What happens if medical insurance just isn't available?

[papertraveller]

There are many discussions regarding cancelled vacations, "when will WDW reopen" discussions etc. But as Canadian travellers, we need to purchase medical trip insurance. And at present, COVID-19 is considered a "known or anticipated event" and is not covered by regular policies.
What about the concern that while WDW/DL reopens, medical insurance coverage for COVID-19 will not be available?
We have rebooked for the fall. But if there is no insurance, there is no trip.

 

[marchingstar]

There are many discussions regarding cancelled vacations, "when will WDW reopen" discussions etc. But as Canadian travellers, we need to purchase medical trip insurance. And at present, COVID-19 is considered a "known or anticipated event" and is not covered by regular policies.
What about the concern that while WDW/DL reopens, medical insurance coverage for COVID-19 will not be available?
We have rebooked for the fall. But if there is no insurance, there is no trip.

I think it’s what you said...no insurance, no trip. It’s not worth the risk.

I would guess once there’s a vaccine things will change (either we’ll feel safe enough or the insurance restrictions will change).

As much as I love our trips, I’m not willing to risk our health or financial security to visit.

 

[Welsh_Dragon]

We will be in the same predicament, but one is allowed and insured for visiting countries that have malaria, dengue fever, cholera, rabies, yellow fever etc., so maybe, at least from the insurers’ viewpoint, it will become a non issue.

 

[Gigi22]

We will be in the same predicament, but one is allowed and insured for visiting countries that have malaria, dengue fever, cholera, rabies, yellow fever etc., so maybe, at least from the insurers’ viewpoint, it will become a non issue.

Trying not to be a downer here, but there are treatments/vaccines for most of the diseases (not sure about dengue) mentioned. Further, if you go to an area where one of these diseases is prevalent, you have to have taken the vaccine/or have the medication (for malaria) and be aware of the precautions to take to avoid the disease. If there is no known treatment/vaccine for Covid-19, travel insurance may still be an issue. I’m thinking that the borders need to open for travel purposes first...

 

[Sue M]

I looked up Pacific Blue Cross travel medical, it states Govt travel advisories level 3&4 won’t be covered. That is level 3- Avoid all non-essential travel, and Level 4- Avoid all travel.

Level 1&2 are covered. Level 1- exercise normal security precautions and Level 2- Exercise high degree of caution.

So it looks like when the level 3 & 4 are lifted, we will be covered. And since I can’t see the parks opening until the avoid all non essential travel restrictions are lifted, we will be covered.

This is just Pacific Blue Cross, but I think other insurance would be similar?

 

[LuvMyEAR]

Travel health insurance is tricky at the best of times, and it gets positively crazy the second you turn 65. We have had to wade through the fine print, have called to clarify points with our insurance carrier and gotten different answers days apart. Tried to get a written clarification to no avail.

Now, it is even worse, with carriers altering the conditions of coverage constantly, it seems. Cancellation insurance has plenty of twists and turns, but nothing like health insurance! I would hate to lose the money invested in a trip, but an uninsured health emergency can easily ruin your financially.

 

[isabellea]

No cancellation/interruption insurance: I would probably go because if I can afford to pay for the vacation, I can afford a cancellation if it's for something really big like COVID-19.

No medical trip insurance: 100% certainty that I'm not getting out of the country and we will stay within driving distances from QC (e.g. Ontario).

 

[Starwind]

No cancellation/interruption insurance: I would probably go because if I can afford to pay for the vacation, I can afford a cancellation if it's for something really big like COVID-19.

No medical trip insurance: 100% certainty that I'm not getting out of the country and we will stay within driving distances from QC (e.g. Ontario).

For us, we have traveled without cancelation/interruption insurance before, so would consider doing it again.

But no medical is not an option for us, not even to travel out of province to elsewhere in Canada.

 

[momof2gr8kids]

For us, we have traveled without cancelation/interruption insurance before, so would consider doing it again.

But no medical is not an option for us, not even to travel out of province to elsewhere in Canada.

Same for us. We are a border town and so many people travel across just for the day with no insurance. One family lost everything when the husband had a heart attack just half hour from our border.
Many people don't realize that they should have insurance to travel to other provinces as well. Yes, there are agreements between provinces to cover health care costs however things like ambulance, air ambulance, transportation back to your home province are not things covered by the government.

 

[BadPinkTink]

Im in Europe, from what I can see from various travel insurance companies. medical is still included HOWEVER. if you cancel due to fear of Covid as in the the flight is not cancelled but you are just not comfortable travelling, then they wont cover any money you loose. That would also include things like hotels paid in full or car hire deposits.

They also wont cover you if there is a Government travel advisory and you decide to travel anyway, so if you decide to drive across the border into USA and then have to file a claim.

I think right now, all the various companies which had to close are refunding or being very accommodating regarding cancellation fees and rebooking, so the travel insurance companies are making sure that people are not claiming on the double.

 

[isabellea]

Same for us. We are a border town and so many people travel across just for the day with no insurance. One family lost everything when the husband had a heart attack just half hour from our border.
Many people don't realize that they should have insurance to travel to other provinces as well. Yes, there are agreements between provinces to cover health care costs however things like ambulance, air ambulance, transportation back to your home province are not things covered by the government.

We have medical insurance with DH’s work so I wouldn’t be worried if we go to Toronto for a weekend or Ottawa for one day once it’s allowed. If we come up with COVID symptoms (not covered), we would be close enough to come back quickly. If we had another kind of health emergency (broken arm, heart attack) I’m sure we would be covered by Blue Cross.

Im in Europe, from what I can see from various travel insurance companies. medical is still included HOWEVER. if you cancel due to fear of Covid as in the the flight is not cancelled but you are just not comfortable travelling, then they wont cover any money you loose. That would also include things like hotels paid in full or car hire deposits.

They also wont cover you if there is a Government travel advisory and you decide to travel anyway, so if you decide to drive across the border into USA and then have to file a claim.

I think right now, all the various companies which had to close are refunding or being very accommodating regarding cancellation fees and rebooking, so the travel insurance companies are making sure that people are not claiming on the double.

Cancellation is one thing, being covered for getting treatment is another and can be a lot more costly than hotel and flights in the USA.

 

[dish rag]

There is always just not paying the medical bills.

 

[ottawamom]

Not an option.

 

[BadPinkTink]

You really need to check with your travel insurance company.

I have checked with my travel insurance company and my medical insurance is still valid for my June 2020 trip even though the company has now put Covid 19 in the exclusions.

This is because my flights and hotels were booked BEFORE March 13 2020.

The Covid 19 exclusions are for any new policys taken out after March 13 2020 and for any new bookings on current travel insurance policy, eg if you book a trip today on April 15 for a Christmas 2020 trip to Disneyworld.

I also have travel disruption as an extra on my policy.

Every travel insurance company is different, so you really need to call your provider and check your individual circumstances

 

[Gigi22]

There is always just not paying the medical bills.

Not an option. US hospitals give you a bill before you leave their premises, you pay right there. I’m sure we have something similar for non-citizens.

 

[dish rag]

Not an option. US hospitals give you a bill before you leave their premises, you pay right there. I’m sure we have something similar for non-citizens.

That's not true, you pay what you can, that usually means making payments. Even if it's $100. Of course they let people leave. Not many people could afford to pay for emergency surgery before leaving.

 

[pigletto]

My 6 year old son was hospitalized for an infection in his appendix while we were in Orlando. We started at a walk in clinic , were sent by ambulance to one hospital, had a CT scan and emergency treatment there ... and then sent by ambulance to Arnold Palmers children’s hospital. We stayed there one night. Ultimately he did not need the appendix out ( that happened a year later when history repeated itself and it burst ).
We had coverage through my husbands work but as a young family it would have pretty much bankrupted us to pay those bills. They were sent to our house even though the insurance companies paid them so we were able to see the totals. I can’t recall exactly but it was over 45k if I‘m remembering correctly .
So I encourage everyone to think long and hard about insurance and what it covers in the upcoming months when we are able to travel again. If hospitalized for Covid 19 you would be there much longer than my sons one night and the costs would be staggering.
When we travel again , I would absolutely have a contingency plan if I went at all. One that involved renting a car the second one of us felt ill and driving home as quick as possible . Again, this is if I went at all.
I hate this for all of us , but it would be much much worse if we also ended up with massive debt on top of an already stressful situation.

 

[Gigi22]

That's not true, you pay what you can, that usually means making payments. Even if it's $100. Of course they let people leave. Not many people could afford to pay for emergency surgery before leaving.

I humbly beg to differ. I was given my entire bill before leaving hospital premises and asked to pay in full. This was in Ft. Lauderdale.

 

[ilovetotravel1977]

Is there a minimum that has to be charged on credit cards to institute their travel/medical insurance?

To date, I have only spent $141 on flight taxes and $227 US for the resort deposit, both booked well before all of this started. Everything else has been purchased using air miles and airline vouchers.

 

[dish rag]

I humbly beg to differ. I was given my entire bill before leaving hospital premises and asked to pay in full. This was in Ft. Lauderdale.

You were asked to pay, but you didn't. There are tens of thousands of infants born every day with out insurance that leave the hospital with their mothers who have no insurance. I know several dozen illigal Mexicans who laugh at American's while we have had these discussion's, they pay nothing and do not pay for insurance, they go in, cannot be turned down, are treated, given a bill and leave, never pay it. I can't tell you of how many people do not pay their medical bills. My own friend is a vascular surgeon. He has to provide his services to the hospital. You would not believe how much of his services go uncollected from preforming emergency services on stabbing, shooting victims that are not insured. You are given a bill, and you leave the hospital. It's very, very common and usual for these bill to go unpaid. Trust me.