Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/370921
YOU'RE COVERED F A L L 2 0 1 4 | G O I N G P L A C E S 49 Packing Safety There's no good excuse for passing on travel insurance By Carly Peters P assports? Check. Swimsuit? Check. Sun- screen? Check. Travel Insurance? Err . . . There are a lot of excuses not to pur- chase travel insurance – but the reality is you can't afford to ignore this important travel item. Whether it's a fun family adventure, a quick shopping trip across the border or an extended vacation, insurance can protect what's important to you – and save you money. Myth #1 – My Manitoba Health coverage is enough. Fact: Within Canada, Manitoba Health has a reciprocal agreement with other provincial health care providers (with the exception of Quebec), but not everything is included. While your hospital stay is covered, ambulance rides/ airlifts, specialty treatments (physiotherapy, chiropractic, etc.), and medication are not. Some insurance providers, such as CAA, offer an in-Canada plan that features lower rates and coverage for all pre-existing medical conditions. But if you're travelling to the U.S., consider this: it's estimated that one stitch could cost you as much as US$100, explains Aimee Sebastian, travel counsellor and insurance mentor with CAA Manitoba. Myth #2 – OK, but my credit card has coverage. Fact: at credit card might have some cover- age, but be sure to read the ne print, suggests Sebastian. How much coverage do you actually get? In some cases, it may be only 80 per cent. Does it cover only the primary cardholder, or does it also cover the secondary cardholder and your family? If it covers the secondary card- holder, how much coverage does it provide? To what level is your family protected, if at all? Also, your credit card coverage may not provide protection for pre-existing medical conditions. Some credit card insurance policies even state that the entire trip must be booked on the card in order for the cardholder to qualify for coverage. Myth #3 – But I'm only going for a short weekend trip across the border. Fac t: " Even i f you're ju st going to Grand Forks for the weekend, if you have a heart at t ac k you're not d r iv i ng across the border [back in to C a n ad a]," says Seba st i a n, adding border patrol would m or e t h a n l i k e l y c a l l a n ambulance and you'd be sent to the nearest U.S. medical f a c i l i t y a t y o u r e x p e n s e (revisit Myth #1). Many insurance providers offer "quick trip" insurance for as little as $6 a day for travellers who will be away for one to 15 days. Myth #4 – Multi-trip plans are expensive. Fact: The longer you're away, the larger the insurance price tag; but in most cases, a basic plan with $5 million in travel insurance coverage and no deductible is very a ordable. For exam- ple, CAA offers nine-day, 15-day and 30-day annual plans, all of which can be used multiple times a year. Sebastian says people looking to be away even longer than their annual plan covers can purchase top-up insurance so they are cov- ered for the entire course of their trip. Myth #5 – If my air travel is cancelled or delayed, the airline will reimburse me. Fact: ere's always a snowball e ect when a flight is delayed or cancelled – your luggage could move on without you, you may miss a tour you've booked or you may lose your hotel room. Many pre-paid travel arrangements are non-refundable. In such instances, insurance could help you recover funds that you paid out in advance. "Insurance can even provide something as simple as money to buy clothes if your lug- gage goes missing," says Sebastian. Myth #6 – I have a pre-existing condition so I don't qualify for coverage. Fact: Sebastian says even her 81-year-old cli- ent with several existing medical conditions was able to purchase a comprehensive insur- ance policy for his four-month trip to Hawaii. Most travel insurance plans will cover pre- existing conditions if they have been stable for a given amount of time. Myth #7 – I'm planning on doing some ex- treme sports, and I won't be covered for that. Fact: CAA travel insurance policies do cover extreme sports, with the exception of race car driving and other speed-related contests. Many other insurers and policies have strict exclusions on some sports and won't cover you at all for activities such as skydiving. When one considers the nancial and health consequences of buying into insurance myths without further investigation, it's clear that it makes sense to discuss your needs with an insurance expert prior to any trip outside Manitoba's borders. No myths about it. GP If you travel throughout the year, ask about multi-trip annual travel insurance plans with CAA. It can save you money, time and stress.