Ask Dave

This is a big one. More customers are booking travel insurance than ever before…many after having experienced exactly what a pain it was not to have it. Medical insurance is simply a MUST. 

Every agency has stories to share - here are a few of ours:

• We had a customer have a heart attack while traveling – the end result was not pretty, as he lost his home
• One of our hosted tours had two separate people have serious medical issues arise. Both had insurance but one had to fight for ages to get compensation, and initially, appropriate care. The other had purchased a good policy and was treated very well, and quickly, both on the financial and care fronts.
• I recently was traveling with a friend who tripped and fell – resulting in a nasty head injury. I was able to be with her and activate her claim from the hospital as we were in the emergency department - she received treatment and was released after approximately 6 hours – with no bill. The hospital had already received instructions that the claim would be paid with no charge to the policy holder.

Cancellation and Interruption Insurance:

Only you can decide whether or not you are prepared to lose the cost of your trip, and perhaps have to pay an unexpectedly large amount if you have to return home unexpectedly. Consider this carefully, and ask us for a quote! 

The bottom line is – you can never predict when you are going to need insurance, and the policy you buy makes a difference. We can help!  

Items to Consider in Insurance:

It’s always a hot topic, so here are some items to consider:

• If you think you have coverage – double-check.  Did the policy change when you hit a certain age?  
• What are you covered for?
• Do you have to pay upfront? (If so, make sure you arrange easy access to money in the case of an emergency)
• Is your insurance company available 24 hours a day, and do they provide the services of an interpreter if necessary?
• Did it used to cover you and a traveling companion…but now has changed? This is often a policy stipulation related to age, and can also be the result of changes to a policy.
• Does it have a sufficient limit? We recommend that you do not travel with less than3 million in medical coverage, and for cancellation insurance you must cover the whole non-refundable portion of your trip.
• Does your coverage include CFAR – a cancellation for any reason provision?
• Always check exclusions in your policy and ensure that you are comfortable with them.
• Always check for medical stability requirements

Ask us! No travel insurance is perfect for everyone, but the insurance that we sell (only available from travel agencies) is one of the very best in the business that Canadians can purchase.