Although Canada may not seem like a particularly exotic travel destination for most Americans, it can still be a great experience to travel up north. Whether you are traveling to Canada’s culturally rich cities such as Quebec City, Montreal, and Vancouver, or whether your goal is to see a polar bear in Manitoba, there are several important things to keep in mind to make sure your travel experience is the best it can be. Travel insurance for Canada can cover you in the event of frostbite while skiing or spraining and ankle while on Quebec’s cobblestone streets.
If you live in the Northern U.S., it may not seem necessary to have extra medical coverage since you can always go home. But as delays at the border increase, it may be wise to have treatment that will cover you in Canada’s hospitals. It might also be a good idea to get trip interruption insurance, especially in winter; if you get snowed in at Whistler and can’t get back to Vancouver for your spa hotel stay, trip interruption insurance can cover nonrefundable hotel costs. (Always read the fine print carefully to ascertain the particular types of coverage your travel insurance offers).
Be sure to purchase insurance against luggage loss, as it gets more difficult to obtain reimbursement or resolution of luggage loss from airlines. Your luggage loss travel insurance should include coverage for expensive items such as skis or winter coats.
If you are planning on outdoor sports activities like skiing, heli-skiing, hockey, or ice climbing, be sure that your insurance will cover potentially risky activities. Sometimes it’s necessary to purchase extra coverage depending on the type of activities you’ll be engaged in. No matter what your reason is for visiting Canada, you’re sure to enjoy getting to know your neighbors to the North.
