Let’s face it — we are lucky to call Canada home. But Canadians can’t help but dream of warmer climates when the weather turns cold and the snow starts to fall. Each year, thousands of Snowbirds (winter travellers) travel south for a few months to escape yet another long, cold winter. While leaving behind your winter coat is definitely a plus, there’s something far more important that won’t be travelling with you: your Canadian health insurance! Fortunately, travel insurance protects you, your family, and the cost of your winter trip if the unexpected occurs.
Travel insurance is often recommended for Canadians who are 55 years or older who travel to warmer climates during the winter. Although provincial government health insurance plans (GHIPs) allow up to six months of travel outside of the province before lapsing, GHIPs cover only a small portion of any medical expenses incurred outside of your home province. With Tour+Med Travel Insurance, we start where GHIPs finish! This includes:
- expenses for emergency medical and hospitalization
- expenses for ambulance transportation
- paramedical services
- expenses to bring someone to your bedside when hospitalized
- 24/7 assistance
- and more
You may also want to consider adding non-medical travel insurance to help protect against unexpected costs arising from a cancelled trip, lost or stolen luggage or an early return home for unforeseen reasons.
Winter Travel Tips for You and Your Family
You need to consider many factors when you’re travelling out of the country for an extended period of time. The following tips will help ensure that your travel basics are covered, allowing you to enjoy the sun and warm weather stress-free.
- Pack your passport — but check the renewal date to ensure your passport won’t expire while you’re out of the country.
- Make photocopies of all your documents, including the contents of your wallet: health card, driver’s licence and so on. Leave one copy of the documents with a friend or relative and pack another copy separate from where you carry the originals.
- Notify your bank and credit card companies that you’ll be out of the country.
- Consider purchasing an international phone plan to save on costly roaming fees.
- Provide family with your out-of-country residence and contact information.
- If you decide to travel more than once a year, or if you enjoy the freedom of returning to Canada during your winter getaway, consider inquiring about our multi-trip annual plans to save time and money on your vacation.
Why Tour+Med?
Hudson’s Bay Financial Services is proud to introduce Tour+Med as a leading provider of travel insurance for Canadians. Tour+Med offers competitive premiums and compares favourably to other insurance plans for Canadian travellers, especially snowbirds. Tour+Med continues to be a trusted and celebrated insurance provider for all kinds of Canadian travellers, and we encourage those who prefer to travel to warmer climates during winter to trust Tour+Med with both their medical and nonmedical travel insurance needs. With over 25 years of experience, Tour+Med is the trusted choice for thousands of Canadian travelers.
To learn how Tour+Med is keeping our clients and associates safe during this time,
read about our Covid-19 Rider Here.
Click here for a personalized quote for your next trip’s travel insurance!
Tour+Med is a travel insurance product underwritten by LS-Travel, insurance company and offered by Hudson’s Bay Financial Services. Residents of Quebec: The product is sold through Vigilis Insurance & Financial Services. Tour+Med has provided medical and non-medical travel insurance to Canadian residents since 1996.
Insured clients must meet eligibility conditions, which vary based on age and protection. Exclusions and limitations could apply: see our policy for details.