|
Travel with peace of mind
In a world where anything can happen.....
Enter content here
Enter content here
Enter content here
| Travel Insurance Don't Leave Home Without It! James Daw 3 February 2004 The Toronto Star Huge numbers of Canadians still go to the United States without proper medical insurance. They are still taking a significant financial risk more than a decade after provinces capped their out-of-country medical coverage. A survey ordered by the insurance arm of the Royal Bank of Canada found that nearly two-thirds of recent travellers younger than 55 did not buy emergency health insurance. The survey done by Ipsos-Reid found that only 36 per cent of those ages 18 to 34 and 34 per cent of those 35 to 54 said they bought coverage before travelling south for leisure during the past three years. All of these travellers might not have needed individual coverage, and most were lucky enough to return home without incident. But those who were injured or fell ill could be paying for their lack of caution for years to come. Provincial health insurance plans set daily and other dollar limits for emergency care outside of the country. Ontario allows up to $400 a day for a stay in a foreign emergency ward. That would be nowhere near enough to pay for certain emergency procedures. The United States Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality reports that a major cardio-vascular procedure cost an average of $68,000 in Canadian funds last year, a routine appendectomy $33,000 and treatment of some badly broken legs more than $46,000, RBC Insurance noted in a news release. Canadian car insurance would cover the broken leg if it resulted from a vehicle collision in the United States, unlike in other parts of the world where coverage is excluded. But even individual travel coverage would leave you in the lurch if you broke your leg while hang gliding, scuba diving or taking part in a riot. Considering the relatively minor cost to insure people younger than 65 years of age for a short vacation trip, or to buy a policy that will cover multiple trips per year, travelling without emergency medical coverage is one of the more stupid financial choices one could make. "Most people think about getting travel insurance for vacations to Europe or the Caribbean, but not for a weekend or day trip to the U.S.," said David Redekop, principal research associate with the Conference Board of Canada. "Unfortunately, this oversight can be extremely costly for people who need emergency medical care while away." The Ipsos-Reid survey of 1,000 adults was conducted last August. Results are considered accurate within 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20. About 45 per cent of those who travelled to the United States in the previous three years said they rarely or never purchased travel insurance. Nearly a quarter thought mistakenly that the provincial health insurance covered them fully. That implies a huge number of Canadians take a significant risk each year. Canadians made about 12.5 million trips to the United States last year, according to the Conference Board. Many of us already have substantial coverage through extended health care plans offered by our employers. That would apply, for example, to employees, retirees and surviving spouses covered by General Motors of Canada Ltd. benefit plans. The better plans offer these benefits, but some others may not. Travellers with group plans still need to bring copies of their documentation, including the number of the assistance line that you must call in the event of a health emergency. It might also be smart to compare which items may only be covered by an individual plan, such as the cost of bringing a car home or having a loved one come to your bedside in hospital. Finally, some group health plans have lifetime dollar limits. Certificate holders of these plans might be wise to buy an individual plan, provided it does not require you to claim first against your group plan. There are many other considerations to keep in mind when selecting emergency health insurance, such as exclusions for existing health conditions and changes in medication. |