Travel Health Insurance

Out of Province Health Insurance

The Canada Health Act requires that the provinces and territories extend medically necessary physician and hospital coverage to Canadians traveling out of their home province. However, individual provinces have different agreements, which include some services for which patients must “pay up front” then seek reimbursement and other services for which coverage varies widely by province.

Out of province insurance covers you outside of your home province or territory should you hurt yourself unexpectedly or accidentally and need emergency treatment. You can obtain out of province health insurance coverage for expenses relating to personal injury, legal fees, trip cancellation, theft and other types of coverage depending on your plan. Out of province insurance does not typically cover non-emergency services such as check ups, cosmetic surgery, hip or knee replacements, organ transplants, continuing care, cardiac bypass surgery, pre-existing conditions, preventive services or suicide. Moreover, most insurance policies will not cover you for high-risk events such as sports, shark hunting, mountain climbing, skydiving and other dangerous activities.

Who Should Have Out of Province Health Insurance?
Since everyone is subject to an accident or illness, the quick answer would be that everyone should obtain out of province health insurance if possible when travelling outside of one’s home province. Leaving your home province without the proper insurance is risky because you are liable for the cost of any medical services that are not part of your current provincial insurance plan. Getting the proper out of province insurance will mean you will not have to worry while traveling outside of your home province because you will have supplemental insurance for medical emergencies. Not purchasing out of province insurance means that you will pay any and all sudden medical expenses that may occur. It might be worth spending a small amount on out of province insurance in order to potentially save a large amount in the long run.

Provincial health coverage.
All residents of Canada are entitled to medical care when necessary based on provincial health insurance. Coverage includes many important medical services such as family doctor treatment, hospital care, many types of surgery, health specialists, Ambulatory services, medical equipment, etc. Generally speaking, all of the provinces and territories of Canada have most of the same important terms and conditions in their insurance plans. However, the smaller services covered in the plans will vary from province to province. If you are taking a trip outside of your home province or leaving Canada altogether, you should definitely get all of the facts about your current health insurance plan and then acquire out of province (or travel) insurance to guarantee coverage no matter where you are.

For more information on the Canada Health Act, feel free to visit Health Canada.