Do I need travel insurance within Canada?
Many Canadian citizens and residents assume that their Government Health Insurance Plan (GHIP) will cover medical expenses should an unexpected medical emergency occur while travelling outside their home province or territory. This is only partly true. Your GHIP will cover only some emergency medical expenses, not all; therefore, it’s strongly recommended that you protect yourself with travel health insurance, commonly known as emergency medical insurance, when travelling domestically.
Travel insurance with emergency medical coverage is also recommended for visitors to Canada. Foreign nationals visiting Canada, whether you are touring the country, are a student, visiting family, or working here, are not eligible for enrollment in a Government Health Insurance Plan (GHIP). Suppose you experience a medical emergency while on your trip; you must pay for your medical expenses out-of-pocket. Emergency medical expenses can cost anywhere from tens of thousands to millions of dollars, but when you have emergency medical coverage, those expenses can be covered.
At InsureMyTrip, you can easily compare plans from various providers to find the best travel insurance with emergency medical coverage for Canadian regional travel, receive a quote and purchase directly online.
Do I need health insurance when travelling within Canada?
There are no requirements for Canadian citizens or residents to have health insurance when travelling in Canada, but having travel medical insurance, commonly known as emergency medical insurance, is essential.
As a Canadian citizen or resident, your Government Health Insurance Plan (GHIP) will typically extend outside your home province or territory while travelling elsewhere in Canada, as the Canada Health Act requires. Most provinces (except Quebec) have reciprocal Interprovincial Health Insurance Agreements in place, meaning that the province/territory where you get ill or injured will cover the cost of your emergency medical care and bill your home province for reimbursement. Provincial health care coverage differs by province, though, and you will be subject to limits and restrictions depending on the province/territory you are in when a medical emergency arises. This means that the province/territory you are visiting might only partially pay for your emergency medical care (cover the same amount as your home province), leaving you to pay the difference out-of-pocket. There are also some emergency medical costs that your GHIP won’t cover in your host province, for example, ground and air ambulance transportation, emergency dental work, prescription drugs, medical devices, repatriation, transportation for your travelling companion, and home return of your bags, vehicle, or pet. These emergency medical expenses must be paid out-of-pocket.
Whether you are travelling to Quebec or are a Quebec resident travelling to another province/territory, Quebec operates differently because it does not have a reciprocal Interprovincial Health Insurance Agreement. Therefore, if you require emergency medical treatment, your emergency medical expenses will typically be covered by your home province, subject to any limits or restrictions. However, you must pay your emergency medical expenses up-front and out-of-pocket and submit receipts to your home province for reimbursement.
Emergency medical insurance offers protection in those scenarios where your GHIP doesn’t apply. When you travel with emergency medical insurance, you have peace of mind knowing that you won’t get into a mountain of debt when you don’t have the funds to foot the bill if a medical emergency happens while you are travelling outside your home province.
Do I need extra health insurance to travel within Canada?
Extra health insurance, in addition to your Canadian Government Health Insurance Plan (GHIP), is optional for travel within Canada. However, travelling across Canada without extra health insurance, such as emergency medical travel insurance, is extremely risky. Although most provinces (except Quebec) have reciprocal Interprovincial Health Insurance Agreements in position allowing them to bill your home province for emergency medical expenses if you face an unexpected medical emergency while away from home, coverage differs by province, and there are limits and restrictions as to what your host province will and will not cover, and the amount it will cover. Emergency medical expenses can be costly, ranging from tens of thousands to millions of dollars, depending on the type of emergency medical care you receive. Therefore, emergency medical insurance will be beneficial when your GHIP does not cover your emergency medical expenses and you do not have the money to pay for them out-of-pocket and upfront. Emergency medical insurance can cover the costs for you.
