Travel Insurance for Canada: A Complete Guide Based on Our Experience (and Why It's Vital)

Today I'm going to tell you all about our experience with travel insurance in Canada. This experience, gained from several trips to North America, not just Canada, might be helpful for your next trip.

When you picture Canada, images of turquoise lakes, majestic mountains, and vibrant modern cities probably come to mind. And that's exactly what you'll see in Canada, especially if you go to the Rocky Mountains ; not so much outside of them, haha.

But before you get too carried away, let me tell you something important: if there's one place where you need good travel insurance , it's here. Without a doubt, it's one of the requirements for traveling to Canada from Spain , among others. I say this from personal experience (and I'll tell you about it now), but I can tell you right now that good travel insurance can literally save you from financial ruin, not to mention your life :P.

Is travel insurance for Canada really necessary?

The quick and predictable answer to the nonsense you don't want to read: Yes, without a doubt.

I speak to you as someone who travels with children, where accidents, falls and unexpected adventures are part of everyday life on a trip with them. 

On our last trip to Canada, we bought IATI Estrella travel insurance , and thank goodness we did. Luckily, we didn't have any problems, but some Spaniards we met told us that their daughter twisted her ankle while hiking one of the easier trails in Banff (and when I say easy, I mean it, based on what they told us). They ended up in the emergency room, and although everything turned out alright, the medical bill was over $800 CAD for a simple X-ray and a splint. Thanks to the insurance, they didn't have to pay a single cent of that exorbitant amount for a simple visit, but that's exactly what they told us.

AN IMPORTANT TIP: Don't travel to Canada without a good travel insurance, avoid big problems. It is one of the first requirements that they tell you on the Canadian government website along with the processing of the And so.
We recommend you the Iati Star We hired this insurance after a good comparison and study of the different ones on the market. It is the only one that exceeds one million euros of coverage. Without a doubt, it is the best for North America, where breaking a leg costs you €150.000, as happened to a friend of ours in the USA. Another positive thing is that Iati has an app for virtual visits.
I leave you here a link where you have a 5% off for any Iati travel insurance.

But it's not just about medical expenses. Have you stopped to think about what it would cost to cancel your trip if something unexpected came up at the last minute?

If you buy travel insurance within 5 days of booking your flights , you can be covered in case of trip cancellation ! And believe me, that can be a lifesaver. For example, missing our return flights due to a storm would have cost us a fortune if we hadn't bought insurance in time! Because that can happen in a place like Canada, where nature is truly something else!

What should a good travel insurance for Canada cover based on our experience?

Not all travel insurance policies are created equal, and when traveling to a country like Canada, it's essential that yours is flawless to avoid headaches . Here are the key coverages you shouldn't overlook when purchasing travel insurance:

Medical coverage (minimum 1 million euros) for Canada or the US

Canada has one of the most expensive healthcare systems in the world, along with the US, and if something happens to you, the bill can be astronomical. IATI Estrella , the plan we used, offers up to €5 million in medical coverage. An accident in a national park, or a bad fall while climbing, trekking, or skiing, could easily cost you more than $150,000 CAD , including hospital fees, transfers, and consultations. A friend in the US was charged $150.000 for a broken leg! I'm not kidding!

Coverage for adventure sports

If you enjoy adventure (and it's hard to resist in Canada), make sure your insurance covers extreme sports. On our trip, although we didn't ski because it was summer (we certainly would have in winter, being the skilled skiers we are), we did some hiking trails, which many insurance policies consider moderate risk . The IATI Estrella policy we purchased includes this coverage by default, so we had peace of mind.

Trip cancellation coverage

This is crucial, and this is where many people fail: you have to purchase travel insurance within 5 days of booking your flight to be covered in case of cancellation . If an unexpected family emergency arises, the insurance will reimburse the cost of your flights and other non-refundable bookings. For us, this coverage was key to our trip, as we knew that weather conditions in Canada are unpredictable. Imagine losing over $3,000 CAD on flights and accommodation due to a storm. With the insurance, we were covered. For me, it's absolutely essential to purchase cancellation coverage. We already experienced a flight cancellation in the US, and we weren't keen on going through the same thing again! We didn't take the 5-day step and lost money!

Lost or stolen luggage

Traveling with children means carrying half your home with you. The fear of losing your luggage on such a long trip is very real. The IATI Estrella insurance we purchased covers up to $1,200 CAD for lost or delayed luggage , which is a huge relief when you have two little ones waiting for their clothes and toys in the Canadian cold. This only happened to us once, in Mexico, when we didn't have IATI insurance but rather the travel agency's, and it was a terrible insurance disappointment—we didn't even have enough for peanuts. Now we always keep it in mind.

How much does travel insurance for Canada cost?

I know what you're thinking: “This all sounds great, but… How much will it cost me to have peace of mind with good insurance?” Don't worry, I'll give you an idea of ​​prices here:

• IATI Star: the insurance we took out cost us about 120 euros per adult for a 21-day trip. With that rate, we got Medical coverage of up to 5 million euros, adventure sports coverage and flight cancellation and luggage protection. A bargain compared to what a single visit to the doctor could cost you in Canada. And compared to the other insurances, it was the one that gave us the best coverage and price. I recommend you, as I believe, I always compare very well. I am one of those who always compares everything before anything else.
• Heymondo Premium: This insurance is somewhat more expensive, with prices ranging between 140 Euros For the 21-day trip we were on, it includes a real-time assistance app that is super useful if you prefer to manage everything digitally. Although Iati Estrella also has this app with an online visit and everything with a pediatrician.
• Chapka Adventure: If you plan to take a long trip through Canada, or if you plan to travel by motorhome (as we usually do), this insurance also seemed pretty good to us. For 15 days, the price is around 138 euros per person, and covers adventure activities without having to pay extra.
• World Nomads: an ideal option for backpackers and travelers looking for flexibility. For a 21-day trip, you can find policies from 150 Euros with extreme sports coverage and cancellations.

Examples of real experiences of travelers with travel insurance in Canada

Apart from our personal experience, I have met other travellers who have told us their adventures and stories about the importance of having good insurance. I will try to summarise them here:

• The Odyssey in Whistler: An acquaintance went to Canada on a ski trip to Whistler and suffered a bad fall in the snow. The ambulance ride, x-rays and minor surgery would have cost him more than CAD $ 50,000 If you had not had your travel insurance that covered you all expenses. It's a reminder that foolish falls can end up costing you dearly.
• Flight cancellations due to storm: a friend planned a trip to the Jasper national park, but had to cancel everything due to an unexpected storm. His insurance reimbursed him the CAD $ 1,500 that he had spent on flights and non-refundable reservations, and all because he took out the insurance in time in those 5 days that I told you about from the time he purchased the flight.

Final tips for purchasing travel insurance for Canada

Before I finish, here are my final tips based on my experience traveling through Canada with IATI Estrella, which, after comparing all the others, is the one we recommend for its price and coverage. In my opinion, it's the best (I hope no one from other companies takes offense) :

1. Hire it in the first 5 days after booking the flight. This way you will be covered for trip cancellation, which will reimburse you for the cost of flights, accommodation and activities in case of unforeseen events.
2. Check out the adventure sports coverageEven if you think you're just going for a walk, any outdoor activity can be considered risky. Include it to avoid surprises.
3. Keep all your phone numbers and insurance documents on your phone, in your email, and even on paper. If something happens to you in an area with no coverage, you'll want to have them handy.
4. Hire it with this link that they gave us that makes us all a 5% off.

I hope this post has been useful to you, with our experience with travel insurance and especially about travel insurance for travelling to Canada.

Safe travels, friends! And remember, travel insurance for Canada is a must!