What You Should Know About Travel Insurance Before You Travel This Year

• by TuGo

It’s no secret that preparing for air travel has changed dramatically since the start of the pandemic. With COVID-19 testing to and from your destination, and choosing the right travel insurance, it’s no wonder that many Canadians have questions about air travel.

To help, our TripMate® Travel Insurance* partner – TuGo® – has put together a list of top 5 questions they’ve received from Canadian travelers and how they’ve answered them.

• What is considered a subsequent vaccine dose? Does this include booster doses?

According to the Government of Canada, a subsequent vaccine dose means any vaccine dose that is recommended for you by your provincial/territorial health authority after you’ve received your first dose. This can be a second dose, a third dose, any other additional doses and/or a booster dose.

If you aren’t sure if or when a third/additional dose or booster dose is recommended for you, you should check your provincial/territorial health authority’s protocols or consult with your physician.

• Can I purchase Trip Cancellation & Trip Interruption coverage after I’ve already left on my trip?

Coverage for Trip Cancellation & Trip Interruption for an existing trip can’t be purchased after departure. Trip Interruption Only coverage is also not available for purchase after departure.

However, you can purchase a policy with Trip Cancellation & Trip Interruption Insurance after departure, but only for a new side-trip booked while you’re already away. Keep in mind, that in the event of a trip interruption claim where you need to return to your point of departure, it will be to the place you departed from when you began the side-trip.

• What coverage is available if I have to quarantine due to a positive COVID-19 test result, which prevents me from returning home as scheduled?

If you purchased a policy with Trip Interruption coverage before you left for your trip, you’ll have access to all the applicable trip interruption benefits, which includes coverage for the cost of a one-way economy airfare to your original point of departure, as well as out-of-pocket expenses up to $350/day to a maximum of $1,500 for commercial accommodation, meals, internet, telephone and taxi expenses.

• If I’ve previously been diagnosed with COVID-19, can I still have coverage for COVID-19? What requirements do I need to meet?

You’ll be covered for COVID-19 under our TravelMate Emergency Medical Insurance plan if you haven’t been diagnosed with COVID-19 on or within 30 days before departure and aren’t showing symptoms on or within 14 days before departure. Keep in mind that just like any other medical condition, coverage for COVID-19 is also subject to the pre-existing medical condition stability period requirements. Refer to your policy wording for details.

• Does a doctor need to be consulted before I cancel or interrupt my trip because of a COVID-19 diagnosis?

While TuGo normally requires a doctor to confirm the medical necessity for cancelling or interrupting a trip, in the case of a COVID-19 diagnosis, they will accept proof of a positive COVID-19 test in lieu of a medical certificate or letter from a doctor as follows:

• For trip cancellation: written confirmation from a doctor is not required when someone tests positive within 14 days before the scheduled departure date.

• For trip interruption: written confirmation from a doctor is not required for expenses incurred within 14 days from the date a positive COVID-19 test result is received.

The positive COVID-19 test result must include a name and date, as well as the laboratory or medical clinic name. A COVID-19 rapid test can’t be used to substantiate a claim because it doesn’t specify the date the result was received or who took it. Keep in mind that if you can’t book a public PCR test to support your claim, you may need to pay for a private test or get written confirmation from a doctor advising that you cannot travel.

To support a trip cancellation or interruption claim for COVID-19 that was diagnosed outside these 14-day periods, written confirmation from a doctor is needed to confirm the patient is still medically unfit to travel on the scheduled travel date.