Do I need travel insurance if I am travelling to another province in Canada or the United States?

At Alpine Insurance, our brokers get asked by a lot of people if they should purchase travel insurance when leaving Calgary or Alberta and travelling to another province in Canada. We tell our clients that ANYONE travelling outside of Alberta should consider buying travel insurance. Ambulance rides, emergency dental visit and prescription drugs are often not covered by your provincial medical plan.

Even leaving Alberta to shop for a couple of hours in Spokane for a few hours can leave you at risk for out-of-pocket expenses. In addition to health coverage, supplementary travel insurance can provide products that protect you against trip cancellation, trip interruption, baggage mishaps or accidental death and injury.

Another common question comes from individuals who already have benefit plans or credit cards that include travel coverage. Although many cards and plans have supplementary travel coverage, they also have limits on their medical protection. Common credit card coverage or “Carrier Travel Accident Insurance” often leads people to believe they are protected, but reading the fine print is important too. Coverage also depends on the type of card and a premium credit card will often have broader travel coverage than a regular card.

Another consideration to discuss with your broker is that some homeowner’s policies allow you to add comprehensive travel insurance directly to your policy.
Ultimately, if you are planning a trip, it is important to research your supplementary insurance policies and talk to a broker before you leave to ensure you have peace of mind on your vacation. Click here to read more about travel insurance or talk to one of our Alpine Brokers.