Don't leave home without it
You probably think you don't need it. After all, there's your provincial health insurance to cover you if you get sick. And if you've got one of those fancy-pants premium credit cards in your wallet, you have extra coverage. Plus, you have a health plan at work, so you know you're insured to the eye teeth, right? Maybe not.
Your provincial plan doesn't measure up to American medical costs. Coverage abroad can differ depending on where you live—for example, $75 Cdn a day in hospital for British Columbians and $400 for Ontarians. The average cost for emergency in-patient hospital care in the U.S., however, is more than $1,000 US a day and as high as $10,000 for intensive care.
Most travel health policies will not cover any pregnancy or childbirth complications if they occurred while you were travelling in your last trimester. Some won't cover any condition for which you received treatment within the six months prior to your trip—think ulcer, back problems. Shop around since you'll find big differences in price and in the quality of coverage.
Travel insurance can be expensive, but not buying appropriate coverage could cost a lot more. Be a smart traveller and enjoy a worry-free holiday.
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