FAQs

Travel insurance is designed to pay for unexpected costs that may arise when you are travelling. These can include emergency hospital/medical costs, trip cancellation and lost baggage.

Travel accident insurance coverage provides a predetermined lump sum in the event of a specific injury or death as a result of an accident only when travelling. Most credit card companies have done away with emergency travel medical insurance and replaced it with travel accident insurance.

It is natural for us to shop around for the best price. We are always looking for the best value. Tell the truth, provide a full medical disclosure, and get responsible coverage.

Employee benefits sometimes contain co-pay clauses, high deductibles, or exclusions that can reduce/limit your travel insurance. Read the fine print. It is often necessary to have coverage that supplements your group benefits.

Your provincial health insurance plan will only cover certain amounts if you have an emergency outside of your province of residence which could leave you with out-of-pocket expenses. Even travelling out-of-your province of residence within Canada, you may have to pay additional amounts.

After 212 days (for Ontario residents), 153 days (for Newfoundland residents) or 183 days (elsewhere in Canada); your government health insurance will cease unless you have prior approval to have your government health insurance extended. Most travel insurance will not cover you beyond this maximum allowable travel period. Be sure to confirm that your coverage will continue for the full duration that you wish to travel.

If you participate in sports when you travel, ensure you read your policy. All policies have exclusions and limitations on coverage for certain athletic activities. Some policies will exclude coverage for sports such as scuba diving, bodily contact sports, races or speed contests, even for amateurs!

Not everyone will qualify for PrimeLink TravelSense^™, but because it is designed to individually assess your medical conditions, you are not being placed into pre-designated categories like other standard applications. It allows for tailoring the policy based on your own specific health situation. Even if you have been denied coverage before, it’s possible that we may be able to help you. For further information about qualifying please see the FAQ #5 below regarding eligibility.

No, if you already have an existing policy with us, this doesn’t change your plan. Your existing policy confirmation letter, card and wording booklet still remains in effect. PrimeLink TravelSense^™ is a new product that has been added to our suite of PrimeLink^™ products.

PrimeLink TravelSense^™ is a unique plan that covers fully disclosed pre-existing conditions without a stability clause. Our other products can have stability clauses. Stability clauses are based on your plan category. Please verify your personal stability limit, which are listed in your policy wording booklet. If you still have questions about your plan and your specific stability please feel free to email us at info@canamins.com.

Employee benefits sometimes contain co-pay clauses, high deductibles, or exclusions that can reduce/limit your travel insurance. Read the fine print. It is often necessary to have coverage that supplements your group benefits.

Yes, as with most travel insurance companies there are eligibility questions. If your medical conditions allow you to say no to the following questions then you can proceed with the application process. If you do say yes to an eligibility question we’re unable to proceed with your application.

Eligibility Questions

• Are you travelling contrary to medical advice?
• Are you awaiting investigative testing or treatment of an unresolved condition? Reference to testing, tests, test results, or investigations excludes genetic tests*.
• Do you require kidney dialysis?
• In the past 12 months, have you used or been prescribed home oxygen for a lung condition?
• Have you ever had, or are you awaiting a stem cell, organ or bone marrow transplant?
• Do you have a terminal illness for which a physician has estimated you have less than 6 months to live?
• Do you have metastatic cancer (cancer that has spread from the original site to another place in your body)?

*Genetic Test means a test that analyzes DNA, RNA or chromosomes for purposes such as the prediction of disease or vertical transmission risks, or monitoring, diagnosis or prognosis.

Once you’ve gone through the eligibility questions, we’ll then take you through some additional questions that are geared to help trigger you to remember your medical conditions. We will then ask you to list your medical conditions for us. It is imperative that you fully disclose all of your conditions to us. Failure to disclose your conditions could result in your policy being void.

Declared conditions must be accurate at the time of departure. If a change occurs between application date and your departure, you’re required to call us and advise us of the change.

Currently, annual plans are not available on PrimeLink TravelSense^™, however they are coming soon. In the meantime, we do offer another annual policy plan, PrimeLink^™ Universal that might meet your needs. If you want us to notify you when we have a PrimeLink TravelSense^™ Annual Plan please feel free to send us your contact information by email to: info@canamins.com.

Please feel free to call our licensed broker team at 1-877-884-8086. Or you’re welcome to apply online at our website.

A TravelSense^™ policy is based solely on your health condition. Our licensed brokers take you step-by-step through the plain language application. All you have to do is fully disclose your pre-existing conditions. A policy is then written to cover those conditions. Please note: eligibility is subject to meeting terms and conditions.

No. The TravelSense^™ application is easy to understand, plain language. Our licensed brokers walk you through our eligibility questions, and are ready to answer any questions you may have along the way.

No. In order to be fully covered, you must fully disclose your pre-existing conditions.

Sometimes, people who have their pre-existing conditions under control believe they won’t have any impact on an upcoming trip. But there’s no hedging with any type of insurance – in order to be covered, you have to fully disclose your pre-existing conditions and the medications you’re taking.

Most Canadians travelling in the United States may not realize that the costs of health care in the U.S. are much higher than in Canada. Your provincial health plan offers some help with medical care, but it’s only $400 a day for in hospital care. Which leaves the rest of the bill to the customer, or their insurance company if they are properly insured.

But do you know how much higher?

• A visit to a walk-in clinic for a sinus infection can run $200.
• A visit to the same walk-in clinic with an upset stomach – and the attendant lab tests – will cost upwards of $1,650.
• Cost of an appendectomy? In the neighbourhood of $24,000.
• Treatment for a broken leg: up to $50,000.
• Treatment for a stroke: $65,000 to $90,000.
• A cardiac episode with a stent? You’re looking at $65,000 to $135,000.

Bills from an unforeseen medical emergency in the U.S. could mean the loss of your home, savings and other assets.