Trip cancellation coverage applies before you leave. If something unexpected happens that prevents you from taking the trip at all, it reimburses the non-refundable costs you've already paid.
Trip interruption coverage applies after departure. If your trip is cut short by an emergency, whether it's a medical issue, a family situation back home, or another covered event, it covers the costs of getting home early and the unused portion of the trip you had to leave behind.
Both are worth having, especially for trips that involve significant upfront costs like all-inclusive packages, cruises, or international flights.
Adventure Sports and High-Risk Activities
Standard travel insurance policies typically exclude injuries that occur during high-risk activities. If you're travelling to ski, snowboard, scuba dive, surf, or take part in any other adventure sport, a standard policy may not cover a related injury or medical evacuation.
If your trip involves any of these activities, let your InsureLine broker know upfront. Coverage for adventure sports is available, but it needs to be specifically included in your policy — it won't be there by default.
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If you travel more than once or twice a year, a multi-trip annual plan is worth looking into. Rather than purchasing a new policy for every trip, an annual plan covers an unlimited number of trips within a 12-month period, each up to a set maximum length.
For frequent travellers, the cost savings can be significant, and the convenience of not having to arrange coverage before every trip is hard to argue with. An InsureLine broker can help you compare single-trip and annual options to figure out which structure makes more sense for how you travel.
Some policies exclude pre-existing conditions entirely. Others cover them if they've been stable for a defined period before the trip, typically 90 to 180 days depending on the policy. Some specialized plans offer broader coverage for travellers with ongoing health concerns.
The details vary considerably between policies, which is exactly why working with a broker makes a difference. An InsureLine broker can help you find coverage that actually accounts for your health situation rather than leaving you with a gap you won't discover until you need to make a claim.
A medical emergency abroad is a different story entirely.
Provincial health plans provide very limited coverage outside Canada, and in some cases none at all. If you're hospitalized in the United States, airlifted from a remote destination, or need emergency surgery while travelling, the bills can reach hundreds of thousands of dollars, none of which your provincial plan is likely to cover in full.
Emergency medical coverage is the foundation of any solid travel insurance policy, and the most important reason to have one before you leave.
Many Canadians assume the travel insurance included with their credit card is enough. In most cases it isn't, and the gaps can be significant.
Credit card travel coverage typically comes with strict eligibility requirements, low maximum payout limits, short coverage windows, and age restrictions that can disqualify older travellers entirely. It also often excludes pre-existing conditions and requires that the trip was fully charged to the card to qualify.
It's worth reading the fine print on your card's coverage before your next trip. If there are gaps, which there usually are, a dedicated travel policy fills them.
Travel insurance isn't a single product — it's a range of coverage types that can be combined based on how you travel and what risks matter most to you.
Emergency medical: Covers the cost of hospital stays, surgery, emergency dental, ambulance services, and other medical expenses if you get sick or injured while travelling. This is the most critical component for Canadians travelling outside their province or outside Canada.
Medical evacuation and repatriation: Covers the cost of transporting you to the nearest appropriate medical facility, or back to Canada if your condition requires it. Even if your emergency medical coverage kicks in, evacuation costs are often billed separately and can be significant on their own.
Trip cancellation: Reimburses non-refundable trip costs if you need to cancel before departure for a covered reason, such as sudden illness, a death in the family, or unforeseen circumstances.
Trip interruption: Similar to cancellation coverage, but applies after you've already departed. If something happens mid-trip that forces you to cut your vacation short or return home early, this covers the unused portion of your trip and any additional travel costs involved.
Lost, stolen, or delayed baggage: Covers the cost of replacing luggage and personal belongings that go missing during your trip, or reimburses you for essential items if your bags are significantly delayed.
Travel delay: If your flight is delayed for a covered reason, this covers expenses like meals, accommodation, and transportation while you wait.
24/7 emergency assistance: Most travel policies include access to a dedicated assistance line that can help you locate medical care, replace lost travel documents, and coordinate emergency services from anywhere in the world.
Come for the savings, stay for the questionable insurance jokes
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