COVID-19 and Your Travel Medical Insurance

Last March, when everything was closing or closed, including our borders, we wrote to you about travel insurance in the pandemic. A lot has changed since then: children are back in school, weddings are full of guests, and people can travel again! (There were, of course, broad social impacts of the pandemic – Fortune did a one-year recap of how life changed from March 2020 – March 2021, find it here.)

In Canada, most travel medical insurance providers offer coverage for COVID-19. Some companies automatically include coverage for it, and with others you have to add it on and pay an additional premium for it.

Here are some things to know about your travel medical insurance policy and COVID-19, if you purchase a policy through Megson FitzPatrick:

• It’s crucial that you follow your provincial health authority’s protocols. If you don’t, your coverage for COVID-19 may be jeopardized.
  • Following health authority protocols include getting vaccinated as soon as it’s recommended and available to you.
• Since the Canadian Government still recommends avoiding all cruise ship travel, your travel medical policy will not cover any COVID-related expenses if you are on a cruise.
• Vaccinated people are automatically covered for COVID-19 while traveling. You do not have to pay extra for this coverage.
  • If you are too young to get the vaccine at the time of your departure, you will also be automatically covered for COVID-19 while traveling.
• If you are old enough to get the vaccine, and choose not to, you can purchase a COVID-19 coverage add-on to be covered for COVID-related expenses (including quarantine costs) while travelling.
  • If you get your first dose of the vaccine less than 14 days prior to leaving on your trip, you will also need to purchase this separate COVID-19 coverage.
  • The COVID-19 insurance for unvaccinated travelers add-on must be purchased prior to departure.
• The COVID-19 add-on for unvaccinated travelers includes fourteen days’ coverage for quarantine-related expenses, if you or your traveling companion are ordered to quarantine or isolate during your trip after a COVID-19 diagnosis (or after contact with a confirmed COVID-19 case).
  • Vaccinated travelers who want quarantine coverage should purchase the COVID-19 for unvaccinated travelers add-on.
• If you choose to get a vaccine while you are travelling, the cost of the vaccine will not be covered by your travel medical policy.
  • However, if you have an adverse reaction to the vaccine while you are travelling, you will be covered.
• If you were diagnosed with COVID-19 thirty or fewer days before departing on a trip, or showed symptoms of COVID-19 fourteen days or before departing for a trip, you will not be able to purchase travel medical insurance or the COVID-19 add-on for unvaccinated travelers.
• Mandatory COVID-19 tests while travelling are not covered by your travel medical insurance, as they are not medical emergencies.

Every travel insurance company is a little different, so you should check with your broker to know exactly when and how you are covered for COVID-19 while traveling.

To get a quick and easy quote for travel medical insurance today, click here.