Travel During COVID-19: Travel Interruption Insurance for Canadians

As some border measures start to ease, more Canadians are making plans to travel. As long as testing requirements are in place for Canadian residents returning home, the possibility of a positive test and subsequent quarantine is a risk that needs to be assessed based on individual circumstances. For some, their hotel will offer a room for free to complete the quarantine (some all-inclusive hotels offer this benefit) but for many others, the cost of quarantine and other expenses will need to be paid out of pocket. In this post, we share information about insurance we have purchased to help offset the costs of extending our stay on a trip due to quarantine requirements.

At the time of writing this, the quarantine period is 10 days; you can enter Canada by air, land, or water on the 11^th day.  The cost of staying somewhere longer than expected and having to change your flight can end up costing thousands of dollars. For this reason, we have been purchasing the Manulife COVID-19 Pandemic Travel Plan insurance.

You are encouraged to read the policy in detail but here is a brief summary of the coverage:

In the event you are unexpectedly required to self-isolate or quarantine as determined by a medical professional after your departure, we will pay:

• Up to $500 for your one-way economy class airfare via the most cost-effective itinerary to return you home in the event you are delayed beyond the date you were originally scheduled to return home; and/or

• Up to $200 per insured person per day for your additional and unplanned commercial hotel and meal expenses to a maximum of $2,800. Family coverage maximum is $400 per insured family per day to a maximum of $5,600.

https://www.coverme.com/content/dam/affinity/coverme/english/documents/coverme-covid-19-pandemic-travel-plan-policy.pdf

In some circumstances, the funds provided by the insurance company for a claim will not be sufficient to cover all expenses (depending on where you are) but it does provide peace of mind and the potential to save on all of your out-of-pocket expenses. The insurance is also quite affordable; based on the information we provided, coverage for an 11 day trip was $46CAD.

Bottom Line:

It is up to each traveler to determine their eligibility for travel insurance in general, including the Manulife COVID-19 Pandemic Travel Plan insurance. For some, this insurance is a good affordable option in the event the trip needs to be extended due to a positive COVID-19 test. Travelers need to also consider things that are not covered by this insurance; lost wages, parking fees, pet boarding fees, etc. We plan to purchase this insurance as long as there is a testing requirement for us to return to Canada.

Disclaimer:

All information posted is merely for educational and informational purposes. It is not intended as a substitute for professional advice. Should you decide to act upon any information on this website, you do so at your own risk.

While the information on this website has been verified to the best of our abilities, we cannot guarantee that there are no mistakes or errors.