Discussions

My family is looking to take a two week vacation this summer with-in Canada but outside of Manitoba.  
 
I was wondering where are places you can go to look into travel insurance. Best prices in your opinion for it and if there is any additional information my family should be made aware of when trying to find the right travel insurance for us.  
 
We would need travel insurance for two adults and one child under 10.  
 
Any help and advise would be greatly appreciated.

And speak to one of their brokers.  
 
There are too many variables and they are trained at finding you the right fit. They can cut through the clutter and fine print to get you the coverage you need.  
 
We usually end up going with Blue Cross I think, but last time we went with an add on to our existing medical plan (Manulife).  
 
One thing I have heard from others is never to buy the insurance that you can get through your credit card. There have been many cases of families getting really screwed over with these bank based companies - the most recent complaint I heard is they used the RBC insurance which only covered part of their medical expenses, AND they bill any other insurance companies you might have plans with, which means the money you might get from them would deduct from your lifetime allowances on other plans, even if you are not making a claim through your other company. You could end up losing out down the road in cases like this.  
 
For example - you have medical insurance from Company A for $1 million in medical emergencies. You make a claim using company B for an injury that costs you $500,000. Then, B company will pay it out, but make a claim against company A to recoup their losses, which means you will only now have 500,000 left on your other lifetime benefit from A. Very slippery, the insurance industry.  
 
This is why you should discuss with a broker. It is a very good use of you money to have these policies. As someone who has seen a family member go bankrupt due to use of the US medical system, the $50-$100 you will spend is pennies.

If you stay and play in Canada you shouldn't need extra. MHSC will pay for health. So unless you're thinking ambulance/dental I don't think you need it. Do you have anything with work or you could call MHSC just to be safe!!!

Every province has a their own max allowable coverage so even when travelling in Canada, travel insurance is still highly recommended.  
 
Edited by ~BooBoo~, 2016-06-02 11:17:49

Grace1956 said "If you stay and play in Canada you shouldn't need extra. MHSC will pay for health. So unless you're thinking ambulance/dental I don't think you need it. Do you have anything with work or you could call MHSC just to be safe!!! "

There are a lot of disallowed medical expenses that can run you thousands if you need care in other Provinces. My father had a heart attack in Calgary and ended up with a bill for nearly ten thousand bucks (though I cannot recall right now what it all entailed) Things like ambulances, transfers, and even some medically necessary tests end up costing and MB Health will not cover them.  
 
Alberta, BC and Ontario are just three that can be bad.

Adam said " Also check with your credit card company if you havent already to see what you may or may not be covered for by them.... many cards have these kinds of coverage built in. "

Neither of us own a credit card as of yet. Neither of us get medical benefits through our employer so that avenue is also out of the questions.  
 
I'm just looking for places to inquire at so we can find out exactly what we need and how much its going to cost us.