Do snowbirds need travel Insurance while traveling within Canada?

Whether you are planning a trip within Canada this winter or planning a trip abroad in the future, here’s what you need to know regarding your personnel travel insurance and what does your provincial health plan covers. With this COVID-19 pandemic showing little signs of slowing down and several restrictions easing off, Several snowbirds are set to travel in Canada this winter. The question several of those people are asking is:

“Will my Provincial insurance plan cover emergency medical treatment while I’m in another province or do I need to buy personnel travel insurance for my travel to a different province?”

While most Canadians know that it’s essential to have private travel insurance coverage while traveling outside Canada to avoid any medical emergency which can be financially devastating, But most Canadians are not sure about whether they need travel insurance while traveling within Canada. here’s what you need to know.

Most Canadian provinces – except for Quebec – have reciprocal Interprovincial insurance Agreements. Under these agreements, if you require emergency medical treatment while traveling in another province, the host province will cover the cost of any medically necessary health care services you receive and subsequently bill your home province for reimbursement. However, there are some gaps and limits as to what’s covered under these agreements which could you leave you on the hook personally for out-of-pocket expenses.

This generally means that your provincial/territorial health card will be accepted, in lieu of payment, when you receive hospital or physician services in another province. These agreements ensure that Canadian residents, for the most part, will not face point-of-service charges for medically required hospital and physician services when they travel in Canada because the province or territory providing the service directly bills your home province/territory.

Sometimes there is a requirement for patients to pay “upfront” and seek reimbursement from their home provincial or territorial health insurance plan. In addition, the provision of “additional benefits” (e.g. prescription drugs, ground and air ambulance services) that provinces and territories may include under their respective health insurance plans are generally not portable outside one’s home province/territory. Most private health insurance plans provide coverage for ambulance services, prescription drugs and other additional benefits provided outside the home province/territory.