Travel knowing what is covered

Scuba diving is covered, as long as the diver holds the appropriate certification for the planned dive. High-risk dives are not covered.

If you are injured while diving in a dangerous area, or if you dive without the appropriate certification, medical expenses will not be reimbursed.

Any emergency resulting from downhill skiing is covered, as long as you are not skiing off-piste and are skiing safely.

If a dangerous or high-risk manoeuvre was being performed at the time of the accident, the claim could be denied.

If the hiking route has no dangerous sections and is not technically difficult, it could be covered.

However, rock climbing is excluded from travel insurance coverage, as is mountaineering at levels 4 and 5 of the Yosemite Decimal System.

Pregnancy and related medical expenses are covered for Canadian travellers if:

• at the time of departure, the pregnancy is considered normal (as opposed to at risk of complications), and;
• the medical care or expenses are incurred before the last 8 weeks prior to the expected delivery date.

Pregnancy and related medical expenses are not covered by the product for visitors to Canada.

It all depends on the illness, its severity and its stability. For some illnesses, travel insurance is not always available, while for others it is easy to get. Other illnesses must have been stable for at least 3 to 6 months, depending on the age of the insured person.

For certain specific illnesses, Blue Cross offers the option of coverage with a medical questionnaire (available to people aged 55 and over travelling for 32 days or more, and to people aged 76 and over), which must be completed by your attending physician.

The Blue Cross medical team can then assess your health and, if the questionnaire is approved, you can travel with complete peace of mind since your chronic illness will be covered by your insurance.

That is true, but only in part.

Medical expenses are covered everywhere in Canada, but provincial health insurance plans:

• do not offer the same services to non-resident travellers as they do to residents (if you are Canadian, you are considered a non-resident, even if you live in a neighbouring province);
• vary from one province to another, as do the rates.

Here are some examples of expenses you might have to pay in a neighbouring province:

• return of your vehicle
• air ambulance
• a visit from a loved one while you are in hospital

Some provinces have billing agreements with one another, but not all provinces do. Since medical costs vary from one province to another, an amount that is enough to cover expenses in one province might not be enough in another.

Blue Cross travel insurance offers several deductible amounts if you want to lower your insurance premium.

However, it is not mandatory. If you choose a deductible, the medical expenses you pay yourself will be up to the amount you selected.

Medical insurance is essential when you leave Quebec. The Canada Health Act requires health insurance to cover your medical expenses in Quebec only, not outside the province. In fact, health insurance covers only a small portion of the medical and hospital expenses incurred outside Quebec.

For example, it might cover only $50 for a medical consultation and $100 a day for a hospital stay. Since medical costs are much higher abroad, especially in the United States, you put your financial security at risk if you are not insured. Some expenses abroad can be very costly.

If you are injured or fall ill while away, your travel insurance can cover:

• Accommodation and meal expenses for your spouse or travel companion.
• Transportation costs if your return is delayed because of an accident or illness, and you purchased the trip interruption option with your medical coverage.
• Medical evacuation costs by ground transportation, air ambulance or commercial flight.
• Costs to bring your children home, if you are hospitalized.
• Transportation costs for a loved one to travel to your bedside, if you are hospitalized for more than 7 days.
• Costs to return your vehicle or motorhome to your home, if you are unable to drive because of an accident or illness.

These are expenses that the Régie de l’assurance maladie du Québec (RAMQ) does not cover and that you are responsible for if you do not have travel insurance.