A pair of recent surveys both note that many Canadians are opting to explore their own country rather than head south this summer. They also note a significant number of travellers making plans without including insurance in their deliberations.
“While many travellers prioritize insurance for international trips, a recent CAA survey found that many people overlook the necessity of travel insurance for domestic travel, often assuming provincial healthcare will have them covered,” states CAA South Central Ontario in an announcement about the release of its survey results.
The national survey of 2,005 respondents found that 41 per cent travelled outside of their home provinces without travel insurance during their last trip. Of these, 43 per cent said it was unnecessary, 24 per cent worried about the cost and 20 per cent said they were simply taking their chances and hoping nothing would go wrong. CAA notes that the average medical claim cost has risen by 15 per cent annually since 2019, “with everything from ear infections to air ambulance services becoming significantly more expensive.”
Over at Manulife, meanwhile, their survey of 1,537 Canadians indicates that 77 per cent of travellers plan to stay in Canada for their vacations. “While domestic travel intentions are soaring, Manulife’s ‘travel within Canada’ products represent only 10 per cent of travel insurance sales,” they write. “Canadians may be unaware of the need for travel insurance trips within the country.”
The announcement highlights that some medical costs – certain medical expenses and hospital expenses, ambulance services and prescription medicines – are not covered interprovincially by provincial plans. They also point out that not all credit cards include travel insurance and those which do often limit coverage. They also urge travellers applying for insurance to fill out forms with care. “As people gear up to enjoy their summer vacations, it’s an important message to keep in mind,” they state.
