Frequently Asked Questions

Generally speaking, no. While your age can affect the type of coverage you can buy, we have packages and plans that cover all age groups. If you are age 65 or older, we may ask you to answer a few questions about your health to ensure you have the appropriate coverage in place.

Possibly. Depending on your age, condition and, if applicable, your answers to our health questions, pre-existing medical conditions (opens modal window) are covered if they are stable (opens modal window) for a certain time period (as specified in your insurance document) before your insurance effective date.

• If you are under age 65: pre-existing conditions are covered if they have been stable for at least 90 days before your insurance effective date.
• If you are over age 65: for our TravelCare^® Package and our TravelCare^® Medical Plan, we use your answers to our health questions to determine the TravelCare category you are eligible to purchase. These categories include: Gold, Silver and Bronze. Each category offers different coverage exclusions for pre-existing conditions (opens modal window).

Note: Please refer to the insurance documents for complete coverage details regarding pre-existing conditions.

Your answers to the health questions (if applicable) will place you into one of three categories and form part of your insurance.

When answering the health questions:

• Be sure to take your time. The health questions may take up to 10 minutes to complete.
• If someone else completes the health questions on your behalf, keep in mind that it is still your responsibility to sign the form and make sure the answers are correct.
• Please read each question carefully as incorrect answers will lead to cancellation of your coverage and the denial of your claim.
• Have your prescriptions or a description of your medication nearby for reference.
• Please review the answers you have provided to the health questions to confirm that they are correct.
• If you are unsure about any questions regarding your medical condition (opens modal window) or medications, please speak to your physician.

If necessary, you may have someone else complete the health questions on your behalf. Please keep in mind, however, that it is still your responsibility to sign the form and make sure the answers are correct.

This answer depends mainly on the child's age.

• If your child is under 2 years old and you are purchasing the Deluxe Package or a TravelCare Package, then your child receives emergency medical coverage at no extra cost.
• If your child is 2 or older, you'll need to purchase emergency medical coverage for him or her.
• No matter how old your child is, if you've purchased an airline ticket or made a separate trip deposit for him or her, you may wish to buy a travel insurance package that contains trip cancellation and interruption insurance as well as baggage and personal effects insurance.

Yes, you may purchase insurance on behalf of your parents. Depending on their age, they may be required to complete health questions in order to obtain coverage. If this is not a requirement, please keep in mind that all terms and conditions apply to your parents, therefore we recommend that you review the insurance with them prior to purchase.

The appropriate coverage for your trip depends on several factors, including (but not limited to) where you're travelling to, how long you will be gone, the kind of transportation you'll be using and, in some instances, your health condition.

It might, and it might not. We recommend that you carefully review the travel insurance coverage that your credit card provides, as well as any conditions or stipulations. You may also wish to speak with your Credit Card company.

We recommend that you carefully review your government health plan coverage. Government plans may not cover all emergency medical expenses once you leave your home province/territory and typically cover only a limited portion once you leave the country. In fact, the Canadian Government (Consular Services, Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada) urges all Canadians to purchase supplemental health insurance when leaving the country. They say:

Do not rely on your provincial or territorial health plan to cover costs if you get sick or are injured while abroad. Out-of-country healthcare can be costly, and your health plan may not cover any medical expenses abroad. It is your responsibility to seek information from your provincial or territorial health authority and to obtain supplementary travel insurance and understand the terms of your insurance.^Disclaimer2

Plus, government health insurance plans don't guarantee coverage for special care (air ambulance or emergency dental services, for instance).

Unlike government health insurance plans, our insurance offers you:

• Unlimited coverage for eligible medical expenses^Disclaimer1
• Up-front payment of eligible medical expenses whenever possible
• 24-hour, multilingual emergency medical assistance—one toll-free phone call puts you in touch with a multilingual professional who will refer you to a local doctor or facility in order for you to receive the care you need.
  Government health insurance plans also don't provide coverage for situations such as lost, damaged or delayed baggage or trip cancellation and interruption. Our travel insurance can provide these coverages and more.

An accident, illness or emergency can happen anywhere. If you need medical care in another country, your government health plan may pay only a portion of the costs. Travel insurance starts where these plans leave off.

Plus, with our emergency medical coverage, you have access to the multilingual representatives of Allianz Global Assistance.

Because our representatives are multilingual and have 24-hour access to real-time translation services, we can provide the help you need in your own language—and also have someone to communicate on your behalf with medical personnel who may speak a different language.

Here for you 24 hours a day, seven days a week, our representatives are experienced experts in coordinating emergency care for travellers in foreign lands.

Whenever possible, Allianz Global Assistance will also request for the medical service provider within the network to bill the covered medical expenses directly to us instead of you—reducing stress and hassle.

You must purchase coverage before departing on your trip. You may benefit from purchasing coverage when you make your initial trip deposit, especially if you are purchasing insurance that includes trip cancellation and interruption coverage.

For example, consider the fact that more than half of Canadian travellers book their trips at least 6 months in advance.^Disclaimer2 Then consider the unpredictable things that might happen in that time.

There are various sports that are not covered during your trip, all of which are described in more detail under the General Exclusions section of the insurance documents.

You may extend your coverage if you extend your trip, subject to certain conditions of your insurance.

If you've purchased a single-trip plan, the following conditions apply:

• If you have not had a medical condition (opens modal window) during your trip or while covered under your insurance, you can request an extension by contacting us before the expiry date of your original insurance.
• If you have had a medical condition (opens modal window) during your trip and while covered under your insurance, you must request the extension by contacting Allianz Global Assistance before the expiry date of your original insurance. Your extension is subject to the approval of Allianz Global Assistance.
• You must pay the required additional premium before the expiry date of your original insurance.

If we cannot extend your particular insurance coverage due to the trip duration limits of your insurance, you may be able to purchase a new insurance coverage from us.

If you've purchased a multi-trip annual plan, the following conditions apply:

You may purchase top-up coverage for the additional number of days beyond the duration covered by your multi-trip annual plan as follows:

• Before your effective date, you may contact us to purchase top-up coverage.
• After your effective date and if you have not had a medical condition (opens modal window) during your trip, you must contact us before the expiry date of your original insurance to purchase top-up coverage.
• After your effective date and if you have had a medical condition (opens modal window) during your trip, you must contact Allianz Global Assistance before the expiry date of your original insurance to request approval for and to purchase top-up coverage.
• The terms, conditions and exclusions of the new top-up insurance apply to you.
• You must pay the required top-up premium on or before the effective date of the top-up period.

If you do NOT top up your coverage for a trip, you will not be covered for any claims you make outside the period of insurance for that trip. If the top-up coverage you are purchasing requires you to complete health questions, you must complete the health questions.

Please see the insurance documents for complete coverage details regarding trip extensions.

You may purchase top-up coverage for the additional number of days beyond the duration covered by your multi-trip annual plan. Here are the conditions:

• Before your effective date, you may contact us to purchase top-up coverage.
• After your effective date and if you have not had a medical condition (opens modal window) during your trip, you must contact us before the expiry date of your original coverage to purchase top-up coverage.
• After your effective date and if you have had a medical condition (opens modal window) during your trip, you must contact Allianz Global Assistance before the expiry date of your original insurance coverage to request approval for and to purchase top-up insurance coverage.
• The terms, conditions and exclusions of the new top-up coverage apply to you.
• You must pay the required top-up premium on or before the effective date of the top-up period.

If you do NOT top up your coverage for a trip, you will not be covered for any claims you make outside the period of insurance for that trip. If the top-up coverage you are purchasing requires you to complete health questions, you must complete the health questions.

Please see the insurance documents for complete coverage details regarding top-up coverage.

If you purchase one of our travel medical insurance plans—either Classic Medical or TravelCare^® Medical—you can, prior to the insurance’s expiration date and subject to certain conditions. Please contact us.

Yes, emergency medical coverage for family members under 65 years of age is available with our Classic Medical Plans (single-trip or multi-trip annual). This coverage insures you and your partner/spouse and/or children when they travel with you or join you during your trip. You may insure your natural and adopted children and stepchildren under this plan if they meet one of the following criteria:

• They are unmarried and under the age of 21
• They are unmarried, over 20 years old and have a mental or physical handicap
• They are unmarried, under 26 years old and are full-time students

Family pricing is also available under Deluxe Package Single Trip, Non-Medical Package and our Travel Within Canada Package.

Your trip probably represents a significant investment. Plus, you may be among the 51% of Canadian travellers who book their trips at least 6 months prior to departing.^Disclaimer2 A lot can happen in that time—if a medical emergency or other unfortunate event prevents you from going on your trip, you may lose some (or possibly all) of the money you paid.

With trip cancellation and interruption insurance, you're protected when a specified situation prevents you from travelling as planned. Examples include:

• You can't travel due to an illness, job loss or immediate family member's medical emergency
• You need to return home earlier than scheduled because of a family emergency or medical condition (opens modal window)
• And more—our travel insurance packages provide trip cancellation and interruption insurance coverage for many specified situations

Note: We strongly recommend that you purchase this insurance at the time you pay your initial travel deposit. Please see the insurance documents for complete coverage details, including terms and conditions.

We strongly recommend that you do. Your insurance document is a valuable source of information and contains provisions that may limit or exclude coverage. Please read it before you go, keep it in a safe place and carry it with you when you travel.