Travel insurance: protecting the entire family

Here are some tips and advice to guide you in shopping for a policy.

1. Travel insurance is essential for travellers of all ages—even within Canada. Once you leave the province, your Régie de l’assurance maladie du Québec (RAMQ) coverage is reduced. Some costs, like transportation by ambulance, for example, simply aren’t covered.

   The coverage of the RAMQ (Régie de l’assurance maladie du Québec):

   Travelling outside Canada: The RAMQ will reimburse only a very small part of medical expenses incurred abroad: $50 for a doctor’s visit and $100 per day of hospitalization. Many other things aren’t covered at all, like prescription drugs, ambulance transport or repatriation, so you can quickly run up a very large bill.

   Travelling in Canada: The RAMQ will reimburse professional services only up to the going rate in Quebec, even if the insured person paid more. If the service costs more than in Quebec, you will have to pay the difference. What’s more, in the rest of Canada, like abroad, prescription drugs, emergency dental care, ambulance transport and repatriation costs aren’t covered.

2. Make sure the medical coverage amount is at least $1 million. Remember that fluctuations in the value of the Canadian dollar mean that medical expenses could be even higher than expected.
3. Most travel insurance contracts do not provide coverage for expectant mothers beyond 31 or 32 weeks of pregnancy. Check the exact coverage period with your insurer. CAA-Quebec Travel Insurance covers pregnancy and related complications if the pregnancy has not been declared high-risk and if the pregnant woman is travelling before the final eight weeks preceding her due date. A baby born during a trip (whether prematurely or not) may be covered if it is born in the first 32 weeks of gestation, if the pregnancy and delivery are covered, and if the pregnancy was not declared to be high-risk.
4. Children under the age of 2 may be covered at no extra cost when one parent has coverage. Again, find out from the insurance provider!
5. The definition of a dependent child varies from one insurer to another, affecting your family premium. With CAA-Quebec Travel Insurance, children are covered up to age 25 if they are full-time students and up to age 18 if they are not students. They are always covered if they have a physical or mental disability.
6. A good insurance company will usually provide assistance services in case of loss or theft of identification papers. Given that children must now have a passport in their name, these services can be very useful.
7. Make sure the costs of accompanying children in case of repatriation are covered. This benefit can be very useful, especially if you are injured while travelling alone with your children, and you cannot return home immediately. Your insurer may also provide a support worker for your children.
8. Ask your insurer if babysitting is included in your emergency coverage. For example, if you are seriously injured while surfing and your spouse has to stay at the hospital during your surgery, the insurer will find and pay for a babysitter for your children.
9. One reassuring option is medical followup in Canada after hospitalization and repatriation. It includes bed transfers, home nursing care, and domestic services. Does your insurer provide this option?
10. Check whether incidental charges (e.g., phone, TV, parking) are covered in case of hospitalization. These services can make things easier and less stressful for you and your children.
11. Do you rely on the travel insurance that comes with your credit card? Check carefully that your whole family is covered by your policy. Some cards will cover the cardholder and his or her spouse and children, while others protect only the holder.
12. Some insurers now offer new and practical solutions in the event that you or one of your children gets sick outside the country. Instead of going to a hospital or clinic, you can videoconference with a doctor or have one visit you where you’re staying. No need to camp out at the emergency room. Don’t let a minor health problem turn your family vacation upside-down.

Travel insurance is a must for any type of travel, but it truly comes in handy when you’re holidaying with the little ones.