It’s so exciting to begin to plan travel again! But if you’re a mature traveller, 60 years old or older, finding the right travel medical insurance may not be as fun; the trick is understanding what you need and the options that are out there. To help you navigate it all, read on!
1. Ensure you have the best benefits and features available
You may be thinking, “I have a great credit card that covers me for my travels”. But have you read the fine print? Credit card travel insurance isn’t created equally, especially when you look at emergency and claims assistance, pre-existing medical conditions, benefit limits and more.
With TuGo, our Emergency Medical Insurance covers all ages. Our travel medical insurance provides coverage for hospitalization and treatment for medical emergencies, including COVID-19.
Other important benefits to ensure you’re covered are:
- Ambulance services
- Emergency dental services
- X-rays and other diagnostic lab tests
- Prescription drugs
- Vision care
- Hearing aids
- Return of your travel companion
- Air travel delay expenses, including MyFlyt™
- TuGo Telemedicine, when you’re visiting the US
2. Make sure you answer the Medical Questionnaire correctly
If you’re 60 years or older, you’ll likely need to complete a Medical Questionnaire (MQ) to buy travel insurance. With TuGo, our Medical Questionnaire has 5 simple, straightforward questions that will determine your premium, and not whether or not you’re eligible for coverage. For more details, read “TuGo’s Traveller Medical Questionnaire: FAQs for Senior Travellers”.
What happens if you don’t answer the Medical Questionnaire correctly?
If you make an unintentional mistake, TuGo will apply a $15,000 USD deductible to your claim, so you don’t get stuck with the entire medical bill. No question, the deductible is not cheap; but considering how expensive medical treatment can be outside of Canada, I’d still call it a bargain, especially if you have complicated health issues. You’ll need to correct your answers to the MQ, and, if applicable, pay additional premium. Not many insurance companies are this forgiving; some will void coverage if the MQ is not answered correctly. So regardless of which insurance provider you decide to go with, reading and understanding your policy is a must.
3. If you have a pre-existing medical condition, you may want to consult with your insurance broker before purchasing travel insurance to ensure coverage
Unstable pre-existing medical conditions impact claims and every insurance provider has their own definition of “pre-existing medical condition”; before buying, make sure to consult your insurance broker and/or travel insurance provider.
The required length of time a medical condition is considered stable also differs by provider; some even offer policies that do not have any stability requirements. Be aware that even something minor like a change to your prescription medication can affect the stability of your pre-existing medical condition, so check with your doctor if you’re unsure about anything.
4. Know how long you can be abroad
Most provincial health care plans will require you to be in your home province for 6 months of the year, and allow you to travel for up to 182 days. Some provinces like BC, Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, New Brunswick or Nova Scotia allow you to stay out of province for more than 6 months, in which case TuGo Emergency Medical Insurance can be purchased to provide coverage up to 212 days. It’s possible to extend your coverage if you’re already on vacation and decide to stay a bit longer, but you would need to contact your insurer for the details.
Regardless of which insurer you decide to go with, be sure to consult with your doctor if you have any health concerns, consult insurance experts and read your policy in detail to ensure you have the coverage that you need.
Safe travels,
Melissa
