What happens if medical insurance just isn't available?

[ilovetotravel1977]

^^

Hmm, I don't think I ever want to test that theory. My luck, which is 90% bad luck, I'd be screwed.

 

[BadPinkTink]

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.

You would need to call your credit card company and get clarification on exactly what is covered.

I have annual travel insurance with a specialist company with travel disruption as an add on. My medical coverage is because I have private health insurance and the travel insurance company link up with my private health insurance company to provide the cover.

With credit cards you can get refunded for products or services paid for but which have not been provided. This is different to travel insurance.

 

[ilovetotravel1977]

@BadPinkTink I have travel and medical insurance with my BMO World Elite Mastercard. It is only offered complimentary on the more expensive card.

 

[BadPinkTink]

@BadPinkTink I have travel and medical insurance with my BMO World Elite Mastercard. It is only offered complimentary on the more expensive card.

ah ok well defiantly give them a call. They might have to contact the underwriters as the information is changing very quickly. The girl I spoke to today apologized for taking a few minutes to find some answers for me, as she had a to re check the information document, as it had been updated

 

[Gigi22]

Deleted.

 

[Gigi22]

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.

Again, I humbly beg to differ. I paid that bill.

 

[dish rag]

Again, I humbly beg to differ. I paid that bill.

I'm sorry, I had you confused with another. You could have left with out paying it. Not that that would be right to do. But it would be the usual thing to do.

 

[isabellea]

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.

We have medical insurance through DH's work but our travel insurance (cancellation/interruption) is with BMO Mastercard and it covers only if I paid my trip in full with my Mastercard. I would be surprised if they covered you without using their card for payment. I would call them to check.

 

[ilovetotravel1977]

@isabellea mine says full or partial payment of trip. You're right, I should find out what that "partial" actually means!

 

[Jrb1979]

I'm lucky that my benefits cover my family when I am out of country.

 

[vegs1]

Credit card coverage often covers less than taking out medical coverage through an insurance company. For instance, my credit card covers $1 million in medical expenses. My friend’s only covers $25,000. There are many policies you can purchase which cover $5 to $10 million. You absolutely must ask what their pre existing condition policy is as well as if they will cover for anything pandemic related or medical expenses.

@BadPinkTink mentioned that their policy had to have been purchased on March 15th or before for coverage (prior to their existing trip) For others reading this, that date is for THEIR policy. Make sure you know the date you had to have purchased by for your own policy if it’s on an existing trip. All companies differ.

As for out of province coverage for travelling in other provinces, there is coverage for the medical service but only up to that provinces fee schedule. You would pay the difference plus any air ambulance, etc. Please read your provinces GHIP coverage to be sure so you don’t get a nasty surprise.

 

[ilovetotravel1977]

My work travel insurance covers ambulances (air, land, etc), but only to a maximum of $500 per person. I'm not sure WHAT air ambulance might only cost $500 LOL Maybe on the back of a bird?

 

[Donald - my hero]

My work travel insurance covers ambulances (air, land, etc), but only to a maximum of $500 per person. I'm not sure WHAT air ambulance might only cost $500 LOL Maybe on the back of a bird?

Nah, they'd be nice about it ...

 

[isabellea]

I'm lucky that my benefits cover my family when I am out of country.

Insurance thru benefits can also have restrictions on what they cover. Most will exclude any declared pandemics such as COVID-19. It's important to read the policy very carefully.

 

[Camshell]

We tried to renew our annual medical coverage to the states. Our new plan through BCAA specifically excluded covid19. We have a trip planned for Dec. We chose not to renew because of that specific clause. We’d be okay with language around levels as determined by the government but not an outright exclusion. We’ll try looking for insurance again in the Fall. Maybe that clause will be removed. If we can’t get medical coverage before we go we will postpone our trip till next year.

 

[Sue M]

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 also live near the border, and a woman went across to the US Costco shopping. She was driving back and got into a bad car accident, i think someone ran a red light. She ended up in a US hospital for a month. Financially ruined. US medical costs are astronomical.
We always get an annual policy. I have a CC with travel insurance on it but not sure it covers you if your over 65.

 

[crazyash83]

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.

Yes this is somewhat true! Hospitals must care for you in an emergency whether or not you have insurance, both here in USA and Canada. You will get billed, either in USA or Canada (if you do not have provincial or territory coverage). However, they cannot force you to pay before you leave! Here in Ontario, Canada, we have an issue with foreigners using our healthcare systems particularly emergency services and they do not have insurance so we bill them according to OHIP policies for out of country patients however many DO NOT pay their bills! I dunno if I can link articles describing the emerging trend but just google it!

 

[samsteele]

A good practical guess is that travel insurance to the US will resolve over the summer. The huge numbers of snowbirds means that their lobby groups, including the Canadian Snowbird Association, will be on the hot seat to thrash this out with insurers and rope in MPPs to assist with rates. I often think of snowbirds as wealthy retirees with two homes. But the majority are not. In fact, many are now sitting in third wheels, campers and their kids' spare bedrooms since the call home. They want and may need to get back to Florida this fall. Their housing situation for Canadian winters is not good. I'll be watching the CSA website and news outlets as we move into July to see what develops. And if Canadian seniors, many with serious underlying health conditions, can secure affordable travel insurance to the US including covid coverage, then the rest of us should be eligible at lower rates.

 

[ilovetotravel1977]

@samsteele Very valid points! I totally forgot about the snowbirds group and the fact that they are seniors. Plus, most of us are only going for 1-2 weeks vacation, not staying for many months at a time.

 

[isabellea]

My parents are snowbirds. They are in Canada (house) Easter-Halloween and the winter at their condo in Ft Lauderdale. My dad was a registered nurse before retiring and they are planning, for now, on staying here next winter for the first time in almost 10 years. He’s not convinced insurance will cover COVID-19 that soon and he’s high-risk so prefers to be home if there’s a second wave. But I agree that the snowbirds are a big lobbying group in Canada. We’ll see how powerful they are late summer/early fall...