Hello everyone,
Just curious as to where you would recommend getting travel insurance from:).
Thanks in advance for your thoughts

world nomads better than any insurance based in Canada.

Also if you have booked your trip on your credit card. It might already include travel insurance.

BCAA

BCAA multi-trip

Watch the fine print. Almost none are first payer. Which means they will come after any existing insurance you have. Which could mean that you exceed any lifetime maximums. After lots of research it looks like one of the best ways is to go with the same company you have extended health with already. May not be the cheapest, but could be worth it in the long run

Actually true - I took out two policies. One with my extended health provider, and because my extended health provider doesn't offer an added pre-existing condition coverage, I actually supplement it further with BCAA and get pre-existing condition coverage.
I remember seeing a news story on CBC about this. If it wasn't for that, I would have never known about this issue

This would only be an issue if you already had travel insurance through your primary extended health, correct? My private extended health plan doesnt include travel insurance so I assume BCAA would then have to be first payer.

Akarin they're not. I asked.

Akarin this is still an issue.
I will try to break it down a bit:
- if you get into an accident that is covered by your travel medical, they will pay for it, but then approach your extended health provider for reimbursement (and often they will get it)
- your extended health has lifetime maximums. This does not matter when you are young, but if you are old and have expensive medications, you don't want to eat through your lifetime maximums
- if your travel medical provider was not the same as your extended health provider, and the travel medical provider has successfully received payment from your extended health provider, it will count towards your lifetime maximums
- this is why, you should call your extended health provider and ask if they sell travel medical (which they likely do). It may not be a benefit offered through your work, and you have to purchase it on your own, but you want to purchase it through them instead of elsewhere

Parveen thank you! Someone gets it! We all could essentially be buying a totally useless production if they're successful in subrogating the expenses. This includes any and all insurances you have. Your credit card insurance will do the same.

Heather can you explain details about the credit card insurance. I am not familiar with those and the more knowledge the better!

Parveen same as other travel insurance companies. If you make a claim they may, in fact, pay it. In all likelihood they will. But behind the scenes they sue your extended health, home insurance and whomever else to get their expenses back.

What would be the benefit then of getting the travel insurance thru the same extended health company? That would still count towards the lifetime max.

Akarin then they use it as a separate product and don't touch your lifetime maximums with your extended health policy

Thank you. Good to know!

Heather and Parveen thank you for the info. Had no clue

I use which ever credit union I’m near. Usually CoastCapital or envision financial.

We always use BCAA. Easy and affordable. We have friends who had to make a claim on theirs andvthey said BCAA was really great to work with and paid out. So we stick with them.

Even BCAA isn't first payer. They will subrogate anything and everything they can. Almost an industry standard now

Bcaa

I also would support checking with your existing health care carrier. They may offer an additional travel plan.

If you have extended health with a job you have travel insurance. Check your coverage

We have that but when I retired and we were down to one plan, we wanted extra, just in case. We are fortunate to be able to get a plan for Federal Gov’t retirees very cheap.

We use Allianz (formerly TIC) from Westland Insurance. Had to use it several times for my kids and it was very easy. No paying upfront and great price.

We used to buy BCAA (covered everything when we got stranded in San Francisco but wouldn’t cover anything pregnancy related when I was in Australia because it was a preexisting condition) but now our credit card covers us!

If you worked for big company check out Johnson Medoc
We have them year round and If we go away for more than 29 days we don’t pay more.
We’re pleased so far.

You must be a Fed Gov’t retiree as that is who we are with. Ours is 40 days and all we go is notify you them. No additional VGH.

Was a provincial employee for 35 yrs .. Still have pacific blue cross but Johnson medoc is extra we like for yearly

Been traveling for 24yrs and went to my health care provider Pacific Blue Cross, saved over two hundred dollars from last year, actually it was the best coverage and cheapest price I've ever paid....check it out, you won't be sorry!

If you’re a Costco member check out their manulife travel insurance. If you’re using your credit card insurance be sure to check the payout maximums. Enjoy your trip

Thanks everyone!! Brazil here I come:)

Brazil?!? Really? I'm Brazilian. We are going to Brazil in March!!!

I'm going for carnival:).

Jess Raye

Blue cross has good price on insurance

Costco is amazingly cheap