Travel Insurance for Kids

Author: Melissa A.

Published: January 19th, 2024 | Updated: January 19th, 2024
Read time: 6 mins

If you are a jet-setting family, you should consider travel insurance coverage for your young travellers. Just like children, unexpected events are unpredictable. For a small expense, travel insurance for children will provide the security of knowing that you are financially prepared for whatever unforeseen circumstances your children could experience before or during a trip.

Do I need travel insurance for my kids?

Yes. Every travelling family member should have travel insurance coverage when travelling out-of-province, territory or abroad, including babies and young children, with at least emergency medical and emergency evacuation benefits. Unexpected events could happen to children before or during travel just as easily as they can happen to adults; therefore, travel insurance for kids can provide reimbursement for prepaid, nonrefundable travel expenses if their policy covers the unexpected event.

When choosing a plan, ensure it has the highest level of emergency medical and emergency evacuation coverage available and that you can financially afford it. If your children have pre-existing medical conditions, it’s vital that you select an emergency medical plan for them that is inclusive of the pre-existing conditions benefit.

What does travel insurance for children cover?

Kids’ travel insurance compensates for several aspects of travel, typically trip cancellations, interruptions and delays, medical emergencies and evacuations, prescription medications, baggage loss and delay and many more benefits, for example, the pre-existing conditions add-on benefit. Travel insurance also covers children for a single trip or multiple trips within a specific timeframe. For instance, if your child travels more than twice a year, annual travel insurance will cover multiple trips in 12 months.

Does travel insurance cover children with medical conditions?

The Travel Health Insurance Association of Canada defines a pre-existing medical condition as a health condition known to you before travelling. This may include a diagnosis or symptoms your child has experienced before their trip. Travel medical insurance for children doesn’t always cover pre-existing conditions. The benefit for pre-existing conditions must be included in a policy, and your child must meet the policy’s “stability” requirements. Review a policy in detail to verify and understand coverage. You must add the pre-existing conditions benefit to your child’s policy if the benefit is not included.

Does travel insurance cover sick kids?

If your child unexpectedly contracts an illness or has an accident that requires medical treatment while on a domestic or international trip and neither is related to a pre-existing condition(s), travel health insurance for kids can reimburse you for medical and non-medical expenses up to a limit indicated in your child’s policy. When choosing a plan, ensure it has the highest level of emergency medical and emergency evacuation coverage available and that you can financially afford it.

The trip interruption benefit found in trip cancellation coverage can also cover your child for illness or injury when their trip is unexpectedly cut short due to a covered reason indicated in their policy, and they must return home. In that case, it can reimburse you for the prepaid, nonrefundable, and non-transferable unused portion of the trip (flights, accommodations, event tickets, excursion expenses, return transportation, etc.).

If your child gets sick or injured unexpectedly before their trip and a doctor advises against travel, trip cancellation coverage can reimburse you for the prepaid, nonrefundable, and non-transferable trip expenses when you must cancel the trip. When filing a claim, you must submit proper accompanying documentation, such as physician’s statements, hospital records, etc.

As parents looking to purchase travel insurance for children, be aware that emergency medical plans do not include trip cancellation or interruption coverage benefits. It would be best to consider a comprehensive plan, such as an all-inclusive plan. If COVID-19 is a travel concern, it’s vital to research plans carefully and select one with COVID-19 coverage.

Can I buy travel insurance for children only?

Yes, you can purchase travel insurance for children only, whether the policy also covers an adult or legal guardian. Children travelling alone will need a travel insurance policy regardless of age. Children under 18 who travel solo without their parent or legal guardian will require a travel insurance policy because they are unaccompanied minors. Children can be covered by single-trip or multi-trip (annual) travel insurance if they take more than two yearly trips. However, most providers won’t allow babies to have their own policy; therefore, babies must be covered by a policy with an adult or legal guardian. A suitable coverage option to consider is family travel insurance.

Can I buy travel insurance for children on a school trip?

The organization or company arranging a school trip for your child that’s out-of-province, territory, or country will arrange group travel insurance coverage and will present travel insurance options to you. Whether you wish to take advantage of the coverage is entirely your choice. However, if you opt-in for coverage for your child, it’s wise to find out and understand what the provided coverage includes.

How much is travel insurance for kids?

Travel insurance premiums for children are typically lower than premiums for adults, whether they have their own travel insurance policy or are on a policy with a parent or legal guardian, and that’s because children tend not to have as frequent medical emergencies when compared to adults. Often, providers will allow you to add a child under 18 for free to your policy if your child will be travelling with you. However, if you are travelling with several of your children, you may be required to pay for additional travel insurance coverage for each. A family travel insurance plan is a cheap product option offering value for money, especially if you have a larger family because all travelling family members are insured under one policy. A good rule of thumb is that travel insurance should cost approximately 4%-10% of your total trip cost. To determine what children’s travel insurance will cost you, get a personalized quote and compare plans online with us.

What is the best travel insurance for children?

The best travel insurance for children should contain coverage benefits such as emergency medical, emergency evacuation and repatriation, trip cancellation, interruption and delay if air travelling, baggage loss and delay, and 24-hour emergency assistance. If your child has pre-existing conditions or will be participating in adventure activities, such as skiing, snowboarding, ziplining, rafting, etc., their policy should include those add-on benefits.

The type of travel insurance coverage you get for your child will depend on how your child travels and their unique travel needs. A travel insurance policy for unaccompanied minors may be sufficient if your child travels alone. If your child travels with you and other immediate family members, family travel insurance can be a good option. If you have only one child travelling with you, a couple’s travel insurance policy may be a better option. If you plan to take more than two family trips annually, you may benefit from an annual travel insurance plan. If non-family members are taking your child on vacation with them, group travel insurance may be what your child requires.

When selecting travel insurance for your children, it’s crucial to understand your child’s needs and how a plan will cover them. When investigating coverages, ensure you carefully read all the details of a plan so that you can choose your child’s plan accordingly. Also, pay close attention to a plan’s terms, conditions, limitations, and exclusions.