The Truth About Travel Insurance

When it comes to buying travel insurance, there are still many myths surrounding the industry that can often deter individuals from investing in a policy. According to the Travel Health Insurance Association of Canada, only 47% of Canadians take out a travel insurance policy when going on a trip.

However, these myths aren’t necessarily true. Below, we discuss the most common trip insurance misunderstandings that people have and advise on the best way to cover yourself when travelling.

Pre-Existing Coverage Will Be Enough

One misunderstanding that people believe is that pre-existing coverage, such as through a credit card or as part of a provincial health insurance program, will be enough when taking a trip. This is not always the case.

The coverage that provincial health insurance such as the OHIP or the MSP provides is actually quite limited. For example, if you decide to travel to the United States and have an accident that needs emergency medical attention, you could be looking at paying anything towards $10,000 USD in medical bills. Provincial health coverage, however, doesn’t exceed a couple hundred dollars a day. Also when travelling within Canada, healthcare policies between provinces can vary a lot. So, you may find that medical expenses can be higher in a different province to your own.

If you have a credit card with added travel insurance, it is important to check with your bank exactly what this cover entails. Many credit card companies provide travel insurance as a complimentary add-on. Yet, this travel insurance is often a “one size fits all” policy and can contain loopholes. Most often, this kind of travel coverage doesn’t account for any pre-existing medical conditions or how long you are travelling for.

We always advise that you take out extra travel coverage to make sure that you will be protected in the case of an emergency when travelling.

I Don’t Need Coverage For Trips Within Canada

Many people decide that taking out a trip insurance policy is unnecessary when travelling within Canada. This is also not true.

Unplanned travel disruptions can happen anywhere, not just when you are travelling abroad. Regardless of whether you are travelling by plane or by train, you might face travel delays or baggage being lost. Additionally, cases happen when you are unable to travel due to medical or personal reasons. With travel insurance, you would be eligible for trip interruption coverage. This will pay for expenses that are non-refundable such as flights or cancelled accommodation.

So, the next time you are taking a trip out of province to go skiing or for a weekend getaway, consider getting a quote from a travel insurance provider beforehand.

Applying For Travel Insurance Is Too Difficult

One of the most common reasons that individuals prefer not to buy travel insurance policies is because of the belief that the application process is too complicated or will take hours to complete.

For years, travel insurance applications involved pages full of personal and health-related questions. Although the process of purchasing travel plans has now been moved online and over the phone, this still takes time and effort.

The JAUNTIN’ travel insurance app alleviates this problem by cutting the process down to just 90 seconds. Giving you no excuse not to cover yourself the next time you are travelling.

I Left It Too Late To Buy Travel Insurance

Travellers also believe that in order to get coverage for a trip, they need to purchase a policy months in advance of their departure. This is also not the truth.

With our mobile app, individuals can easily purchase coverage within less than two minutes. Insurance coverage can be provided for long vacations or trips as short as an hour. So, whether you are taking a quick trip across the US border or are even sitting on the plane before take off, you can be covered with the swipe of a finger.