our health care system. Yes, it’s not perfect, but how many things are? And, fortunately, as a Canadian traveling within our own borders, our various Provincial and Territorial health care plans cover us for the most part, in the event of accident or tragedy that injures our health while travelling outside of the province or territory of our residence, but still within Canada.
However, it may interest you to know (especially if your next vacation is going to be within Canada), that there are gaps in the Provincial and Territorial Health Care Plans, that may leave you considerably out of pocket under certain conditions, and this is precisely why smart travellers opt to purchase travel even when traveling within Canada.
Using the Ontario Health Plan (OHIP) as an example, an Ontario resident travelling to Alberta, who had an accident which resulted in chipped teeth, but did not require a hospital visit, would have to bear the full cost of repairing the damaged teeth themselves. This could add up to substantially more than the few dollars a day that it would typically cost to purchase travel insurance. There are many similar scenarios.
Although OHIP covers a wide range of medical services, it does not pay for services that are deemed not medically necessary, such as cosmetic surgery. It is unlikely that OHIP would pay the full cost of cosmetically restoring the disfigurement that many accidents cause.
Many other health care services are only partially covered, or may not be covered at all. Medical services such as Podiatrists and Osteopaths, chiropractors and physiotherapists, may or may not be covered depending on a variety of factors. Even ambulance services, prescribed medications and long-term care services may only be partially covered depending on the circumstances.
The facts are that OHIP is not unique in this regard. Each Province and Territory has it’s own rules and regulations, and it’s often quite a challenge to figure out exactly what they are.
This is one good reason that smart travellers within Canada arm themselves with Travel Insurance.
There are other reasons for purchasing travel for travel within Canada,
Some of these include:
Baggage – What difference would it make if you were traveling from Vancouver to Halifax or from Toronto to Singapore if your baggage was lost or stolen? Baggage would protect you either way.
Trip cancellation or trip interruption – Imagine that you’ve reserved expensive hotel rooms and other services for your vacation within Canada, and you are forced at the last minute to cancel or abandon your trip. You could be out of pocket a great deal of money. This kind of travel could restore your out of pocket expenses.
Emergency Medical – It would be comforting to know that if the unimaginable were to occur, and you were involved in an accident while on vacation, that you and/or your family members/fellow travelers would not have to worry about the costs of prescription drugs from pharmacies, home care services, ambulance services, long-term care services, dental and cosmetic surgery if needed, and other health care services that may be needed or desired. – Especially when this kind of coverage can be as little as a couple of dollars daily.
For the few extra dollars per day that it costs, travel is easy to obtain, and buys enormous peace of mind while on your trip.
Remember, in the event of tragedy, you will “submit for consideration” the costs associated with your treatment to your particular Provincial or Territorial Health Ministry. They will decide the extent of your re-imbursement.
Given how inexpensive these kinds of can be, do you still want to “not bother” with travel when travelling within Canada?
The information collected and compiled here is for general reference only. Always speak with a licensed representative to answer your specific questions.
Article Source: Articles Beyond Better
Kade Philips is a contributing writer at kanetix.ca, serving free travel quotes. For the Travel you need, visit kanetix for Free Quotes.
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