As spring break and the busy summer travel season approach, many Canadians are gearing up for vacations within the country. Whether it's a road trip through the Rockies, a relaxing getaway in the Maritimes, or an urban adventure in Toronto, domestic travel comes with its own set of risks.
While many Canadians assume that travel insurance is only necessary for trips outside the country, the reality is that travel insurance offers a lot of benefits to those travelling within the country as well. To help you decide if travel insurance is the right choice for your next in-country vacation, here's everything you need to know about the benefits of domestic travel insurance.
Do I Need Travel Insurance Within Canada?
The short answer is yes, you should at least strongly consider it. And there are several good reasons why. From filling in gaps in your existing coverage to providing coverage for trip cancellations and delays, a travel insurance policy protects you from a lot of financial landmines even when you are only travelling within the country.
Although Canada has a universal healthcare system, there are still gaps in coverage when you travel outside your home province. In addition to eliminating these gaps, domestic travel insurance policies also offer other valuable benefits that extend beyond healthcare coverage. If you're on the fence about whether to secure your domestic trip with a travel insurance policy, here are some of the top reasons you may want to purchase one:
Limited Out-of-Province Medical Coverage
Many Canadians don't realize this, but the coverage provided by your provincial health plan changes when you are travelling outside your home province. There are a lot of things it still covers, but there are also things it doesn't, like ambulance services, prescription drugs, and hospital transfers. Without a travel insurance policy to cover these gaps, you could be on the hook for some big expenses in the event of a medical emergency.
Trip Cancellations and Interruptions
Life is unpredictable, and there are a lot of scenarios outside your control that may disrupt your travel plans. Whether it's weather, injury or illness, a family emergency, or anything else, something may come up that causes you to either cancel your trip or end it early.
If this happens, you may not be able to get a refund for travel expenses like plane tickets, car rentals, and hotel stays. But with a travel insurance policy that offers trip cancellation and interruption coverage, you'll be reimbursed for these expenses even if it's too late to request a refund.
Flight Delays and Cancellations
Domestic flights are not immune to delays and cancellations. While airlines will typically offer refunds or alternative travel arrangements if a flight is cancelled or delayed, that doesn't cover additional expenses you may incur such as meals, accommodations, and rebooking fees. To avoid a delayed or cancelled flight leaving you with these expenses, you'll need a domestic travel insurance policy.
Lost or Delayed Baggage
Losing luggage while you're on vacation is inconvenient and costly. Even if your luggage is just delayed and you do eventually receive it, you still may have no choice but to re-purchase essential items while you're waiting for it to arrive. With a travel insurance policy, though, the cost to replace these items if your luggage is lost or delayed will be covered.
Common Myths About Travel Insurance Within Canada
There are a couple of common myths that often give Canadians a false sense of security when they are travelling domestically. To avoid any unwanted surprises, make sure you don't fall victim to these two myths:
Myth #1: My Provincial Health Plan Covers Everything
This is something we've mentioned already, so we won't spend too much time on it, but your provincial health plan comes with limitations the moment you step outside your home province. It will still cover many essential medical services. However, there are also things it won't cover, with prescription drugs and ambulance transportation being two of the big ones. If you want complete coverage when travelling, you need travel insurance.
Myth #2: My Credit Card Travel Insurance Is Enough
Some travellers rely on credit card travel insurance, assuming it provides complete coverage. However, credit card travel insurance often comes with limitations, including:
- Lower coverage limits for trip cancellations and medical expenses.
- Restrictions on eligibility, such as only covering trips paid for with the card.
- Gaps in coverage, such as excluding pre-existing medical conditions or specific types of cancellations.
Travel insurance coverage and limitations vary from one credit card provider to another, so it's always important to carefully review your credit card’s travel insurance policy beforehand. If you aren't satisfied with the coverage your credit card provides, a domestic travel insurance policy can help fill in the gaps.
When Should You Purchase Travel Insurance for a Domestic Trip?
The best time to purchase a travel insurance policy is as soon as you book your trip. That way, if you have to cancel your trip at any point leading up to your departure, you'll have the policy in place to provide trip cancellation coverage.
With that said, it's better late than never, and you are able to purchase a travel insurance policy at any time between when you book your trip and when you depart. As for purchasing a policy after you've already departed, this is an option offered by some providers. However, keep in mind that coverage options may be limited.
How to Choose the Right Policy for Travel Insurance Within Canada
If you've decided you want to protect your upcoming trip with a domestic travel insurance policy, the next step is to choose the right provider and policy for your needs. When looking at domestic travel insurance policies, here are all the key factors to consider:
- Your Destination and Trip Length: How long you plan to be travelling will determine what duration your policy needs to cover. In some cases, your destination can impact the policy you need as well. For example, if you're travelling to a remote location, you may want to consider a policy that provides higher coverage limits for emergency medical transport.
- Your Current Health Status: If you have any pre-existing health conditions that may require treatment while you are travelling, be sure to notify the provider about them and ensure that they are covered by the policy. Likewise, you'll want to be sure the policy provides ample prescription drug coverage if you anticipate having to purchase medication during your trip.
- Activities Planned: High-risk activities and activities that take place in remote locations may necessitate higher coverage limits for emergency medical transportation and treatments. Some policies come with exclusions for injuries caused by certain high-risk activities, so be sure to carefully review the policy if you are planning activities such as mountaineering or skydiving.
- Policy exclusions and limits: Exclusions for high-risk activities are just one example of things a travel insurance policy may not cover, so it's always important to go over the exclusions section of the policy before you make a decision. Be sure to check out the policy's coverage limits for various expenses as well, as any amount beyond these limits will not be covered.
- Premium and Deductibles: The policy's premium is simply how much you have to pay for coverage and is obviously an important factor to consider when you're shopping around for travel insurance. Some travel insurance policies also come with deductibles, which require you to pay a certain amount out-of-pocket before the policy's coverage kicks in. Deductibles are usually low for domestic travel insurance policies (if they are required at all), but it's still worth checking into.
Final Thoughts: Do You Need Travel Insurance Within Canada?
While travel within Canada may feel familiar and low-risk, unexpected situations can still arise. Travel insurance provides peace of mind and financial protection against trip disruptions, medical emergencies, and baggage mishaps. Since many domestic travel insurance policies are highly affordable, this peace of mind and protection is often well worth the cost.
At GMS, we offer comprehensive and affordable domestic travel insurance policies that are ideal for a wide range of Canadian travellers. Before you embark on your next trip, be sure to speak with one of our travel insurance experts to see if a domestic travel insurance policy is the right choice for you.
