per trip for delays more than 12 hours.

• Car rentals: Theft and collision damage for most cars in the U.S. and abroad.

• Trip cancellation: Up to $1,500 per person and $6,000 per trip.

• Trip interruption: Up to $1,500 per person and $6,000 per trip.

• Baggage delay: Up to $100 per day for three days.

We used the following factors to choose insurance providers to highlight:

Breadth of coverage: We looked at how many plans each company offered plus the range of their standard plans. 

Depth of coverage: We considered two data points to get a sense of how much each company pays out for common travel issues — the maximum caps for trip cancellation and trip interruption claims.

Cost: By looking at the costs for basic coverage across multiple companies, we determined an average cost for shoppers to benchmark plan prices against.

Customizability: While standard plans can cover a lot of ground, sometimes you need something a little more personal.

Customer satisfaction. Using data from Squaremouth when available, and Google Reviews as a backup, we can give kudos to companies with better track records from their clients.

No, it doesn’t necessarily get more expensive the longer you wait to purchase. However, as you put off buying insurance, you may lose access to potential plans and coverage options.

In general, buying travel insurance within a few days to two weeks of prepaying or making an initial deposit for your trip is your best bet. Assuming you’re not booking last-minute, this will provide you with access to the widest possible range of coverage options. It also helps prevent any medical conditions or storms that pop up between booking and buying a plan from ending up as excluded situations, which won’t be covered by your plan.

But, generally, many plans do allow you to buy coverage quite close to your departure date.

To get the most out of your travel insurance plan, buy it soon after making your initial prepayment or deposit to ensure you have access to the biggest menu of plans possible.

Select a plan that’s comprehensive enough to cover the travel scenarios you’re most concerned about or likely to encounter but not too expensive or laden with protections you’d never likely need.

Whatever your coverage, thoroughly review the plan so you understand what’s covered and what’s not, plus how to adhere to the plan’s rules for making a claim.

Travelers frequently use phrases like “trip insurance” and “travel insurance,” as well as “trip protection,” interchangeably, but they do mean different things, according to Stan Sandberg, founder of insurance comparison site TravelInsurance.com.

Trip insurance, or trip protection, generally refers to predeparture (or preevent) coverage if you need to cancel. You may see these plans sold by airlines, online travel agencies or even ticketed event sellers.

“You could refer to it as the portion that protects the investment in the trip,” Sandberg says.

A travel insurance plan typically includes that — plus more comprehensive benefits to protect you during your trip, from medical coverage to trip delay and lost baggage protections, and many more elements, depending on the plan.

Though travel insurance is typically not required for international trips, your personal circumstances will play a key role in whether it’s a good investment.

For instance, young, healthy travelers with few prepaid trip expenses embarking on a relatively risk-free trip may not see a need to buy a plan.

Older travelers with complicated itineraries who are visiting destinations where they could potentially fall ill or get injured — or who could encounter bad weather or some other disrupting factor along the way — may want to buy coverage.

Consider a few key questions:

How well would your health insurance plan cover you if you needed to visit a hospital overseas?

How much did you prepay for a hotel or rental car?

How much money would you be out if weather or some other flight issue derailed your itinerary?

Could you afford an unexpected night in a city where you have a connecting flight?

Do you already have a credit card that provides some travel protections?

Your answers to these questions can help you decide whether you need travel insurance for your international trip.

In general, buying travel insurance

within a few days to two weeks of prepaying or making an initial deposit

for your trip is your best bet. Assuming you’re not booking last-minute, this will provide you with access to the widest possible range of coverage options. It also helps prevent any medical conditions or storms that pop up between booking and buying a plan from ending up as excluded situations, which won’t be covered by your plan.

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2024 , including those best for:

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

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• Work With Us

Canada Travel Insurance Review

Travel insurance can kill a travel budget for anyone. We feel the pinch especially hard, since we’re buying travel insurance for a family of four.

When I searched high and low for Canadian travel insurance comparisons and reviews for our upcoming trip, I found absolutely nothing to help me compare prices and insurance for our personal travel insurance needs (other than Kanetix (now called RATESDOTCA ). So I had to do hours of legwork to get the best prices and policies for our family, and I’ve shared them in this review.

2022 update! Maybe it’s because COVID-19 sent travel insurance prices into flux, but any prices we check in 2022 seem to vary significantly from 2021 or 2020 prices. We guess this price fluctuation may continue, but it’s hard to tell.

For six months of travel, for a family of four, we got quotes ranging from $418.51 to a whopping $2,461.92 for worldwide travel medical insurance, including the USA.

Because everyone’s needs are different, we can’t tell you what travel insurance is right for you, or that one travel insurance company or travel insurance policy is better than another.

On top of that, prices and policies can change almost overnight, so do your own research.

This travel insurance review just lists the results we got when searching for travel insurance for our own family’s needs, at one point in time. All prices are in Canadian dollars, although some companies cover people all around the world.

In our search, we found that insurance almost always meant medical travel insurance, which included a set amount of coverage (usually one to five million dollars per person for travel accidents and illness).

Tip! Read the terms and conditions of policy wording and description of coverage to decide if the policy you choose is right for you. Insurance policy wordings can be subject to change at any time, without prior notice.

Many travel insurance packages that we looked at included coverage for baggage, trip cancellation, trip interruption and even emergency dental. We chose to only buy what we personally needed, and I think we saved a lot of money.

TuGo Travel Insurance

TuGo (formerly called Travel Underwriters) is one of Canada’s biggest travel insurance companies, and they surprised us with one of the best rates for our family.

To find more about TuGo travel insurance, click here.

2021 update: Tugo now offers COVID-19 travel insurance coverage included as a benefit under their emergency medical coverage, but ONLY if you’re fully or partially vaccinated, or if you’re not eligible for a vaccine, due to age.

If you haven’t been vaccinated, for any reason other than your age, then the COVID-19 insurance ISN’T included as a benefit under their emergency medical insurance for you. If you fall into this category, you can buy COVID-19 Insurance, Unvaccinated as an add-on to your TuGo Emergency Medical Insurance Worldwide or Excluding USA plans.

There’s a fairly extensive list of eligibility requirements, and there’s an additional cost. To get the COVID-19 insurance, you need to also have a worldwide or worldwide excluding USA TuGo emergency medical policy in place for the full duration of the COVID-19 Insurance coverage.

• $1,317.20 for six months, for a family of four. The plan includes travel to the USA.
• $5 million emergency medical insurance.
• $300 USD deductible (dropping the deductible to 0 brought the cost up to $612.72 total).
• We added on trip cancellation and interruption to our quote for an additional $284.00. Coverage is up to sum insured for trip cancellation or up to $25,000 for trip interruption.
• If you’re vaccinated, or partially vaccinated, then COVID-19 insurance is included.
• If you’re unvaccinated, for any reason other than your age, there is an extra fee of $170.20 for COVID-19 insurance.
• You can get add-on optional sports coverage. Coverage is based on risk level; from contact sports to adventure sports to extreme sports.

Safety Wing

Safety Wing is a (relative) new comer to the travel insurance space.

SafetyWing insurance specializes in expat travel health insurance (called Remote Health Insurance), and global travel medical insurance (called Nomad Insurance), which we think is a great option for longer term travelers.

There’s one huge catch for Safety Wing insurance, though, and it’s a big one for Canadians.

SafetyWing won’t sell Canadians travel insurance while you’re physically located in Canada. You can cross the border in any way and buy insurance immediately when you have left Canada.

However, it’s the perfect choice if you’ve already left Canada and forgot to buy travel insurance, or you want to buy better coverage.

SafetyWing Insurance is available to anyone from any home country in the world (unless your home country is Iran, Syria, North Korea or Cuba, or if you have Cuba as your citizenship).

The base price for insurance is $42 for four weeks of coverage, not including coverage in the USA. That’s for one person, aged 18-39 years, with a $250 deductible, and a $250 000 max limit.

• A quote for one person for six months was $379.08 for six months, NOT including coverage in the USA.
• For all four of us, the cost was $847.08 for six months, NOT including coverage in the USA.
• A quote for one person for six months, which included coverage in the USA , was $705.12.
• A quote for all four of us for six months, which included coverage in the USA , was $1,560.00.
• $250,000 travel insurance
• $250 deductible
• Emergency dental up to $1,000. Not subject to deductible.
• Notable exclusions include high risk sports activity, pre-existing disease or injury, and cancer treatment
• Trip interruption of up to $5,000
• Emergency medical evacuation of up to $100,000 lifetime maximum
• Travel delay and lost checked luggage coverage.

Visit SafetyWing now to learn more.

Nomad Insurance covers COVID-19 for new policies. Coverage works the same as any other illness as long as it was not contracted before your coverage start date, and does not fall under any other policy exclusion or limitation.

Testing for COVID-19 is only be covered if deemed medically necessary by a physician. The antibody test is not covered, as it is not medically necessary.

Nomad Insurance covers quarantine outside your home country of $50/day for up to 10 days (once within a 364-day period). The quarantine coverage requires that you’re covered by Nomad Insurance for a minimum of 28 days and you are outside your home country.

Your quarantine must be mandated by a physician or governmental authority, because you have either:

• tested positive for COVID-19
• or you are symptomatic and waiting for your test results.

Kanetix (now called RATESDOTCA)

RATESDOTCA (formerly Kanetix) is on online insurance quote consolidator. I’m a big fan, as I like that it lets me compare a number of travel insurance companies side by side, and they usually seem like a fairly good deal to me.  They do all sorts of insurance, including home, auto, and tenant’s insurance.

To find out more about travel insurance on RATESDOTCA click here now.  

The best deals on RATESDOTCA  were:

• TuGo for $937.80 six months for a family of four for $2 million in emergency medical insurance and no trip cancellation or interruption insurance, with a $300 deductible. A zero deductible raised that to $1,062.80.
• Ingle International for $1,061.42 for six months for our family of four for $10 million in emergency medical insurance and no trip cancellation or interruption insurance, with a $250 deductible.
• World Escapade $1,069.20 for six months for a family of four for $5 million in emergency medical insurance and no trip cancellation or interruption insurance, with a $250 deductible.
• Allianz for $1,155.60 for six months for a family of four for with $10 million in emergency medical insurance and no trip cancellation or interruption insurance, and a $250 deductible.
• GMS for $1,580.40 for six months for our family of four with $5 million in emergency medical insurance and no trip cancellation or interruption insurance, and a $250 deductible.

Click here now to find out more about RATESDOTCA travel insurance.  

TD Meloche Monnex

We signed up with  TD Meloche Monnex: Wide Horizons Solution  on our last six month trip though Costa Rica, Mexico, Florida and Texas. Although we didn’t have to make a claim, their customer service was extremely professional and patient when answering all of my questions about the quote.

• $947.80 for six months, for a family of four. Since we have home insurance with Meloche, we get a good discount on the premium.
• This is a great deal, as it includes a 60 day multi-trip plan that will let us take unlimited trips (of up to 60 days) anywhere in the world for $181.00/year per year. The additional four months of top up coverage cost us $766.80 (for a total of $947.80).
• If we didn’t have home, tenants’ insurance, or auto insurance with Meloche , the cost for our initial 60 day multi-trip plan would be higher.
• You’ll need to call Meloche to buy your policy. Meloche’s number is 1-866-566-1464.
• $5 million emergency medical insurance, per person.
• $100 deductible (most deductibles with other companies are 0). It was worth the higher deductible, given that the premium is so low. You can also choose a $250, $500 or $1,000 deductible.
• Free international assistance, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
• Full refund available anytime during our trip, less a $20 fee.
• Extensions are available while on our trip, but if there’s a claim on file, the extension must be verified by risk manager.  You must also have valid provincial health coverage.
• World-wide, including USA, but excludes countries with Government of Alberta or Canada travel warnings.
• Trip cancellation up to $2,500 per person,  maximum $5,000 per family for each annual period of coverage.
• Trip interruption up to $5,000 per person, per covered trip.
• No baggage or personal effects insurance.
• If we purchase additional tickets/flights after leaving on trip, these are not eligible for trip cancellation/baggage insurance.
• Many adventure activities are covered.  There were some exceptions, including ultralight flights and paid sports activities, I believe, but they didn’t apply to us.
• Like all the other policies we looked at, we were required to have valid provincial health insurance for the entire duration of our trip.

Merit Travelcuts Worldwide Travel Insurance

We used travelcuts Globetrotter insurance for our last trips to Asia and the Philippines. We ended up claiming a few days in a hospital in Thailand, and travelcuts was great to us.

If we’d been a single traveller on this trip, then travelcuts would probably have been our first choice for insurance. With a whopping 547 days for a maximum policy length, travelcuts is a well worth looking at if you’re planning a longer trip.

Anyone over 50 years old cannot get this policy.

travelcuts has several plans, but we were interested only in the Emergency Medical Plan D. This plan does not include trip cancellation or trip interruption insurance.

• $1,641.60 for six months, for a family of four. Like pretty much all of the other companies, our quote has increased quite a bit from when I first got a quote in 2012, when the quote was $916.00.
• 1 million emergency medical insurance per person.
• You must have valid government health insurance plan for the entire duration of your trip.
• travelcuts insurance only covers travellers under age 50, and over 15 days old.
• You may be able to get an extension on your trip, but you must call travelcuts to apply for the extension, and have a provincial health plan is in effect for the full length of your travel period.
• You may get a full refund if you cancel within 10 days of buying your policy, or if you can prove your trip was cancelled before you leave on your trip. See your specific policy for details.
• Costs and benefits may be different for residents of Quebec.
• travelcuts worldwide insurance was formerly known as Travel CUTS Bon Voyage insurance.
• Always check your individual policy – coverage and limits can change without notice.

itravel2000

itravel2000 is one of my favorite sites to search for cheap all-inclusive last minute getaways and hotel rooms, so I thought I’d check out their travel insurance.  Wow. Pretty darn expensive, and the last quote I got was back before 2018.

• A gulp-inducing $3,075.00 for six months for an all inclusive plan for family of four, including trip cancellation and interruption.
• $1,573.20 for a global under age 60 plan, with $5 million in emergency medical benefits only, with no trip cancellation or interruption.

BMO travel insurance  is one of Canada’s biggest names in travel insurance, so I thought I’d try them out.

• $1,532.18 for six months insurance for a family of four.
• $5,000,000 medical liability.
• A refund is available 10 days after purchase, but not after leaving on a trip, and you need to meet other conditions.
• Coverage can be extended after leaving, but there cannot be an open claim. You can extend for a total of 183 days (212 days if you reside in BritishColumbia, Manitoba, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia or Ontario).
• Trip cancellation $0 per person.
• Trip interruption $2,000 per person.

ScotiaGold Passport® VISA

The Scotiabank Passport™ Visa Infinite Card has travel insurance perks.

There’s Travel Emergency Medical Insurance for eligible persons under age 65 (up to 25 consecutive days) and for eligible persons age 65 and older (up to 10 consecutive days).

What we think is cool about this card is that it’s one of the few Canadian credit cards that don’t charge a foreign transaction fee . It also has a travel rewards program, with Scotia Rewards points – right now there’s a signup bonus of 30,000 Scotia Rewards points (plus an additional 10,000 available if you spend at least $40,000 in everyday eligible purchases annually). That’s a total of 40,000 bonus points!

• Annual fee: $139.00
• Up to $1 million in emergency medical travel insurance
• Up to $2,500 trip cancellation/interruption
• Flight delay, delayed and lost baggage, travel accident, and rental car collision loss/damage insurance.
• Interest rate: 19.99% purchases, 22.99% cash advances
• six free airport lounge visits

What if you’re taking a short trip?

For trips of 60 days or less, you may already have coverage through a credit card with medical travel insurance perks. These often offer trip cancellation and interruption, along with baggage insurance. For Canada travel insurance, the cards we looked at were Scotiabank and BMO.

Note: If you decide to use only your credit cards built in travel insurance, make sure that you’re covered for the duration of your trip (you can often extend coverage for an additional fee) and that you qualify since some cards that include travel insurance have specific riders that might not cover you if you fall outside of their policies parameters.

Baggage coverage and personal effects coverage

Baggage coverage insures your bags while in transit (in airplanes, though this may extend to buses and taxis).

Personal effects coverage covers your belongings anywhere, on any portion of your trip. This sounds nice in theory, but I found that most policies had some serious exclusions.  They would only cover losses with a police report (makes sense, but a police report can be pretty damn hard to get in a lot of countries).  On top of that, most policies would not insure belongings that were unattended. That means that if your wallet is stolen from your beach chair while you’re body surfing, you’re out of luck. No coverage.

Even more important, most policies wouldn’t cover loss or theft of computers, cameras, or cell phones, or jewelry. Seriously. The only expensive things that most people travel with aren’t covered.

Here’s a little trick, though. If you have insurance on your home or tenant’s insurance, then your belongings might be covered on your trip. Usually there’s a limit (around 10% of the total coverage on your original policy), and your deductible applies to any claims while travelling.

Trip cancellation and interruption generally only cover the portion of your trip that you buy before you leave. Not especially useful for us, since we’re only buying a one-way ticket to Mexico before we leave, and the rest of our tickets will be bought once out of Canada. Not having a set itinerary means that we’ll buy onward legs (by plane, train, car, taxi, water taxi, ferry, cruise liner, or bus) as we need them. I couldn’t find a single travel insurance policy that would cover purchase of additional legs once we left home. Trust me, I tried. And tried.

A lot of Canada travel insurance reviews don’t mention this, but it’s important: If you’re gone for more than six months, ensure you get a written extension from your provincial health care plan (this applies only to Canadians).

Checklist for travel insurance:

• What is the amount of liability you cover?
• Is trip cancellation or trip interruption insurance covered?
• Is there a refund available for unused amount?
• What is the deductible?
• Do you offer a medical service assist, e.g., can you help me find a doctor or hospital?
• Is the policy good worldwide, including the USA?
• Can I top up my insurance once I’ve left on my trip?
• Can I buy my initial insurance after I’ve left on my trip?

Are you already overseas? Check out this post to learn how to get travel insurance if you’re already abroad !

After hours of research and banging my head against a wall, I found your website and your Travel Insurance Review.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!! Based on the information you provided (very thorough!!) we have booked our travel insurance with TD Meloche Monnex Wide Horizons. Great company to deal with and very patient in answering any and all my questions.

I can’t tell how much I appreciate the detail and effort you afforded your readers!! The weight off my mind, in knowing, that we have great coverage for the time we will be away, is tremendous.

I only wish I would have found your site earlier!!

Australia here we come!!

Wanda, Thanks so much for the pat on the back. Hope you’re loving Oz. We were there for six months in 2004, and had a great time.

Thanks much! Used your link to Kanetix.ca and decided on Tugo. Much appreciate your efforts in this site! Cheers Lorin

Very helpful! Thank you for the detail in your post especially the “questions to ask” portion. Thanks again!

Thanks, Sydney! Good luck in your search!

I plan to keep in mind the list of questions you have mentioned. I find it helpful!

My husband and I are going on a Caribbean cruise next February 2013 going out of Miami Florida.We are from Ontario Canada. We are interested in all inclusive travel insurance and of course want good medical coverage.In the event of a serious medical problem we need coverage to include an airlift off the ship or by boat.We have gone on other cruises thinking that this was part of the medical coverage only to recently discover that not all plans cover this.Hopefully this would never happen but I have heard that this could happen if the ship couldn’t treat you if you were seriously ill or injured.Do you know which insurance companies cover this?

The Government of Canada has an informative article called Advice for Cruise Travellers . They say that you should “Purchase travel health insurance that includes at least $500,000 in coverage for accidental injury, hospitalization abroad, and medical evacuation at sea (the cost of medically evacuating a patient from a cruise ship by helicopter can easily reach $150,000).”

I looked a bit into specific policies to get you started, but keep in mind that I’m just a fellow traveller, not an insurance agent. Make sure you read your policy and chat with your insurance company for any clarification. You’ll need to call the companies directly to specifically ask if your specific policy covers emergency transport by helicopter while at sea.

I did a comparison quote search on Kanetix.ca , and came up with a couple of all inclusive policies that look like they cover an air ambulance. Click on the View sample policy link at the bottom of the quote to see policy details for yourself. Travel Guard Chartis Gold Deluxe’s policy notes that if you get “if Your attending Physician recommends Your return after Your Emergency Medical Treatment, and if approved in advance by Us, We cover, via the most cost-effective itinerary, one (1) or more of: … the cost of air ambulance transportation, pre-approved and arranged by Us”.

Just to note, the Group Medical Services TravelStar All Inclusive policy quoted at Kanetix does NOT cover a helicopter transport.

If you’re under age 60, World Nomads is a really good option. Their policy says “Once You have received Emergency Medical Care and Our consulting Physician determines You are able to and recommends that You return Home, We will arrange and pay for the following services and expenses to return You to Your province or territory of residence: … the cost of air ambulance transportation to the most appropriate facility in Your province or territory of residence, if the use of an air ambulance is required and Medically Necessary.” There’s a detailed review of World Nomads here .

Another option is RBC insurance. They have a great reputation, but you need to be an existing RBC client, spouse or child of the client. They’re the only company I’m aware of that offers unlimited emergency medical insurance (most companies cap at $1 million or $5 million).

The exact policy you get with RBC depends a lot on your age. I looked at an RBC policy quoted for people under 60, and the policy said they would pay for return to your departure point, “when pre-authorized and arranged by Assured Assistance Inc., when medically essential: the cost of air ambulance transportation if it is medically essential.” You can get an online quote with RBC at this link: http://www.rbcroyalbank.com/travelinsurance/index.html . Just be aware that you may need to buy a trip cancellation insurance add-on with them.

I think you should be able to get emergency air evacuation at sea included with one of these Canadian companies. However, if that fails, there are a couple of international companies (that cover Canadians) that specialize in medical evacuation insurance. They’re MedjetAssist and International SOS .

There’s a checklist that you can use for asking questions when getting a quote at Canadian Travel Insurance Review .

Hope that helps a bit!

Happy travels!

Excellent site. Plenty of helpful info here. I’m sending it to some buddies and additionally sharing in delicious. And certainly, thanks for your sweat!

Can you suggest an insurance provider for ON resident, aged 63. Planning a 9 month trip through USA & Bahamas.

Hi Ray! Recommending a specific provider is pretty tough – it depends on so many things – preexisting conditions, what kind of coverage you want (basic medical, cancellation, interruption, baggage, or some mix), and how much you want.

I always suggest to start with Kanetix to get a comparison quote, which will at least give you a baseline price you should pay, as their quotes tend to be pretty competitive. Squaremouth also gives quotes (there’s a review of Squaremouth here ), and they have some really cool filters.

Sounds like a great vacation, by the way!

Hi, My bank (royal bank) tells me that our royal bank avion infinite visa has travel/medical insurance for when we travel. They said if I purchased a travel/medical insurance policy from the bank, it is a mirrored one of the one our visa offers us. Assured Assistance is the company that takes care of the insurance. Any info or advice would be appreciated thanks

Thanks so much for checking out our review. The RBC Avion Infinite Visa has a fairly travel insurance package , which includes medical, cancellation, flight delay, trip interruption (but not cancellation!) insurance and travel accident insurance.

There are a few potential differences between the Avion credit card insurance and the bank insurance policy: -The RBC Avion credit card insurance is multi-trip insurance, meaning it insures you for multiple trips, but each trip is only 15 days in length, if you’re 64 or under (and 3 days per trip if you’re over 65). You can purchase additional insurance for an individual trip. – You must charge the full cost of your trip, including flights, accomodation, and hotel to the credit card for the RBC Avion credit card insurance to be valid – RBC Avion insurance provides Auto Rental Collision/Loss Damage Insurance, which I don’t think is included in RBC’s bank travel insurance policies

We’ve written a review of RBC’s travel insurance plans on our Canadian Travel Insurance Review site (which we started when we saw how much need there was for an independent look at travel insurance in Canada). There’s also a checklist of questions to ask when you get a travel insurance quote .

Hope that helps. Really, I know it’s about as much fun as watching paint dry, but you should sit down with both insurance policies certificates of insurance (and a really strong pot of coffee) and compare them to make sure they meet your needs. You can get a copy of the RBC Insurance and Protection Booklet through the insurance and protection tab on the RBC Visa Infinite Avion web page , and view the RBC bank insurance policies through the RBC Travel insurance site .

Have a wonderful trip!

Awesome information. You should make this a little ebook and sell it. Thanks a bunch.

Thanks Kate! I’m so glad that it helped you.

wow.. what a blog…it tells me about travel insurance and i am also looking for that kind of information…this blog helps me… thnx for the post… i like it..

Little confused about travel insurance and health insurance. I’m an American and need health insurance for 3 months.I will be in Toronto for next 3 months. Can someone help me to find a link or web site to buy only health insurance for 3 months ? Does Credit card provide health insurance only ?

Thanks for visiting. You can buy insurance for only three months from almost any company – that shouldn’t be a problem. The insurance provided by a credit card really depends on the card – all cards are different, so you’ll have to look at the travel insurance terms carefully. As an American, you’ll need to get a American credit card. I’m not overly familiar with American credit cards, but American Express may be a decent place to start, as I know they offer travel insurance on some of their cards.

I see on some credit union websites that included with their Gold and Platinum Mastercard credit cards is free travel medical insurance up to age 75 and up to 31 days travel with no deductible and preconditions! By comparison bank premium credit cards offer similar coverage but only to age 65.

I did talk to the people there who confirmed the above info. However to get more than 31 day coverage they referred me to their insurance partner who could do the top-up coverage. I did talk to them as well but found the top-up coverage more expensive than my existing insurer TD Monnex Meloche.

In any case the base coverage through the Cuets credit card is particularly good for retirees over 65 up to age 75. The Cuets people also told me that I was not obligated to purchase the top-up insurance from their partner so I could shop around for the best price.

Have you any more info on purchasing a credit card through a credit union and getting their travel insurance package?

I am 67 years and thankfully in great health, however while looking for travel insurance, I can only get a quote for anyone 60 and under – all others must call in and speak to an agent. I have answered 3 pages of medical questions – all No, No, No, and it seems that they don’t believe me. I am still asked to call a 1-800 number. I think this is age discrimination. Why do they think that everyone over 60 is on medication or had operations? I do not even take headache medicine!!!

It’s definitely age stereotyping Bernice. Just like car rental companies charge more for under 25 drivers regardless of their history. The simple fact is that most people over a certain age are more likely to have had complications in their past and are more likely to have some on their trip. It sucks they make you jump through more hoops however consider yourself fortunate Bernice that you’re in great shape and your premiums will be a lot less than others who aren’t as lucky.

Insurance is just a math game based on likely odds that at the end of the day the company is making more money than they’re paying out. We buy insurance on the principle that if the odds aren’t in our favor that we don’t lose everything we have paying sometimes exorbitant health costs. It really is just like gambling. If on a much more serious level.

Have fun on your trip!

I’ve been using Kanetix to find better insurance rates for everything and it seems to work fine–fast too, and saves you the trouble of entering all your info. multiple times. Reputable companies come up in the quotes and the site normally gives you about 5 options in the final quotation which you can easily revise and compare for different options.

Once you get older, the insurance provided on a credit card may no longer be available (I believe it cuts off at age 60 or 65 for most credit cards). Also, rates from most of the banks are too expensive, except for car and house insurance which I obtained excellent rates from TD Insurance (don’t know if they also provide travel insurance since I did not ask, but I guess they probably do as they are in the credit card business too).

This is great! I’m looking into the medical insurance required for the youth mobility visa to Spain and its been a headache! Its for a year and requires hospitalisation and repatriation for over 3 million canadian dollars. I wanted to ask you about the written extension from the provincial health care plan. What is this about?

Your detailed info on travel insurance was fantastic. It just saved me over $200 and we got better coverage (comprehensive) via TD Meloche Monnex as we have home and auto coverage with them.

Thanks so much

It would be helpful to make it clear that World Nomads will not cover anyone over age 59. Took 10 minutes of searching their website and a phone call to be told they don’t insure seniors by not offering any policy options at all. Haven’t worked my way through the other options yet

Thanks for letting us know Susan. We’ll add it to the post.

I’m interested to know if you found any that didn’t require you to have Canadian provincial coverage? My trip will be too long.

Hi Wes, what you need to look into is Canadian Expat Insurance. Expat insurance will cover you even though you don’t have Canadian provincial health care coverage. That’s especially important if you plan to be out of the country longer than your province will allow.

Most people don’t realize that nearly every Canadian travel insurance policy offered requires continual provincial health care.

Some provinces allow you to leave for extended amounts of time so it’s worth looking into that first. Check out this article . It has links to every provincial health care site and some good information about Expat Insurance.

Hope that helps!

Incredibly helpful article. You seem to have quite a lot of information about Canada travel insurance and that’s great that i came to learn about it.

Thanks, this was very helpful, especially pointing me to Kanetix. I dive and snorkel, so it’s important I don’t have exclusions because of that. If you are ever in Penticton, let me by you a beer!

Came here to throw my support behind World Nomads. They have been easy to use for me (2 years straight) and I really appreciate being able to extend my travel insurance on the road. As far as I know, WN is the only travel insurance that allows that!

Thanks for the comprehensive comparison of travel insurance providers. For those of us over 65 years of age, finding travel insurance can be very pricey if they will even insure us.

Next question: do you have a similar listing of ex-pat insurance?

Hi Bill. The truth is there isn’t that many Canadian expat insurance providers out there and pretty much none online. The vast majority of travel insurance companies in Canada require you to maintain your provincial medical plan and, as you probably know, most only give you 3 to 6 months to be away without written authorization.

We’re actually in the process of writing a post just for Canadian Expats and we’ll make sure we update this post with the link once it’s up.

Very good article.

I just have one confusion.

What if during my date of return say April 1st and for some reason no planes are flying for whatever reason. My medical insurance is only up to April 1st. On April 2nd, I got sick or have an accident, will I be covered?

It really depends on your plan. Some policies will automatically be extended if there are issues and others end on their allotted day regardless of the reason.

I would definitely recommend contacting your insurance provider if your trip gets extended for whatever reason and do it before your policy is over. When it comes to insurance, it’s better to err on the side of caution than to risk not being covered.

So helpful, thank you for this detailed analysis and keeping it up to date!

Hi there! Thanks for this. First time buying travel insurance and there’s a lot to learn. I’m travelling to India so I’m primarily worried about my belongings (camera, laptop, phone, dive gear) and hospital bills if I get sick. Seems WorldNomads is my best option. Quick question.. Could you elaborate on what you mean when you say: A lot of Canada travel insurance reviews don’t mention this, but it’s important: If you’re gone for more than six months, ensure you get a written extension from your provincial health care plan (this applies only to Canadians).

What is a ‘written extension’? What is the issue if one hasn’t gotten it?

Thanks in advance for any information!

These points are very helpful. Thanks for sharing!

Hi there Charles and Micki,

Any suggestions on which company would offer an extension after the 1 year is up? I like the World Nomads so that it would cover my gear – but they only do 1 year at a time and I would have to return to Canada to get another year. Thank you for your time.

Hi Kevin, that’s the million dollar question these days since the vast majority of Canadian travel insurance policies require 2 things. The first is that you maintain your provincial healthcare and the second is that the trip commences in Canada.

In that sense, World Nomads is great. Though they still require you to maintain your Canadian healthcare, you can actually purchase their travel insurance after you’ve left Canada. I’m not 100% positive but I do believe they only allow 1 year trips so I’m guessing that’s the quandary you’re in.

If you haven’t left Canada yet, you should look into Travelcuts . They’re about the only company I can think of that offers travel insurance for Canadians for trips longer than a year. We actually used them for our first year long RTW way back in the day and they were good to deal with.

If you’re already travelling, my only suggestion is to return to Canada for a quick visit and then get another year of coverage with World Nomads or another insurance company. If that’s not possible, you’re last option (besides going without, which I don’t suggest doing) is you need to look into Expat insurance.

The nice thing about Canadian Expatriate travel insurance is you don’t need to maintain your provincial healthcare while you’re gone so if you live in one of the provinces where you have to pay monthly premiums, you can at least save on that. The funny part is that it can actually be cheaper than normal travel insurance and you don’t even need to buy it from a Canadian company.

That said, there are only a few that we know of in Canada at this moment. You can check out this post regarding Expat insurance and the companies that cover it. Unfortunately, you can’t buy any of them online easily so you might need to contact them to see what they can do for you.

Good luck and safe travels.

Very wealthy information. And those key points in which you had mentioned is very useful and also some valid points too. Really nice thank you so much

Excellent Article. I ended up using TUGO as a direct result of this article and saved $160 over using my regular RBC travel insurance, so thank you very much. TUGO worked best for us as we only needed the travel medical. All else such as travel accident, travel cancellation is covered because I purchased my tickets with my RBC credit card. If I needed everything, I think I would have gone with Nomads

Great article. It is always good to know what are the options available. However, TIC travel insurance (mentioned in the article) has been overtaken by Allianz Global Assistance what is one of the insurance giants worldwide. The website remained the same though. I was able to find cheap premiums for Medical Policies for a month or even for annual plans for frequent fliers like me that is always onboard a plane going somewhere because of my job.

Hello, We went onto kanetix.ca website and received a quote for Ingle International. Has anyone used this company and experienced a positive or negative situation? I went to the http://www.travelinsurancereview.ca website and this company was not listed. They gave us a great rate $442 for 5 months and family of 4 for travel medical top-up insurance for 90 days and I am sceptical. We are also traveling to Egypt where there is a travel advisory for non-essential travel and this has been the only company that has told us we would be covered if we traveled there in the travel advisory zones. Any advice would be helpful. Thank you!

This is amazingly helpful! I’m a bit surprised TravelCuts (Also known as Merit Travel, they are backed by Allianz) was buried down the list a bit as their coverage and premiums are incredibly reasonable. You can get budget plan B which is basically just medical with some trip cancellation and it is MUCH cheaper (I’m talking nearly half price) of most of the other leading insurance places. I had never heard of them and was just going to go with World Nomads again which is fine, but WN seems to builds in a ton of other stuff in their policies which I can never use or wouldn’t bother. Personal effects and trip cancellation just has too many loopholes it seems. TravelCuts doesn’t even have a deductible either! I phoned to confirm. This is now my go-to. Thanks for this great info I wouldn’t have found them without this site!

Here is a real doozy for you! World Nomads no longer offers Canadians coverage past 365 days. I have been aboard 360 days and need to buy new insurance. I have looked at most of the sites here, however most of them do not 1) include on option to list multiple destinations (I will be in Thailand, Sri Lanka, India, Cambodia and Laos) and 2) do not offer an option for residents of the Northwest Territories! I am completely stumped. Losing World Nomads was devestating, especially as they used to allow to extend past 365 days. Any ideas of companies that will cover multiple countries AND NT residents?!?! And as a backpacker i am trying to stay on the budget savvy side so the big banks are not really an options.

Thanks for all the info on this, there is a lot out there for UK and USA residents, not as much for Canadians!

Brittany, if you’re out of Canada for that amount of time chances are that your provincial healthcare is no longer valid however that depends on which province you live in and if you’re a student outside of Canada. I believe that only Alberta (and perhaps NWT) allows you to be outside Canada for a year just backpacking around and maintain your healthcare.

That would be the first thing I would look at and, then following that line, I would look into Expat Insurance. There are only a few Canadian companies that offer it however, since it doesn’t require them to deal with your provincial healthcare if they need to make a claim, you can look into expatriate insurance providers from any country.

You’ll definitely be paying a little more for Canadian Expat Insurance however you can rest easier knowing that you’ll actually be covered. Some provinces cancel your provincial healthcare after only a month abroad if you don’t contact them and pretty much every Canadian travel insurance provider requires you maintain your provincial healthcare while you’re gone.

You can check out this post which talks a bit about it and has the relevant links to every provinces regulations. Good luck!

Thanks so much Barefoot Nomad! I checked my usual places for insurance, and my insurance/medical company, and banks and all crazy high. I did a quick search for reviews/advice and found your blog. So glad I did. I really only needed trip cancellation as my work insurance covers me for medical, but this World Nomads basic plan was includes medical and nice limits on trip cancellation. It was at least $50 less then the others I looked at ($120 for a 20 day trip) and far more comprehensive.

I’ll keep an eye on your blog, looks like I can learn a lot from you 🙂

Thank you for writing this useful tips. it might be help me in future.

I’m 62 years old and heading to a remote area of Ethiopia for a mission. It is not currently under any travel advisement from the Canadian gov’t, but I guess you know how things can go. What’s my best option for what might be considered a moderately dangerous trip at age 62?

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By Lisa Jackson

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Best travel insurance in Canada

Day Of Victory Studio / Shutterstock

You’ve packed your bags, mapped your itinerary, and set your “out of office” message – it’s vacation time! But what about travel insurance?

According to a 2019 study by the Travel Health Insurance Association of Canada, 13% of Canadians aren’t sure if they have travel insurance before they go on vacation. Of those who have bought insurance, 17% don’t know what their policy covers.

As a professional travel writer, I find this rather alarming. Canadian health insurance is not valid outside Canada, and your provincial or territorial health plan may not cover all the costs even if you’re travelling domestically. If you suffer an accident or get sick abroad, unexpected medical bills can bankrupt you. It’s why the Canadian government  advises all travellers to buy travel insurance , and I never leave the country without it. Whether you’re taking a two-week trip or a gap year abroad, every one needs the best travel insurance in Canada, regardless of age, health status, destination, or length of vacation.

Best for thrill seekers: World Nomads

Designed for adrenaline lovers with wanderlust, World Nomads insures a long list of adventure sports, activities and volunteer/work experiences, as well as sporting equipment delay/loss/theft. You also get access to a 24/7 hotline that provides information that adventure travellers may need: weather reports and travel advisories, assistance locating the nearest trail, and finding a gear shop.

The standard policy covers emergency medical expenses up to $5 million, emergency dental, trip cancellation/interruption/delay, baggage delays/theft/damage, and more. The downside: you must be under 66 years of age to qualify.

Best for families: CAA Travel Insurance

A long-trusted Canadian institution, CAA travel Insurance offers flexible travel plans to suit every type of traveller and vacation, but their policies are particularly great for families. Their stand-alone emergency medical policy of up to $5 million in health coverage is extremely comprehensive, even including medical repatriation, emergency dental, and reimbursements for pet care and kenneling.

The Vacation Package Plan provides full cancellation/interruption insurance – ideal for prepaid, all-inclusive vacation packages – as well as family transportation and escort of children during emergencies. Anyone can buy CAA travel insurance, but members get a 10% discount.

CAA’s emergency medical plans also now include coverage for COVID-19-related illnesses for vaccinated customers. Coverage is up to $2.5 million if partially vaccinated and up to $5 million if fully vaccinated.

Best for seniors and retirees: Blue Cross

Blue Cross has been around for more than 70 years, and 1 in 4 Canadians utilize its travel insurance. Blue Cross’s emergency medical covers up to $5 million. It has special “snowbird” travel insurance packages designed for Canadians who head to warmer climates each year, making Blue Cross ideal for retirees.

Part of the package is the recently launched Serenity Service. This free perk provides a range of benefits if your flight is delayed, including access to an airport lounge or even a hotel room (depending on the length of the delay). Pre-existing conditions are generally not covered.

Best for budget travellers: Travel CUTS Bon Voyage Insurance

Starting at only $1.36 a day, Travel CUTS Bon Voyage Insurance offers very affordable travel insurance packages, and it’s personally been my “go-to” travel policy for years. Yes, it’s geared toward students (e.g., you can swap your travel dates at no charge due to an exam schedule conflict), but anyone between 15 and 50 years of age can purchase a policy.

The standard package includes hospital and medical up to $1 million, dental care, air ambulance evacuation, flight accident, accidental death or dismemberment, and trip interruption/cancellation insurance. Adventure and extreme sports are also covered.

Best for Canadians with pre-existing medical conditions: Manulife CoverMe

Manulife CoverMe offers highly comprehensive Canadian travel insurance packages for those travelling as a family, a visitor to Canada, or a student. You also get access to the TravelAid mobile app, which provides directions to the nearest medical facility and local emergency telephone numbers.

However, the stand-out feature is arguably TravelEase – a special policy designed to cover fully disclosed medical conditions. For travellers with pre-existing conditions, it insures a bunch of expenses for health services and transportation. It provides up to $10 million in emergency medical benefits – a unicorn in the travel insurance world.

Best for emergency medical assistance: Medipac Travel Insurance

Medipac is one of the only travel insurance companies out there that is staffed by their own team of trained medical professionals, via their Medipac Assistance hotline. Medipac’s medical professionals are your first point of contact in an emergency medical situation. This service is also helpful for dealing with foreign medical systems and helping to prevent unnecessary expenses when dealing with a large deductible.

Medipac offers several competitive features for their travel insurance plans, including no age limits, a claim-free discount, and a 90-day stability period for most pre-existing conditions. If your pre-existing medical condition isn’t covered by a standard Medipac insurance plan, Medipac also offers personalized, underwritten insurance policies to help you meet your needs.

Medipac is offering a 5% Vaccine Discount to clients who have received a minimum of one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, as well as the new MedipacMAX option. This COVID insurance option provides maximum coverage of up to $5 million USD for COVID-19, in addition to its other benefits.

Best for frequent travellers: Allianz Travel Insurance

Touted as a world leader in the Canadian travel insurance and assistance industry, Allianz Travel Insurance is a major provider of travel insurance, corporate assistance, and concierge services. It seeks to help its customers find solutions to various travel-related problems. Allianz Travel has partnered with many reputable companies, including travel agencies, airlines, resorts, websites, event ticket brokers, corporations, universities and credit card companies.

Allianz Travel Insurance is a great choice for anyone looking for travel insurance. Its single-trip plans are perfect for those leaving home and visiting another destination (or destinations) before going back home. Its parent company, Allianz Global Assistance, has five plans to choose from, all offering different levels of protection and coverage.

Allianz Travel Insurance’s annual/multi-trip plans are perfect for both personal and professional travelers who take multiple trips in a year. It offers four distinct options to choose from.

Will my provincial insurance be valid overseas?

No! If you get sick or injured overseas, the Canadian government will not cough up a dime to cover your medical costs. Here are the sobering facts:

• Canadian public health insurance is not valid outside of Canada.
• Foreign hospitals can be extremely expensive and may demand payment before treating you.
• The Canadian government will not pay a Canadian’s medical bills for an illness or accident suffered abroad. You’re on the hook for footing the bill!

Will my provincial insurance work in another province/territory?

Flash your valid provincial health card in another part of Canada, and you’ll likely be covered for some of the same services insured by your home provincial plan. This is because the provinces and territories (except Quebec) signed an agreement whereby the host province foots the bill for any medically necessary health care services and gets reimbursed by the home province later.

However, that doesn’t mean you’re completely out of the woods. Depending on your destination, a slew of other services may not be covered, such as an ambulance, hospital transfer, prescription drugs, transportation back to your home province, and procedures not currently approved by your home plan.

Plus, since Quebec wasn’t a signatory to the interprovincial billing agreement, you’ll likely be charged for any medical bills incurred there. For this reason, it’s recommended that you buy extra travel insurance (or verify your  credit card’s travel insurance coverage ) to cover any uninsured health care services that may crop up during your trip.

What does the best travel insurance in Canada cover?

Every travel insurance policy is different and what’s covered depends on how much you’re willing to pay for coverage. Typical medical services that you can expect to be covered include:

• Emergency hospital and medical costs
• Ambulance and air ambulance costs
• Outpatient services
• Physician and laboratory costs
• Prescription drugs
• Direct payment to the hospitals and doctors caring for you
• Assistance with bringing a family member to your bedside
• Air ambulance or commercial repatriation home
• Return of your vehicle if you are ill and have to come home

Additional benefits may include:

• Trip cancellation for non-refundable monetary losses
• Trip interruption
• Baggage loss, rental car damage, out-of-pocket expenses
• Accidental death and dismemberment

How much coverage do I need?

Securing a policy with a minimum of $1M maximum payable is a safe bet. But don’t just look at the numbers when choosing a policy – read the fine print. Every insurer has a list of situations in which coverage is not provided, otherwise known as “exclusions.” Check whether your provider includes coverage or has provisions for the following:

• Pre-existing medical conditions: According to the International Association for Medical Assistance to Travelers, a pre-existing condition is “something that happened (or started to happen) before you were insured.” Some policies may cover claims relating to pre-existing conditions that are “stable and controlled,” but read the definitions carefully. If you don’t declare a condition, the entire policy could be invalidated!
• Medical evacuation: Ensure the policy covers medical evacuation to the nearest hospital and/or to Canada and the costs of a medical escort to accompany you to your final destination.
• Repatriation in case of death: On the grim side, ensure that your plan covers the preparation and return of your remains to Canada.
• Adventurous Activities: If you plan on engaging in “high-risk” activities on your trip, you may need to shell out extra dough for a more comprehensive plan. Many policies don’t cover “risky” activities, such as skiing or snowboarding “out of bounds,” skydiving, scuba diving, white-water rafting, mountaineering, or participation in any rodeo activity. To cover your bases, ask questions and get specifics before purchasing a policy.

You may have to pay more to have these things included, but a few extra bucks may be worth it for peace of mind.

Should I buy “a la carte” travel insurance or get a travel credit card with free insurance?

A credit card with travel insurance is always a good thing to carry in your wallet. The  best travel credit cards in Canada  usually cover everything from emergency medical costs to trip cancellation/interruption to flight delay to rental car insurance, which could save you a wad of cash.

The  Scotiabank Gold American Express ® Card  has saved my butt a few times, and I’ve filed several travel-related claims through my card. I cancelled my trip to Portugal a few years ago due to a death in the family, and I got a full refund on my hotel deposit and flights for myself, my husband, and my baby. It totally justified the $120 annual fee.

That being said, don’t rely on your credit card to take care of all your travel insurance needs. It usually includes a basic policy, meaning it offers low (or no!) travel medical insurance as part of the package. Like any travel insurance company policy, you’ve really got to read the fine print and understand the conditions of your policy to avoid sticky situations.

For instance, the Scotiabank Gold American Express ® Card requires a cardholder to have charged at least 75% of trip expenses to make a trip cancellation/interruption insurance claim. So if you book an all-inclusive vacation for $5,000 and then cancel due to illness, at least $3,750 must have been charged onto your AMEX to qualify for a claim. If you didn’t do that, you’re out of luck.

Can I still purchase insurance if i’ve already started my vacation?

The short answer: most insurance providers won’t cover you after your departure date. However, a handful of insurers (such as World Nomads) will allow you to purchase a policy while already overseas. Just know that it can come with sky-high costs and/or conditions: World Nomads has a 48-hour waiting period before coverage kicks in. The bottom line? It’s always best to buy travel insurance before leaving the country.

Can I get travel insurance for part of a trip?

Some plans offer insurance coverage options that will allow you to customize your coverage, but you’ll have to research to find one that works for your unique circumstances. Alternatively, you could take out an insurance policy for each destination and/or segment of your trip.

For instance, you could get a World Nomads policy for the two weeks you’re scuba diving in Australia, followed by a basic Travel CUTS Bon Voyage insurance to cover a month-long trip to Europe. However, when you buy Canadian travel insurance, you must select a trip start and end date – meaning you must know the exact dates for travelling to those places.

Should I carry a printout of my policy with me at all times?

I recommend carrying the travel insurance card in your wallet and locking it up in the hotel safe with other important travel documents like my passport. But don’t rely totally on paper: Wallets get lost or stolen, luggage can be delayed or M.I.A., and papers are easy to misplace when you’re on the road. My advice is to send a copy of the policy to your email and save it on your iCloud or another storage system that can be accessed anywhere, anytime.

Recommended reads

• What’s the Added Value of a Credit Card with Travel Insurance?
• The Best Travel Rewards Programs in Canada
• Aeroplan vs. AIR MILES vs. Avion

Lisa Jackson is a freelance personal finance and travel journalist, editor, and blogger who contributes to various online and print media outlets in Canada and abroad, including The Globe & Mail, Toronto Star, Islands Magazine, Fodors, BRIDES, Huffington Post Canada, CAA Magazine, The Food Network, West Jet Magazine, NUVO Magazine, and many others. When she's not writing from her home office, she's busy globe-trotting to new destinations in search of her next story.

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Top Travel Insurances for Canada You Should Know in 2024

Byron Mühlberg

Monito's Managing Editor, Byron has spent several years writing extensively about financial- and migration-related topics.

Links on this page, including products and brands featured on ‘Sponsored’ content, may earn us an affiliate commission. This does not affect the opinions and recommendations of our editors.

Canada is a massive country known for its natural splendour, including the Rocky Mountains, the Northern Lights, and Niagara Falls, as well as its energetic cities like Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver. Although travelling to Canada can be an accessible holiday destination for many people, out-the-pocket healthcare costs in the country tend to be expensive, so it's a very good idea to arrive there with travel insurance under your belt.

Luckily, online global insurances (known as 'insurtechs') specialize in cost-savvy travel insurance to Canada and other countries worldwide. Our list below explores the four services we believe provide the best deals for young travellers, adventurers, everyday holidaymakers looking for comprehensive but affordable coverage, and longer-term expats.

Canada Insurance Profile

Here are a few of the many factors influencing the scope and cost of travel insurances for Canada:

Best Travel Insurances for Canada

• 01. Should I get travel insurance for Canada? scroll down
• 02. Best medical coverage: VisitorsCoverage scroll down
• 03. Best trip insurance: Insured Nomads scroll down
• 04. Best mix for youth and digitial nomads: SafetyWing scroll down
• 05. FAQ about travel insurance to Canada scroll down

Heading to Canada soon? Don't forget to check the following list before you travel:

• 💳 Eager to dodge high FX fees? See our picks for the best travel cards in 2024.
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• 💬 Want to learn the local language? Babbel and italki are two excellent apps to think about.
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Do I Need Travel Insurance for Canada?

No, there's currently no legal requirement to take out travel insurance for travel to or through Canada.

However, regardless of whether or not it's legally required, it's always a good idea to take our health insurance before you travel — whether to Canada or anywhere else. For what's usually an affordable cost , taking out travel insurance will mitigate most or all of the risk of financial damage if you run into any unexpected troubles during your trip abroad. Take a look at the top five reasons to get travel insurance to learn more.

With that said, here are the top three travel insurances for Canada:

VisitorsCoverage: Best Medical Coverage

Among the internet's best-known insurance platforms,  VisitorsCoverage  is a pioneering Silicon Valley insurtech company that offers comprehensive medical coverage for travellers going abroad to Canada. It lets you choose between various plans tailored to meet the specific needs of your trip to Canada, including coverage for medical emergencies, trip cancellations, and travel disruptions. With its easy online purchase process and 24/7 live chat support, VisitorsCoverage is a reliable and convenient option if you want good value and peace of mind while travelling abroad.

• Coverage 9.0
• Quality of Service 9.0
• Pricing 7.6
• Credibility 9.5

VisitorsCoverage offers a large variety of policies and depending on your needs and preferences, you'll need to compare and explore their full catalogue of plans for yourself. However, we've chosen a few highlights for their travel insurance for Canada:

• Policy names: Varies
• Medical coverage: Very good. Includes coverage for doctor and hospital visits, pre-existing conditions, repatriation, mental health-related conditions, and many others.
• Trip coverage: Excellent - but only available for US residents.
• Customer support: FAQ, live chat and phone support
• Pricing range: USD 25 to USD 150 /traveller /month
• Insurance underwriter: Lloyd's, Petersen, and others
• Best for: Value for money and overall medical coverage

Insured Nomads: Best Trip Coverage

Insured Nomads is another very good travel insurance option, especially if you're adventurous or frequently on the go and are looking for solid trip insurance with some coverage for medical incidents too. With Insured Nomads, you can choose the level of protection that best suits your needs and enjoy a wide range of benefits, including 24/7 assistance, coverage for risky activities and adventure sports, and the ability to add or remove coverage as needed. In addition, Insured Nomads has a reputation for providing fast and efficient claims service, making it an excellent choice if you want peace of mind while exploring the world.

• Coverage 7.8
• Quality of Service 8.5
• Pricing 7.4
• Credibility 8.8

Insured Nomads offers three travel insurance policies depending on your needs and preferences. We go through them below:

• Policy names: World Explorer, World Explorer Multi, World Explorer Guardian
• Medical coverage: Good. Includes coverage for doctor and hospital visits, pre-existing conditions, repatriation, and many others.
• Trip coverage: Good. Includes coverage for trip cancellation and interruption, lost or stolen luggage (with limits), adventure and sports activities, and many others.
• Customer support: FAQ, live chat, phone support
• Pricing range: USD 80 to USD 420 /traveller /month
• Insurance underwriter: David Shield Insurance Company Ltd.
• Best for: Adventure seekers wanting comprehensive trip insurance

SafetyWing: Best Combination For Youth

SafetyWing is a good insurance option for younger travellers or digital nomads because it offers flexible but comprehensive coverage at a famously affordable price. With SafetyWing, you can enjoy peace of mind knowing you're covered for unexpected medical expenses, trip cancellations, lost or stolen luggage, and more. In addition, SafetyWing's user-friendly website lets you manage your policy, file a claim, and access 24/7 assistance from anywhere in the world, and, unlike VisitorsCoverage, you can even purchase a policy retroactively (e.g. during a holiday)!

• Coverage 7.0
• Quality of Service 8.0
• Pricing 6.3
• Credibility 7.3

SafetyWing offers two travel insurance policies depending on your needs and preferences, which we've highlighted below:

• Policy names: Nomad Insurance, Remote Health
• Medical coverage: Decent. Includes coverage for doctor and hospital visits, repatriation, and many others.
• Trip coverage: Decent. Includes attractive coverage for lost or stolen belongings, adventure and sports activities, transport cancellation, and many others.
• Pricing range: USD 45 to USD 160 /traveller /month
• Insurance underwriter: Tokyo Marine HCC
• Best for: Digital nomads, youth, long-term travellers

How Do They Compare?

Interested to see how VisitorsCoverage, SafetyWing, and Insured Nomads compare as travel insurances to Canada? Take a look at the side-by-side chart below:

Data correct as of 4/1/2024

FAQ About Travel Insurance to Canada

Travel insurance typically covers trip cancellation, trip interruption, lost or stolen luggage, travel delay, and emergency evacuation. Some travel insurance packages also cover medical-related incidents too. However, remember that the exact coverage depends on the insurance policy.

No, you'll not be required to take out travel insurance for Canada. However, we strongly encourage you to do so anyway, because the cost of healthcare in Canada can be high, and taking out travel insurance will mitigate some or all of the risk of covering those costs yourself if you need medical attention during your stay.

Yes, medical travel insurance is almost always worth it, and we recommend taking out travel insurance whenever visiting a foreign country. Taking out travel insurance will mitigate some or all of the risk of covering those costs yourself in case you need medical attention during your stay. In general, we recommend VisitorsCoverage to travellers worldwide because it offers excellent value for money and well-rounded travel and medical benefits in its large catalogue of plans.

Health insurance doesn't cover normal holiday expenses, such as coverage for missed flights and hotels, but in case you run into medical trouble while abroad, it may cover some or all of your doctor or hospital expenses while overseas. However, not all health insurance providers and plans offer coverage to customers while abroad, and that's why it's generally best to take out travel insurance whenever you travel.

Although there's overlap, health and travel insurance are not exactly the same. Health insurance covers some or all of the cost of medical expenses (e.g. emergency treatment, doctor's visits, etc.) while travel insurance covers non-medical costs that are commonly associated with travelling (e.g. coverage for missed flights, stolen or lost personal belongings, etc.).

The cost of travel insurance depends on several factors, such as the length of the trip, the destination, the age of the traveller, and the level of coverage desired. On average, travel insurance can cost anywhere between 3% and 10% of the total cost of the trip.

A single-trip travel insurance policy covers a specific trip, while an annual one covers multiple trips taken within a one-year period. An annual policy may be more cost-effective for frequent travellers.

Yes, you can sometimes purchase travel insurance after starting your trip, but it is best to buy it before the trip begins to ensure maximum coverage. If you do need to buy insurance after you've started your trip, we recommend VisitorsCoverage , which offers a wide catalogue of online trip and medical insurance policies, most of which can be booked with immediate effect. Check out our guide to buying travel insurance late to learn more.

Yes, you can most certainly purchase travel insurance for a trip that has already been booked, although we recommend purchasing insurance as soon as possible aftwerwards to ensure all coverage is in place before your journey begins. Check out our guide to buying travel insurance late to learn more.

See Our Other Travel Insurance Guides

Looking for Travel Insurance to Another Country?

See our recommendations for travel insurance to other countries worldwide:

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How to find the best travel insurance for Canadians

Planning your next trip? Protect yourself with a customized travel insurance policy for a great price today.

What is travel insurance in Canada?

Travel insurance protects you financially against a wide range of emergencies that could happen while you're taking a trip. Whether you're visiting another province for the weekend or planning an annual business trip overseas, costly implications may arise – including expenses for medical care, trip cancellation, or lost baggage. Having a comprehensive travel insurance policy in place ensures you won't be on your own when it comes to these expenses, allowing you to experience your trip worry-free.

If you're looking to insure your next trip, we can help. Take a minute to provide us with a few details, including the where and the when. We'll show you personalized travel insurance quotes, so you can bind your policy online today. The sooner you're covered, the sooner you can receive peace of mind.

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The different types of travel insurance plans

Not all travel insurance policies are the same. Whether you're an avid backpacker or planning your very first overseas getaway, you can find an insurance plan that suits your specific needs. 

What does travel insurance cover?

While your personal policy can differ depending on the insurer you choose, an all-inclusive travel insurance plan typically includes the following types of coverages.

Medical insurance

Trip cancellation insurance, trip interruption insurance, baggage & personal effects insurance, flight & travel accident insurance, how much is travel insurance.

Travel insurance premiums differ on a case-to-case basis, but you can expect to pay about 4 to 10% of your trip's cost for a standard policy. Learn more about how to get your own travel insurance quote today.

How your travel insurance quote is calculated

Old age can lead to more expensive travel insurance rates as you’re statistically more likely to make a medical claim.

Not all travel insurance policies cover pre-existing medical conditions – you may need to purchase specialized coverage for a higher premium.

Destination

Visiting high-risk areas can increase your travel insurance quote as you're more likely to face implications such as illness and theft.

The more expensive your trip costs, the more expensive your insurance will be – insurers have to pay out more if you’re in need of a refund.

Trip duration

It’s no surprise that a month away from home will cost more to insure than a weekend getaway – extended coverage means higher premiums.

Coverage type

A basic policy might not include trip cancellation insurance, but you’ll also be paying less when compared to an all-inclusive package.

FAQ: Canadian travel insurance

Do you need travel insurance.

While travel insurance isn’t required by law, getting coverage ahead of time is the smart and financially responsible thing to do. The cost of an overseas implication is generally much higher than if it were to happen at home, so travel insurance can offer your extra protection and peace of mind. 

Medical care is the best example of this as most health insurers – public or private – won’t cover you overseas. Because of the high cost of healthcare, an uninsured emergency while you’re travelling can cost you thousands of dollars out-of-pocket.

Do you need travel insurance within Canada?

Since public healthcare in Canada is provided at a provincial or territorial level, it’s still a good idea to purchase travel insurance when taking a domestic trip. Your public health insurance will provide some form of medical coverage out-of-province, but you may still face additional expenses – including bills for ambulance rides, medical testing, or dental work. Having the right travel policy in place ensures you won’t be left on your own to cover these gaps.

Also, keep in mind that a travel policy isn’t only limited to coverage for medical expenses. You may want to purchase trip cancellation or trip interruption insurance for your out-of-province stay to ensure you won’t lose out on any pre-paid expenses in case of an emergency. 

Is travel insurance worth it?

Yes, travel insurance is worth it – the price of a policy is just a small fraction of what you might otherwise need to pay during a financial emergency. And even if you don't end up using the coverage, having protection just in case can still be worth the peace of mind.

Where can I buy travel insurance in Canada?

Right here! You can get a customized quote and secure your policy online with our travel insurance partner today – in just a few minutes, you'll be good to take off.

Can you get travel insurance after leaving Canada?

Yes, our partner allows you to purchase travel insurance while you're already overseas. There is, however, a 48-hour waiting period from your policy start date in which you won't be able to claim benefits for injury or illness. Be sure to read the full terms and conditions as there may be additional exclusions to your coverage when binding a last-minute policy.

Keep in mind that other providers might not offer insurance to travellers that have already departed, so it’s always best to prepare far in advance. 

Does travel insurance cover COVID-19?

Many travel insurance companies now offer specialized coverage for COVID-19. Double-check your policy to ensure you’re protected against risks associated with the virus.

What doesn't travel insurance cover?

To understand the exact coverages you'll receive, be sure to read the specific terms of your policy. Every insurer is different, and you wouldn't want to be left on your own during a financial emergency. 

Some common exclusions on travel insurance plans include:

• Non-emergent health services (e.g. routine check-ups)
• Non-emergent dental care
• Mental health implications
• Cosmetic surgery
• Pregnancy – speak to an agent ahead of time
• Incidents related to alcohol and drug usage
• Incidents related to illegal activities 
• Trip cancellation due to an unlisted reason (e.g. fear of flying)
• Incidents related to extreme sports (some insurers offer specialized adventure sports packages)

Also, keep in mind that each insurance company deals with pre-existing conditions differently. You may need to sign a waiver ahead of time to make sure you're covered for any emergency medical expenses related to your case. 

And of course, like all types of insurance, your policy will only protect you put to a stated limit. So while you may be covered for various risks, you might still need to foot part of the bill. 

How does Ratehub.ca get travel insurance quotes?

We partner with World Nomads, a leading travel insurance provider, to offer low-rate coverage options for those leaving or coming to Canada. By providing us with a few details, you can get a personalized travel insurance quote with us today, and bind your policy online in just a few minutes. 

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Compare Canada’s Top Travel Insurance Plans on InsureMyTrip.ca

May 02, 2024 14:43 ET | Source: InsureMyTrip InsureMyTrip

Toronto, ON, May 02, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- InsureMyTrip.ca, a leading travel insurance comparison website based in Toronto, is rapidly emerging as the preferred choice for Canadian travellers seeking comprehensive and customizable travel insurance solutions. The platform's innovative approach to comparing a wide range of insurance products has positioned it uniquely in the Canadian market. 

As more Canadians look to travel both domestically and internationally , the need for a reliable, efficient, and user-friendly tool to compare travel insurance options has never been greater. InsureMyTrip offers a seamless interface that allows users to easily compare detailed information about coverage options, prices, and customer reviews from a variety of insurance providers. 

“InsureMyTrip is committed to transforming the travel insurance purchase experience in Canada,” said Suzanne Morrow CEO of InsureMyTrip. “Our platform is designed to empower Canadians to make informed decisions about their travel insurance needs, ensuring they can find the best coverage for their specific requirements without the hassle.” 

InsureMyTrip: Start a Quote  

Adapting to the Needs of Canadian Travellers  

InsureMyTrip understands the diverse needs of Canadian travellers and offers features such as side-by-side comparisons to narrow down choices based on individual travel plans and personal priorities, such as emergency medical or trip protection coverage.  

Supporting Customers with Expertise  

Beyond just offering a comparison tool, InsureMyTrip provides extensive customer support through a team of experienced licensed travel insurance agents who are available to answer questions and help travellers select the best policy for their needs.  

Expanding Products & Offerings   

InsureMyTrip.ca continues to expand travel insurance options in Canada. Serving both Canadian travellers and those visiting Canada, the website provides a diverse range of plans - including all-inclusive options for domestic and international travel, emergency medical coverage, trip cancellation choices, and Visitor to Canada (VTC) plans. The site offers travel insurance from Travel Guard, TuGo, TIPS Travel Insurance, Manulife, Travelex, and Tour+Med.    *Not available to Quebec residents. 

Reporters can request an interview or quote from InsureMyTrip CEO, Suzanne Morrow by contacting [email protected]. 

Media Contact: 

Meghan Kayata  InsureMyTrip.ca  [email protected] 

About InsureMyTrip  

You like options. We do too. InsureMyTrip finds you the right travel insurance plan, every time. We are committed to empowering travellers to make the best possible insurance decisions by leveraging our technology, data intelligence, and expertise. InsureMyTrip is based in the U.S. with an office in Toronto. 

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CAA Travel Insurance Review 2024

Updated: Feb 28, 2024, 5:47am

The Canadian Automobile Association, or CAA, is well known for its roadside assistance, but you might not know that it also offers incredibly solid travel insurance—with loads of options for customizing your premium to fit your budget. CAA members also get a 10% discount on their premium. And with coverage for kids, grandkids and even pets, CAA travel insurance is a great choice for families, too.

• Pre-existing conditions rider
• Optional medical deductible
• CFAR and IFAR reimbursement at 75%
• Additional coverage for air excursions and sports
• Medical questionnaire required at age 60
• Limited coverage for adventurous travellers
• Discounts only available to CAA members

Table of Contents

About caa travel insurance, what travel insurance does caa travel insurance offer, caa travel insurance plans, summary: plan comparison, caa travel insurance cost, compare caa travel insurance with other insurers, optional add-ons for caa travel insurance, does caa travel insurance offer any discounts, does caa travel insurance offer annual multi-trip plans, does caa travel insurance have 24/7 travel assistance, does caa travel insurance have cancel for any reason (cfar), does caa travel insurance have interruption for any reason (ifar), does caa travel insurance cover pre-existing medical conditions, what’s not covered by caa travel insurance, how to file a claim with caa travel insurance.

If you’re one of the 5.8 million Canadians with a CAA membership, you’ve probably called for help when you’ve had a flat tire, been locked out of your car or run out of gas during a road trip. But CAA can offer much more than roadside assistance, including travel insurance for Canadian residents for trips both within Canada and internationally, as well as travel insurance for visitors to Canada.

The CAA is made up of nine regional clubs across Canada, including CAA South Central Ontario (that includes Manitoba), North East Ontario, Niagara, Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Maritimes, Quebec and Saskatchewan.

This review is based on plans from CAA-South Central Ontario (CAA-SCO). If you live in another part of the province or elsewhere in Canada, your plan offerings may differ.

CAA South Central Ontario travel insurance is underwritten by Orion Travel Insurance, a CAA company.

Here are the key types of travel insurance coverage offered in CAA Insurance plans:

• Emergency medical insurance: If you become ill or are injured on your trip, travel medical insurance can pay for emergency medical expenses, up to the limits in your plan. These expenses can include doctor and hospital bills, medication and lab work.
• Trip cancellation insurance: If you cancel a trip for a reason listed in your policy, trip cancellation insurance can reimburse you for prepaid, non-refundable costs.
• Travel interruption insurance: Trip interruption insurance can pay for a last-minute flight home in an emergency and money that you lose by cutting a trip short, such as non-refundable activities and hotel stays. CAA offers a BounceBack benefit that kicks in if you have to go home to deal with an emergency, you’ll get $2,000 towards a round-trip ticket home and back again.
• Baggage insurance: Baggage travel insurance can compensate you up to your policy limits if your luggage is lost or stolen. It will reimburse the depreciated value of your suitcases and what you packed. If your bags are delayed, it can reimburse you for the cost of the necessities you buy to tide you over. It also extends to your personal belongings, if they are lost, damaged or stolen.
• Travel accident insurance. This coverage offers compensation in the event of accidental death or catastrophic injury from an accident during your trip. Flight accident insurance covers injury while you’re on a commercial plane, during a connection or in an airport. Travel accident insurance covers death or dismemberment, including the loss of limbs or eyesight, sustained on your trip.

CAA offers three travel insurance plans: Emergency Medical + Trip, Medical and Trip.

Emergency Medical + Trip: This is the most comprehensive plan that includes coverage for medical emergencies, trip cancellation and interruption, lost baggage and personal documents, non-medical emergency evacuation, medical repatriation, travel accident insurance and more.

Emergency medical treatment includes:

• Hospital accommodation up to a semi-private room.
• Physicians’ fees.
• Laboratory tests and X-rays.
• Private duty nursing.
• Ground ambulance service.
• Prescription drugs.
• Medical appliances including casts, splints, trusses, braces, crutches or the rental of a wheelchair.
• Treatment by a chiropodist, chiropractor, osteopath, physiotherapist or podiatrist.
• Emergency dental treatment due to a blow to the face.
• Emergency dental treatment due to illness, excluding roots canals or damage to dentures.
• Hospital allowance for long distance calls, TV rental when hospitalized for at least 48 hours.

Medical: If you’re only worried about medical emergencies while travelling (and not trip protection), this standalone plan offers all of the medical coverage options of the Emergency Medical + Trip plan and includes hospital accommodations, physician fees, lab tests, private nurses and ambulance services.

Trip: If you have medical coverage elsewhere, the Trip plan covers trip cancellation insurance, trip interruption insurance, baggage insurance, travel accident insurance and more.

With a CAA Travel Insurance plan you can purchase family coverage for three or more members, including your spouse, children and grandchildren. CAA even extends coverage to your pets in the event you are hospitalized or repatriated, as well as $300 for emergency veterinary care.

We highlighted key benefits of CAA Travel Insurance to help you identify which plan is the best fit for you.

Here’s a comparison of the Medical + Trip, Medical only and Trip only plans and how much coverage you’ll get.

The price of a CAA Travel Insurance plan depends on factors such as the cost of your trip, your age and the amount of coverage you choose.

Here are some price examples of CAA Travel Insurance plans for healthy travellers based in Ontario through the CAA-South Central Ontario Club. CAA members get 10% off these rates.

If you’re purchasing the Medical only plan, you can also add an optional deductible, or the amount you will pay out of pocket before your coverage kicks in, to lower the cost of your premium. Deductible options include: $300, $500, $1,000, $3,000, $5,000, $10,000, $25,000, $50,000 (USD).

World Nomads

Emergency medical: $5 million Cancel For Any Reason: No Baggage insurance (maximum): $1,000, $3,000

Related: World Nomads Travel Insurance Review

Manulife Financial

Emergency medical: $10 million Cancel For Any Reason: No Baggage insurance (maximum): $1,000

Related: Manulife Financial CoverMe Travel Insurance Review

Emergency medical: $5 million Cancel For Any Reason: No Baggage insurance (maximum): $1,500

Related: Blue Cross Travel Insurance Review

CAA Travel Insurance offers the following riders, or add-ons, for the more adventurous or sporty travellers:

• Adventurous Air Activities. Up to $5 million covering extra vacation fun while participating in activities that include hot-air balloon rides, parasailing and helicopter excursions.
• Sports & Speed. If you’re participating in a professional sporting event or motorized speed contest, this provides coverage for any accident or illness while you’re competing, training or practicing while you’re away.

Here’s how these add-ons could affect your premium:

If you’re renting a car while on vacation, the optional Rental Vehicle Damage Insurance add-on will pay up to $80,000 for rentals up to 80 days.

CAA members in the CAA-SCO Club receive 10% off their premium for any travel insurance plan. (Other clubs may offer different discounts. For example, CAA Maritime members receive a 15% discount.)

Here’s an example for the Medical + Trip plan:

Yes. If you travel a few times a year (or more!) it may be cost effective to buy multi-trip insurance , also known as annual trip insurance. CAA Travel Insurance has two plan options: The Multi-Trip Plan that offers medical coverage only for four, eight, 15 or 30 days, and the Annual Vacation Package Plan that offers medical and trip protection coverage for eight, 15 or 30-day periods. If you stay longer than the number of days in your plan, you can purchase a top-up.

CAA Assistance is available 24/7, 365 days of the year and can help you when you’re faced with an emergency. Support includes:

• Directing you to an appropriate physician or hospital at your trip destination.
• Providing multilingual interpreters to communicate with physicians and hospitals.
• Monitoring your care and ensuring only appropriate and medically necessary treatment is given.
• Communicating on your behalf to your family and physician.
• Paying hospitals, physicians and medical providers whenever possible.
• Arranging necessary transportation, such as an air ambulance, whenever necessary.

When you call CAA Assistance, you’ll need to provide your name, policy number, your location and the nature of your emergency. If you don’t contact CAA Assistance before receiving medical treatment, you may be limited to reimbursement of 80% of eligible expenses, to a maximum of $25,000.

If you’re not dealing with an emergency (say you’re holed up in your hotel room with a migraine) but you’d still like some medical advice, CAA Travel Insurance offers a Virtual Emergency Medical Assistance and House Call Service, which provides 24/7 and unlimited number of virtual visits to medical professionals via virtual healthcare.

According to CAA, 80% of cancellation claims are because a traveller, or one of their immediate family members, gets sick or injured.

Trip cancellation insurance covers things like:

• You are a family member, or your travel companion or their family members, is sick, injured, quarantined or dies.
• A blizzard, hurricane or volcano, for example, hits your home or you’re burgled within seven days before your departure.
• You lose your job.
• You’re called for jury duty.
• The business meeting, conference or event you were travelling to is cancelled.
• There’s a new travel advisory.
• The travel supplier you bought from goes out of business.
• Your passport is not issued in time.

CAA also offers Cancel For Any Reason insurance, which offers the following reimbursement if you cancel for a reason up to three hours before departure other than those listed:

• 75% CFAR reimbursement if your travel is booked through CAA Travel.
• 50% CFAR reimbursement if your travel is booked through another provider.

While trip cancellation covers any issues that happen before you leave, trip interruption covers issues once you’ve already left home.

Trip interruption insurance covers issues, such as:

• A missed connection due to bad weather, road delays or a road accident.
• A medical emergency back home.

CAA also offers Interruption For Any Reason insurance up to $2,500, that covers you for any reason outside of your policy to the following limits:

• 75% IFAR reimbursement if your travel is booked through CAA Travel.
• 50% IFAR reimbursement if your travel is booked through another provider.

For travellers under age 60, CAA Travel Insurance will not pay any claims due to any sickness, injury or medical condition that is not stable in the three months before your departure date (and for travellers age 70 to 84, your condition must be stable for six months), unless you purchase the Pre-Existing Medical Condition rider that reduces the waiting period to seven days and covers to a maximum of $200,000.

Here’s how this add-on could affect your premium cost:

For travellers under age 60, CAA Travel will also not cover any lung condition if in the three months prior to departure you received treatment with Prednisone.

For travellers age 60 to 84, CAA Travel will also not cover any lung condition if in the three months prior to departure you received treatment with prednisone, or any heart conditions if you had heart bypass or valve surgery more than eight years prior to the departure date; if you were taking three or more medications for your heart; you were diagnosed or treated for a heart condition, diabetes and high blood pressure; or you were prescribed or are taking medication for heart failure.

There are a number of scenarios not covered by travel insurance and it’s critical to know what not to do before you make a claim only to be told you’re on the hook for all associated costs. The following are some of the most common issues not covered by travel insurance:

• A claim against an unstable pre-existing medical condition. CAA defines a condition as unstable if you have sought medical treatment for that condition, if new or existing symptoms appear or there has been a change in medication or the dose you take.
• Ongoing medical treatment or services. Your coverage treats the emergency then gets you back to Canada for further treatment. The emergency medical coverage does include medical follow-up in Canada.
• Non-emergency, experimental or elective treatment, including cosmetic surgery, chronic care or rehabilitation.
• Pregnancy (other than unexpected complications) or a child born on a trip.
• Injury or illness as a result of alcohol or drug abuse.
• High risk activities, such as being in the air (balloon, kite balloon, paraglider, parasail, parachute, kite, wingsuit, etc.), unless you’ve purchased the Adventurous Air Activities rider.
• Travelling against medical advice or not following medical advice in regards to treatment.
• Travelling to get medical treatment, included diagnosis, palliative care or alternative therapy.
• Suicide or attempted suicide, or any self-inflicted injuries.
• Travelling after the Canadian government issues a “Avoid non-essential travel” or “Avoid all travel” advisory.
• Any professional sports, unless you purchase the Sport & Speed rider.
• Air ambulance services, unless approved in advance.
• Damage to or loss of contact lenses or prosthetic teeth or limbs.

Due to high call volumes, CAA recommends you file your claim online or by email. You can file a claim online 24/7 by logging into your account via CAA’s partner Global Excel Management. You can also visit the CAA website and download your appropriate claim form. Depending on the kind of claim, you will also need to provide supporting documentation. For example, for a claim on your baggage insurance for a theft, you’ll need to submit a report from the police. After the claim is submitted, you will receive an email confirmation with your case number.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Does caa travel insurance pay for medical costs upfront.

Yes, in most cases CAA will pay hospitals, physicians and other medical providers directly. However, the insurer notes that some providers require direct payment. In that case you will be reimbursed for “reasonable and customary costs.”

Does CAA Travel Insurance cover COVID-19?

It depends. You are eligible for the $5 million emergency medical coverage if you’re fully vaccinated and $2.5 million if partially vaccinated for any COVID-19-related illnesses that occur while travelling.

Does CAA Travel Insurance offer coverage extensions?

Your coverage is automatically extended for five days due a travel delay due to inclement weather or mechanical failure, or a sudden and unforeseen illness. If you are hospitalized, your coverage is extended for the period of hospitalization, plus five days after discharge. You can also request an extension if you want to stay longer provided you apply before the expiry date of your policy and you haven’t made any claims.

Does CAA Travel require a medical questionnaire?

Yes. Travellers age 60 and over must complete a medical questionnaire that asks questions such as: Have you visited the emergency room more than once in the last 12 months, have you been a smoker in the last five years, have you had surgery in the last 12 months and have you received treatment or medication for cardiovascular conditions, diabetes, cancer, neurological conditions or respiratory conditions. If it’s discovered that you do not answer the questions truthfully, you’ll be responsible for the first $5,000 of any claim.

Does CAA Travel Insurance have any age restrictions?

Yes. Medical + Trip coverage is available to travellers age 84 and under. Trip Only coverage is available at any age.

Fiona Campbell is a Staff Writer for Forbes Advisor Canada. She started her career on Bay Street, but followed her love for research, writing and a good story into journalism. She is the former editor of Bankrate Canada, and has over 20 years of experience writing for various publications, including the Globe and Mail, Financial Post Business, Advisor’s Edge, Mydoh.ca and more.

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