FAQs - Travel Insurance
Travelling Canadians
Travel insurance helps protect you from unexpected costs while travelling. This can include emergency medical expenses, trip cancellation and trip interruption costs, delayed or lost baggage, and flight and travel accidents.
Travel insurance can include coverage for hospital and physician services, paramedical services, ambulance and emergency medical return home, and more. In addition, travel insurance can also help with unexpected costs from delayed or lost baggage, trip cancellation and trip interruption, and flight and travel accidents.
Many insurance plans may be purchased right up until the date of departure, however, if you are considering coverage for trip cancellation it is recommended to purchase insurance on the day your trip is booked.
Provincial or territorial government health insurance plans may pay only a small portion of medical expenses incurred abroad. They might not pay for ambulance services, prescription drugs, fees charged by private hospitals or facilities or emergency dental treatment. In addition, many hospitals abroad may require immediate cash payment or proof of insurance, which our assistance centre would help coordinate.
Trip Cancellation and Interruption insurance benefits may be payable in the event that any member of your immediate family develops a medical condition unexpectedly or passes away and you can no longer travel or you need to end your trip early.
Although we share a border with the States, your provincial or territorial health plan may not cover your medical fees or may only cover a small portion when travelling outside of Canada. Whether you are planning a shorter trip or a longer stay, medical costs in the US can be very expensive and can add up quickly depending on the medical care required.
Manulife CoverMe’s All-Inclusive Plan (Single Trip or Multi Trip), Non-Medical Inclusive Plan, Youth All-Inclusive Plan, and Youth Deluxe Plan contains Baggage Loss, Damage & Delay insurance. There are benefits available in the event that any item or set of items contained in your baggage is lost or damaged. Conditions, limitations, exclusions apply, please see the policy for full details.
Manulife CoverMe’s All-Inclusive Plan (Single-Trip or Multi-Trip), Non-Medical Inclusive Plan, Youth All-Inclusive Plan, and Youth Deluxe Plan contains Baggage Loss, Damage & Delay insurance. There are benefits available in the event of baggage theft or lost/stolen travel documentation (passport, driver’s license, visa). It is important in these instances to be prudent and report any losses to the authorities so full documentation of the situation is recorded. Conditions, limitations, exclusions apply, please see the policy for full details.
Any plan containing Trip Cancellation and Interruption insurance contains benefits for misconnection and travel disruptions resulting from common carrier schedule changes.
If your hotel or accommodation needs to be cancelled due to a covered event, Trip Cancellation and Interruption insurance may pay up to the covered amount for the prepaid unused portion, that is non-refundable and non-transferable to another travel date.
When you travel to Europe, your government health insurance plan may only provide limited coverage, which can leave you with unexpected out-of-pocket expenses. Purchasing travel insurance can help ensure you have proper coverage in case of a medical emergency, trip cancellation or interruption.
Travel insurance can be purchased for unaccompanied minors, given they meet the standard eligibility requirements. Please see the policy for full details.
Emergency medical insurance plans may be purchased 180 days prior to your departure date. Plans containing any other type of insurance may be purchased up to 3 years prior to departure.
Yes, most plans may be purchased up to and including the date of departure. However, our Cancel For Any Reason Rider, which is an add-on available when purchasing a plan with Trip Cancellation and Interruption coverage, must be purchased within 7 days of booking your trip.
For Trip Cancellation and Interruption protection, we recommend maximizing your length of coverage and purchasing as soon as possible, in the event you need to cancel your trip. Same recommendation applies when purchasing our Government Health Travel Advisory Rider. This is so you are protected for emergency medical expenses related to a specific virus or disease if the government issues a “Avoid non-essential travel” advisory before your departure date. This add-on is available when purchasing a plan with Emergency Medical coverage.
COVID-19 travel insurance provides coverage in the event you experience unexpected costs in relation to the Coronavirus.
The COVID-19 Pandemic Travel Insurance plan covers COVID-19 related emergency medical expenses, non COVID-19 related emergency medical benefits, and trip interruption coverage in the event you need to self-isolate or quarantine during your trip.
10-Day Free Look – If you notify us within 10 days of your purchase date, as indicated on your confirmation, that you are not completely satisfied with your policy, we will provide a full refund if you have not already departed on your trip and there is no claim in progress. Refunds are only available when Manulife receives your request for a refund before your departure date.
You can change your address, phone number or email by calling 1-800-268-3763.
You can change how you pay by calling 1-800-268-3763.
When you travel outside your home province or territory, even if you're still in Canada, there are limits on how much your government health insurance plan will pay. Costs that may not be covered include air and ground ambulance, emergency dental treatment and prescription drug expenses. Travel insurance can help with these costs, so it makes sense to have it whether you're visiting another part of Canada or another part of the world.
We can top up travel insurance offered by another insurer, adding extra days to your current coverage. You are responsible for ensuring that your current coverage is in force and allows top-ups. Your top-up coverage is subject to CoverMe Travel Insurance's terms and conditions.
For single-trip plans, you can add extra days of coverage while you're travelling provided that there has been:
No event that has resulted or may result in a claim against the policy, and
No change in your health status
You must call 1-800-268-3763 before your coverage expires and pay the appropriate premium.
For multi-trip plans, it's best to add extra days of coverage before you leave home. Simply get a top-up up to the maximum allowed by your government health insurance plan. If you need to add extra days of coverage while you're travelling, call 1-800-268-3763 and we will do our best to help you.
A dependent grandchild meets our definition of "child." To be covered, your grandchild must be named on your confirmation and be travelling with you. Keep in mind that all travellers covered under a family travel insurance plan must be under age 60.
A minimum of 3 travellers is required to be eligible for family coverage. This may include up to 2 adults (parents or grandparents) and their dependent children or grandchildren. To be covered, everyone must be under age 60, named on your confirmation, and be travelling together.
All our travel insurance plans for travelling Canadians start with a $0 deductible. You can save money with a higher deductible on our Single-Trip Emergency Medical Plan and Multi-Trip Emergency Medical Plan (these deductibles apply only to emergency medical coverage. COVID-19 Pandemic Travel plan not included):
$500 deductible – save 10%
$1,000 deductible – save 15%
$5,000 deductible – save 30%
$10,000 deductible – save 35%
We ask you to call our Assistance Centre at 1-888-881-8010 or +1(519) 945-8346 before you get emergency medical treatment so we can:
Confirm to your healthcare provider that you're covered
Manage your benefits in accordance with your policy
Help you avoid out-of-pocket expenses
If you don't call us, you will have to pay 25% of the medical expenses normally covered under your policy. If it is medically impossible for you to call, please have someone call us on your behalf.
So it's even easier to contact us, download the TravelAid mobile app, which gives you immediate access to our Assistance Centre and can also provide you with:
Directions to the nearest medical facility
Local emergency telephone numbers
Pre- and post-departure travel tips
The confirmation we send you when we receive your premium payment is your official receipt recognized by the Canada Revenue Agency.
Children must be at least 30 days old to be covered under your travel insurance plan.
If you’re planning to travel while pregnant, our plans can help protect you while you’re away. However, the following coverage exclusions apply:
Routine pre-natal or post-natal care
Pregnancy, childbirth and complications of pregnancy and childbirth in the 9 weeks before or after your expected due date
A child born during your trip
You can cancel a Single-Trip Emergency Medical Plan at any time before the effective date of coverage. All other plans can only be cancelled within our 10-Day Free Look period. Conditions, limitations, exclusions apply. Please see the policy for full details.
When you buy an All-Inclusive Plan (Single-Trip or Multi-Trip), Youth Plan (All-Inclusive or Deluxe), Non-Medical Inclusive Plan, or a standalone Trip Cancellation & Trip Interruption Plan, your coverage starts the day you buy your plan, so you're protected if you have to cancel your trip before you leave home due to a covered event.
In our travel insurance policies, a "pre-existing medical condition" means any medical condition that existed prior to your effective date.
When our Assistance Centre is contacted because an insured is being treated for a medical emergency, a confirmation that the patient purchased insurance coverage is sent to the medical provider.
The Assistance Centre has existing relationships with medical providers in many vacation destinations, as well as contacts all over the world, to ensure emergency situations are handled as smoothly as possible.
There may be some medical providers who will require a small deposit or assurance that they will be paid. In almost all cases, once the Assistance Centre is contacted and actively managing the case, the providers will directly bill Manulife, and in almost all cases you will not see a bill.
In the unusual event that a foreign hospital requires the patient to make a deposit or, in rare situations, pay the hospital directly, Manulife will promptly reimburse these expenses to the insured once we ensure that the terms and conditions of the policy have been met and all the claim documentation is received.
It is so important to call our Assistance Centre at 1-888-881-8010 or +1(519)945-8346 before you get emergency medical treatment.
No, you must buy travel insurance before you leave your province/territory (for plans covering travel within Canada) or before you leave Canada (for plans covering travel anywhere in the world). If you want to stay longer than originally planned you must call us prior to your expiry date to request an extension of coverage. Any extension is subject to the approval of the Assistance Centre.
If you're not sure how to answer any question on the medical questionnaire, consult your doctor. It's very important to make sure your answers are complete and accurate. Any incomplete or inaccurate statements in your application may void your plan.
The earlier you buy Trip Cancellation & Trip Interruption protection, the longer you'll be protected if you need to cancel your trip.
Please call our Assistance Centre toll-free at 1-888-881-8010 or collect at +1(519)945-8346 before you get emergency medical treatment.
Please call Claims Inquiry at 1-888-881-8010 or +1(519)-945-8346.
Visitors to Canada
10-Day Free Look – If you notify us within 10 days of your purchase date, as indicated on your confirmation, that you are not completely satisfied with your policy, we will provide a full refund if you have not already departed on your trip and there is no claim in progress. Refunds are only available when Manulife receives your request for a refund before your departure date.
You can change your address, phone number or email by calling 1-800-268-3763.
You can change how you pay by calling 1-800-268-3763.
We ask you to call our Assistance Centre at 1-877-878-0142 or +1(519)-251-5166 before you get emergency medical treatment so we can:
- Confirm to your healthcare provider that you're covered
- Manage your benefits in accordance with your policy
- Help you avoid out-of-pocket expenses
If you don't call us, you will have to pay 20% of the medical expenses normally covered under your policy. If it is medically impossible for you to call, please have someone call us on your behalf.
So it's even easier to contact us, download the TravelAid mobile app, which gives you immediate access to our Assistance Centre and can also provide you with:
- Directions to the nearest medical facility
- Local emergency telephone numbers
- Pre- and post-departure travel tips
Children must be at least 30 days old to be covered under your travel insurance plan.
All our travel insurance plans for visitors to Canada start with a $0 deductible. You can save money with a higher deductible:
$100 deductible – save 5%
$250 deductible – save 10%
$500 deductible – save 15%
$1,000 deductible – save 20%
$5,000 deductible – save 35%
$10,000 deductible – save 40%
You can add extra days of coverage while you're visiting Canada provided that there has been:
No event that has resulted or may result in a claim against the policy
No change in your health status
You must call 1-800-268-3763 before your coverage expires or before the date you were scheduled to return home and pay the appropriate premium.
You can get a refund for the unused days of your trip if you return home before your scheduled return date provided that:
- You have not reported or initiated a claim
- You have not received any assistance services
We calculate your premiums based on your age on the effective date of your coverage, not the application date.
Our travel insurance plans for visitors to Canada include a trip break benefit, which allows you to suspend your coverage without ending it if you visit home during your trip. Your coverage is immediately reinstated when you arrive back in Canada.
- You must call 1-877-878-0142 or +1(519)-251-5166 to get approval from our Assistance Centre before you leave Canada
- Your plan will not cover any expenses or benefits relating to emergency and non-emergency medical services for an injury that occurred at home or an illness that started at home
- We do not refund your premiums for the days you are visiting home
In our travel insurance policies, a "pre-existing medical condition" means any medical condition that existed prior to your effective date.
When our Assistance Centre is contacted because an insured is being treated for a medical emergency, a confirmation that the patient purchased insurance coverage is sent to the medical provider.
The Assistance Centre has existing relationships with medical providers in many vacation destinations, as well as contacts all over the world, to ensure emergency situations are handled as smoothly as possible.
There may be some medical providers who will require a small deposit or assurance that they will be paid. In almost all cases, once the Assistance Centre is contacted and actively managing the case, the providers will directly bill Manulife, and in almost all cases you will not see a bill.
In the unusual event that a foreign hospital requires the patient to make a deposit or, in rare situations, pay the hospital directly, Manulife will promptly reimburse these expenses to the insured once we ensure that the terms and conditions of the policy have been met and all the claim documentation is received.
It is so important to call our Assistance Centre at 1-877-878-0142 or +1(519)251-5166 before you get emergency medical treatment.
If you're not sure how to answer any question on the medical questionnaire, consult your doctor. It's very important to make sure your answers are complete and accurate. Any incomplete or inaccurate statements in your application may void your plan.
Please call our Assistance Centre toll-free at 1-877-878-0142 or collect at +1(519)251-5166 before you get emergency medical treatment.
Please call Claims Inquiry at 1-877-878-0142 or +1(519)251-5166.
Students
10-Day Free Look – If you notify us within 10 days of your purchase date, as indicated on your confirmation, that you are not completely satisfied with your policy, we will provide a full refund if you have not already departed on your trip and there is no claim in progress. Refunds are only available when Manulife receives your request for a refund before your departure date.
You can change your address, phone number or email by calling 1-800-268-3763.
You can change how you pay by calling 1-800-268-3763.
The confirmation we send you when we receive your premium payment is your official receipt recognized by the Canada Revenue Agency.
All our travel insurance plans for students have a $0 deductible.
Plans for Canadians studying in another province or territory cover you anywhere in Canada for the entire period shown on your confirmation.
Plans for Canadian studying abroad cover you anywhere in the world (outside Canada) for the entire period shown on your confirmation.
Plans for international students in Canada cover you anywhere in Canada and for trips up to 15 consecutive days outside Canada provided that your travel outside Canada:
- Does not exceed 49% of your period of coverage
- Starts and finishes in Canada
- Excludes your home country
Our travel insurance plans for students include a trip break benefit, which allows you to suspend your coverage without ending it if you visit home during your trip. Your coverage is immediately reinstated when you:
- Leave home if you are a Canadian studying in another province or territory
- Leave Canada if you are a Canadian studying abroad
- Arrive in Canada if you are an international student in Canada
- You must call 1-877-331-3134 or +1(519) 251-7401 to get approval from our Assistance Centre before you travel home. We do not refund your premiums for the days you are visiting home.
In our travel insurance policies, a "pre-existing medical condition" means any medical condition that existed prior to your effective date.
When our Assistance Centre is contacted because an insured is being treated for a medical emergency, a confirmation that the patient purchased insurance coverage is sent to the medical provider.
The Assistance Centre has existing relationships with medical providers in many vacation destinations, as well as contacts all over the world, to ensure emergency situations are handled as smoothly as possible.
There may be some medical providers who will require a small deposit or assurance that they will be paid. In almost all cases, once the Assistance Centre is contacted and actively managing the case, the providers will directly bill Manulife, and in almost all cases you will not see a bill.
In the unusual event that a foreign hospital requires the patient to make a deposit or, in rare situations, pay the hospital directly, Manulife will promptly reimburse these expenses to the insured once we ensure that the terms and conditions of the policy have been met and all the claim documentation is received.
It is so important to call our Assistance Centre at 1-877-331-3134 or +1(519) 251-7401 before you get emergency medical treatment.
If you're not sure how to answer any question on the medical questionnaire, consult your doctor. It's very important to make sure your answers are complete and accurate. Any incomplete or inaccurate statements in your application may void your plan.
Please call our Assistance Centre toll-free at 1-877-331-3134 or collect at +1(519)-251-7401 before you get emergency medical treatment.
Please call Claims Inquiry at 1-877-331-3134 or +1(519) 251-7401.