Even though fewer Canadians are travelling to the United States, whether for financial or political reasons, the country still accounts for the lion’s share of travel insurance claims, according to a recent webinar hosted by insurer Medavie Blue Cross and CanAssistance, a travel assistance service.
While travel disruptions are the first risks many travellers think about when purchasing an insurance policy, claims for health care account for the vast majority of claims (89%).
“The medical risk is by far the most significant financial risk a traveller can face while abroad,” said Nathalie Mirza, director of client relations and special projects at CanAssistance.
However, Mirza noted that these figures may be influenced by the fact that some travellers with medical coverage may not have purchased trip cancellation insurance.
More costly claims
The number of travel insurance claims received by the insurer in the first six months of 2026 was relatively similar to the number recorded during the same period in 2025, down 1%. However, the average amount paid per claim was 46% higher. In addition, the number of high-cost claims—those costing between $300,000 and $500,000—tripled over the past year.
“What this tells us is that travellers are not necessarily experiencing more incidents, but when claims do occur, they are much more costly to settle,” Mirza said.
This phenomenon is attributable in part to the very high cost of health care in the United States, which accounted for 39% of the total volume of medical claims submitted to the insurer in 2025. However, those claims represented 64% of its total expenditures, while its clients required medical assistance in 149 countries.
“The United States continues to stand apart and remains one of the markets that poses the greatest financial risk for travel insurance,” said Maria Ziabaras, director of strategic accounts and international network at CanAssistance. “An emergency room visit, hospitalization or medical procedure can result in higher costs than in other destinations.”
Florida travellers
More than half (55%) of the medical assistance requests received were submitted by plan members who were in Florida. In fact, eight of the 10 leading destinations served by CanAssistance were located on the peninsula, according to the webinar.
Canadians who travel most frequently to Florida are generally older—the well-known snowbirds—and are at greater risk of experiencing health problems, the speakers noted. Taken together, all these factors explain the high concentration of medical claims in this part of the world, Ziabaras said.
Fewer trips to the United States
Nevertheless, the number of requests for medical assistance in the United States fell by 14% in 2025 compared with the previous year, due in part to a decline in visits south of the border. “Travel by Canadians to the United States decreased by 25% during this period,” Ziabaras noted.
And the trend could continue. In fact, strained relations between Canada and the United States has led 76% of Canadian tourists to say they were less inclined to travel there this year, according to the 2026 Blue Cross Travel Study. More specifically, 54% of baby boomers said they intended to cancel all of their travel plans to the United States.
