Frequently asked questions Coverage

Frequently asked questions Coverage

Coverage provided by your credit card may be limited or subject to specific terms and conditions. It’s important to review your policy carefully to understand what is and isn’t covered. Purchasing additional travel insurance is often recommended to make sure you have more comprehensive coverage. 

Things to check about your credit card coverage:  

Trip Duration 
Travel insurance must be purchased before you leave your province of residence. Be sure to check the maximum trip duration covered by your credit card, as well as any age-related restrictions that may apply. 

Emergency Medical Care 
Credit card coverage often includes strict eligibility and medical stability requirements based on your current health. It’s important to review all exclusions before you travel. There’s nothing more stressful than finding out a condition isn’t covered when you need emergency care. Also, check the coverage limits and whether a deductible applies. 

Trip Cancellation or Interruption 
If you’ve prepaid travel expenses, make sure the amount covered for Trip Cancellation or Interruption is sufficient to protect you from financial loss. Most credit card travel insurance offers little or no coverage for cancellation or interruption, and when it does, the maximum amounts are often limited. Blue Cross provides coverage designed to protect you in the event of unforeseen circumstances. 

Blue Cross travel insurance offers several deductible options that can help lower your premium, but choosing a deductible is optional. If you select one, you’ll be responsible for medical expenses up to the deductible amount you chose.

In some cases, yes. Thanks to our global network of partners, Blue Cross can pay covered medical costs directly to certain hospitals or medical clinics. When this is possible, you won’t need to pay anything out of pocket. 

At other healthcare facilities, you may be asked to pay for the care you receive and then submit a claim for reimbursement. 

In the event of a travel emergency, contact Blue Cross Travel Assistance immediately. Our agents can help direct you to a safe, reputable, and accessible healthcare facility and guide you through payment arrangements and the claims process. 

To be eligible for Trip Cancellation and Interruption coverage, the event in question must be fortuitous and unforeseen, out of your control, and serious enough to require you to cancel, interrupt, extend, or modify your trip.

Yes, but only under certain conditions. A pre-existing medical condition is a health condition (such as an illness or injury) that existed before your departure or before your insurance took effect. 

To be eligible for coverage, the condition must have been stable for a specific period. The required stability period depends on your age and the type of coverage: 

Emergency Medical Care  

  • Ages 0–54: Stable for 3 months before departure 

  • Ages 55 and over: Stable for 6 months before departure 

 

Trip Cancellation or Interruption  

  • Stable for 3 months before you bought the insurance or made your first trip payment (whichever came later). 

 

Additional details will be provided during the online purchase or quote process to help you better understand the stability requirements. 

Please refer to this article and your insurance policy for full details. 

Our Baggage coverage insures you for up to $500 if your baggage is delayed for more than 12 hours during your trip.

This is true, but only in part. While provincial health insurance plans provide coverage across Canada, they have important limitations. 

Provincial plans: 

  • Do not offer the same level of coverage to travellers as they do to residents of the province where care is received (even if you’re Canadian, you’re considered a non-resident outside your province of residence) 

  • Vary from province to province in terms of covered services and reimbursement rates 

As a result, you may be responsible for certain expenses when travelling to another province, such as: 

  • The return of your vehicle 

  • Air ambulance services 

  • Travel or accommodation costs for a loved one during hospitalization 

Because medical costs differ from one province to another, the amount reimbursed by your provincial plan in one province may not be sufficient in another. While some provinces have billing agreements with each other, not all provinces participate in these agreements. 

Travel insurance helps fill these gaps and protects you from unexpected out-of-pocket expenses while travelling within Canada. 

Our Baggage coverage insures you up to $1,500 if your baggage is lost, stolen, or damaged during your trip. Note that this coverage includes limitations and exclusions as stated in our travel insurance policy.

This coverage provides a lump-sum payment in the event of death or loss of use of one or more limbs as a result of an accident during your trip.

Yes—provided you purchased your trip and obtained Trip Cancellation and Interruption coverage before the situation became publicly known.

The situation is considered publicly known from the moment it is announced in the media. Therefore, Trip Cancellation and Interruption coverage will not apply if a new travel insurance contract is purchased, or if a trip is paid for on or after the date of the media announcement.

Whenever possible, we recommend contacting Blue Cross Travel Assistance before receiving medical treatment. Our team can help guide you to an appropriate clinic or hospital and support you throughout the process. 

If you’re unable to contact us beforehand, please reach out as soon as you can afterward. Getting in touch with us early helps ensure your claim is processed smoothly. Our Travel Assistance team is available 24/7 to help you access the care you need.

Travel insurance must be purchased before you leave your province of residence and should cover the entire duration of your trip.

No. Prepaid travel expenses must not be recoverable in any way to be eligible for reimbursement.

Yes. Our Emergency Medical Care coverage includes the cost of returning or arranging for the disposition of remains if death occurs during the trip, up to a maximum of $10,000. 

Depending on your preference, coverage may include reimbursement for: 

  • Preparation and return of the remains to your province of residence, or 

  • Cremation or burial at the place of death 

Please refer to the insurance policy for full details and conditions. 

Emergency Medical Care Coverage
The travel advisories of the Government of Canada do not affect insurance eligibility. However, we recommend that you follow government and health authority recommendations.

Trip Cancellation and Interruption Coverage
Trip Cancellation and Interruption coverage is subject to certain limitations or exclusions when government warnings are issued.

If you have any questions about your coverage, please contact us at 1-888-822-5383.

Emergency Medical Care coverage applies to expenses resulting from a sudden accident or illness that occurs during your trip and requires immediate medical attention. 

Covered medical emergencies may be minor, such as gastroenteritis, food poisoning, heat stroke, a urinary tract infection, or a sprain or strain, or more serious, such as a fracture, traffic accident, or severe allergic reaction. 

In the event of a medical emergency during your trip, coverage is provided for up to $5,000,000 for eligible expenses, including: 

  • Hospitalization 

  • Medical and paramedical services 

  • Transportation expenses 

  • Subsistence allowance 

  • Medical follow-up in Canada after repatriation 

Please refer to the insurance policy for full details, including terms and conditions. 

Yes, you can reach us toll-free or by calling collect during your trip using the following numbers:

A pre-existing medical condition is a medical condition, illness, or injury that already exists before you travel and before your Blue Cross travel insurance coverage takes effect. For a pre-existing medical condition to be covered by travel insurance, it must be stable for a period defined in the contract. For more information, please contact one of our agents or read our blog article on the topic.

Yes, our travel insurance provides worldwide coverage. 

However, certain limitations and exclusions may apply, particularly for destinations subject to a Government of Canada travel advisory recommending to "avoid non-essential travel" or "avoid all travel." 

For more information, please consult the Government of Canada Travel Advisories and your insurance policy.