Traveling in Canada outside Quebec: do you need travel insurance?

MYTH 1: I’m a Quebec resident and a Canadian citizen, which means my health insurance card covers me if I travel outside Quebec.

The Régie de l’assurance maladie du Québec (RAMQ) does not fully reimburse healthcare services received outside the province, even if you stay in Canada. In addition, some services are not covered at all under the provincial health insurance plan.

If the services received in the province visited cost more than the amount the RAMQ is prepared to reimburse, you’ll have to pay the difference. In other words, if you get medical care in, say, British Columbia or Prince Edward Island, and you don’t have private health insurance, you’ll have to pay for the portion of expenses that is not reimbursed by the RAMQ.

Here is an example illustrating the costs to a Quebec resident of a hospital stay in Ontario:

Source: RAMQ

MYTH 2: I don’t need travel insurance in my own country; I’m covered under interprovincial agreements, so I have health insurance outside Quebec.

A doctor can accept the Quebec health insurance card even when you are outside the province; he or she will then be reimbursed for services rendered in accordance with the fees in effect in Quebec. However, the doctor can refuse to accept your card because he or she does not agree to be paid in line with the Quebec fees. In such a situation, you will need to pay the fees the doctor is charging and then apply for a refund from the RAMQ.

MYTH 3: I’m ready to run the risk of assuming part of my medical expenses instead of buying travel insurance for a stay somewhere else in Canada.

Remember: the RAMQ covers a broad range of care and services, but it doesn’t cover everything. Fees that aren’t covered in Quebec won’t be when you’re travelling outside the province either. This is true of the following, among others:

• Transportation by ambulance if you are under 65;
• The cost of bringing you back to Quebec (by ground or air);
• A private (or semi-private) hospital room;
• Fees for extra services (e.g., rental of crutches, TV in hospital room);
• Medication purchased outside Quebec;
• Services provided by a healthcare professional other than a doctor (e.g., a dentist).

Only private health insurance or travel insurance can reimburse you for the cost of these services in the case of an emergency. And the RAMQ definitely won’t refund non-medical travel expenses, such as:

• Lost, damaged, or stolen baggage;
• Trip cancellations due to weather or illness.

You’ll need comprehensive travel insurance or another type of insurance for those, too.

MYTH 4: I’m prepared to buy travel insurance when I go to Europe or the U.S., but if I’m staying in Canada, I find it unfair to have to pay the same price.

Insurers calculate their premiums based on the risks, the costs of medical care in the countries visited, and many other factors. Because the RAMQ reimburses a larger part of fees paid in Canada than in other countries, which reduces potential costs, some insurance companies like Travel Insurance offered by CAA-Québec adjust to the market. They offer flexible products, adapted for travel outside Quebec, in the rest of Canada, and this, at much lower rates (up to 75% lower for products sold by CAA-Quebec) than those for international travel insurance.

MYTH 5: It’s no big deal if I leave the country for a quick getaway. I’ll still be covered by my travel insurance.

If you’ve opted for travel insurance that covers you only in Canada, that means you need to stay in the country or you won’t be covered. So if you decided to slip down to Buffalo on a road trip to Niagara Falls (after all, it’s only 30 minutes away), full Insurance is void if you leave Canada.

Other advantages of travel insurance

Most travel insurance includes 24/7 assistance services, which can be handy as soon as you leave the province, even if you go no further than Ontario!

What’s more, if you have travel insurance, you don’t need to take care of applying for your refunds from the RAMQ. Your insurer handles it and co-ordinates the entire process, saving you valuable time!

Am I covered for COVID-19 in Canada?

Many insurers consider COVID-19 to be a known event and would not cover care for the disease if you caught it while travelling. However, CAA-Quebec Travel Insurance does cover COVID-19 care in Canada, unless there is a government advisory not to travel between provinces.

_{CAA Travel Assistance is provided by Global Excel. Virtual Emergency Medical Assistance availability may vary depending on geographical locations and current emergency medical condition. In-Province virtual assistance is limited to four (4) calls per insured per policy term. CAA‑Quebec Travel Insurance products are provided by Orion Travel Insurance Company and distributed to Quebec residents exclusively by CAA‑Quebec Travel and Cabinet en assurance de personnes CAA‑Québec.}