Snow Day Got You Thinking of Taking a Trip Down South?

Snow Day!  While this phrase may delight the children in your family, all of this snow, shoveling  and frigid temperatures may have you thinking about heading south to enjoy some sand and surf.  Whether you are a senior looking to spend a good majority of our winter down south or a family escaping for the March Break, making sure you have sufficient travel medical insurance is a critical part of the pre-trip planning.  

What is Travel Insurance?

In general, emergency travel medical insurance is designed to cover the unexpected and often costly expenses related to receiving medical care in a foreign country.  Although OHIP may pay for some limited out-of-country expenses (provided certain conditions are met), this amount will usually be nowhere near the actual cost of the services you will have incurred.  Visit the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care website for more information about how much and when, OHIP will cover out-of-country medical expenses.  

Travel Insurance Claims Denied

Having travel insurance doesn’t always automatically mean all of your out-of country medical expenses will be covered.  You don’t have to look far to hear about a vacationer being left with a hospital bill despite the fact that they purchased travel insurance.  For example, last year, CBC Marketplace reported about a couple who initially owed over $300,000 in relation to medical expenses incurred in the U.S. when the husband suffered a heart attack in the United States.  According to the report, the claims was allegedly denied because of mistakes made on the medical questionnaire – questions about medical issues totally unrelated to the heart attack.  Read the entire report by clicking here.

Tips to consider when buying Travel Insurance

Needless to say, it is extremely important to know what type of travel insurance you have purchased and what it will cover.  Ontario’s Injury Lawyer’s offer the following tips:

• Since each policy of insurance is unique, you should review all of the available options with a broker or insurance representative knowledgeable in the area of travel insurance.
• Read and understand all of the various restrictions and exclusions in travel medical policy you are considering, before you purchase the policy.
• Fill out any medical questionnaire, honestly and carefully.  If you don’t understand what is being asked, speak to your broker or insurance representative about what the question is asking, especially in relation to pre-existing medical conditions.  In fact, in some cases, it may be helpful to visit with your treating physicians to make sure you are filling out the form correctly.

Contact Us

If your insurance company is refusing to pay your travel insurance claim, Ferguson Barristers may be able to help.  Call us at 800-563-6348 or fill out our online form for a free initial consultation with one of our lawyers.