Travel insurance is a necessity when it comes to traveling internationally though everyone who buys it wishes that they never have to use it. Nevertheless, buy we must and that too the best one. If you are looking to travel to Canada, to Ontario in particular, here are 10 great tips for you to buy the best travel insurance in Ontario.
It’s that simple.But before that, some general rules of thumb that I follow personally:
If you cannot afford to buy travel insurance, you can’t afford to spend on travel either.You insure everything in your home country—home, car, health. Then how can you be without an insurance when you travel abroad?
I would spend some extra dollars on a better travel insurance than have a cheaper one with inadequate cover and have both my life and bank balance at risk later.
So, here we go with the tips.
Tips for Buying the Best Travel Insurance in Ontario
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Know what your travel insurance does
It should cover not only your medical expenses in the case of emergencies, and accident and illness but also losses like trip cancellation, loss or damage of personal belongings by an airline, and in fact any untowardly loss incurred during travelling.
You will need to select a plan that suits your requirements. Pay attention to the premium of the plan, the inclusions and exclusions, medical expense cover amount options, the deductible, etc. Travel insurance is not a medical insurance like the one you have in your native country. It does provide for some medical expenses though.
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List out all that you want covered
Before you arrive at buying a travel insurance in Ontario, make sure you list out all the things (and individuals) you need to insure.
The inclusions and cover will change according to:
- The country you are traveling to
- The mode of travel (flight, train, rental car, etc.)
- Activities that you are likely to do there (sports, adventure sports, etc.)
- Duration of the trip
- Value of personal belonging you are carrying with you
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Check the details of the policy
Check the following:
- The cover amount
- Will your claims for medical expenses will only be reimbursed in Ontario or the rest of Canada or can you also claim it in your home county?
- What documents do you need to file a claim?
- Is there a time frame within which you need to produce any such documents?
- Is there a minimum required cover? Can you upgrade or downgrade as per your requirements and budget?
- How much will you need to pay if you need to add cover for the things you buy abroad?
- If mishaps happen while you were under the influence of alcohol or drugs, will you be eligible for a claim?
- What are the exclusions of the policy?
- Have you declared a pre-existing medical condition if any? (Hiding it will only results in exclusion of the condition from the coverage anyway.)
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Decide the type of policy according to the frequency of your trip(s)
If you are planning to take only a single trip to Canada, it makes sense to buy a policy that lasts as long as your trip. That’s called a single trip policy. However, if going by trends you do know that you might just head for another trip during the year, it’s better to buy an annual plan.
However, travellers over 65 need to buy a costlier annual policy. So make you calculations.
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There are ways to reduce the premium
- If your policy in the home country covers certain belongings while out of your home, you can leave them out of your travel insurance plan.
- Buying online is a good option. You can compare between various providers and choose the one that fits the bill.
- Group policies cost less than individual policies. Great if you are travelling in a group.\
- If you already have another policy in your name from the same provider, you might just get a customer loyalty discount. So, do check with them.
- Some policies offer kids’ insurance free with family insurance. So, ask for that too.
- Some credit cards do offer complementary travel insurance. Call the customer care, read the fine print and see if yours does.
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Renting motor vehicles
Before renting any sort of motor vehicles, including cars, motor bikes, even yachts, ask your provider if your policy covers it. Certain riders like driving licence, safety gear, etc., can nullify your cover, so be cautious. Renting is not a cheap affair.
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Always traveling? Be covered annually
Even if you are travelling to Ontario all the time, you cannot buy a travel insurance in Ontario that lasts more than a year. Get it renewed every year before the current one gets out of date. That way you also have the freedom to change the provider if you want to.
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Be wise in expensive gear cover value
Smartphone, smartwatch, laptop, DSLR cameras, GoPro—these are some valuable movables/wearables that one usually carries on their trips.well you may have a high cover, but do remember that most insurance policies offer a per-item cover limit. See if it is enough to cover each item. Else go for one that allows to higher values.
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Pay attention to the cancellation policy
Well, it’s life and plans do, at times, get cancelled because if unforeseeable events. So, I will tell you very closely read and discuss with your agent if the cancellation of flights or boarding will be covered. Most policies do not. So, check.
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Don’t ignore the government warnings
The world is a colorful place and when it comes to international travel, many governments may warn their residents against travelling to certain other countries. Many insurers won’t provide cover in case your govt has issued such a warning against travelling to the country you are destined for. In that case the insurer may tell you that you ventured against the risk that you had seen coming.
Do use it as a checklist of sorts, if you will before you head to buy travel insurance in Ontario.