Back to school season is on the horizon, and if you’re taking the plunge to study abroad or you’re a visitor studying in Canada, there’s no better time to buy student travel medical insurance. Yes, it’s true that many people think unexpected medical emergencies won’t happen to them while they’re away, but the truth is, anything can happen – even to students!
If you’re a student on a budget wondering whether the cost of travel insurance is worth factoring into your trip, check out the five reasons why you need travel insurance, along with these real-life claim stories from students studying both abroad and in Canada:
Canadian studying in San Francisco, CA
In September 2017, 28-year-old Meghan had just started grad school in San Francisco. She was excited to continue her studies in art history, a subject she was very passionate about. About 2 weeks after she’d moved there, Meghan started feeling pain in her pelvis. After 12 hours, it became unbearable.
In the past, Meghan had suffered from endometriosis, but these symptoms were different. This time, she was extremely nauseated before she vomited and passed out.
Meghan’s husband took her to the ER, where she was diagnosed with an ovarian cyst. Due to the risk of ovarian torsion, she was taken to the operating room, where the cyst was removed.
After 2 days of recovery, Meghan was sent home; soon after, she went back to school. Because she’d bought travel insurance to cover her while away, she saved over $64,000 and was able to finish grad school.
[table id=42 /]
Her provincial health plan covered only $453.90, so TuGo paid $64,469.27.
Although Canadian residents are covered under a provincial health plan, visitors to Canada aren’t, which means they’re financially responsible for any medical emergencies or accidents that might happen.
Visitor studying in Vancouver, BC
18-year-old Lin came to Vancouver as an international student from China to study English. One winter weekend, she headed up the mountain to go sledding with some classmates, excited to try it out for the first time.
On her 3rd run, Lin’s sled veered off the hill and ran into a tree. She was in excruciating pain and couldn’t stand on her own, so her friends stopped a ski attendant who immediately called an ambulance.
Lin was taken to the hospital, where she had surgery and was kept for 8 days. She’d originally planned to head back to China with a friend a few days after sledding, but was unable to travel due to her condition. She had to delay her trip until she was fit to travel.
Lin’s family knew that as an international student in Canada, she wouldn’t be covered for accidents or medical emergencies. Because they’d bought travel insurance before her trip, Lin was covered for over $30,000.
[table id=43 /]
If these examples aren’t enough to make you think twice about travel insurance coverage, remember that accidents can happen anywhere, anytime. So, before you hop on that flight to your next home away from home, take a moment to invest in yourself, and purchase the right travel insurance for your trip. Need some help navigating your travel insurance options? Here’s a quick guide to buy a plan that’s right for you!
Happy studying,
Linnea
