Blog

Today I'm going to tell you everything our experience with the indispensable and necessary travel insurance in Canada. Experience from several trips to North America, not just Canada, which can be helpful for your next trip.

When you imagine Canada, images of turquoise lakes, imposing mountains and modern cities full of life surely come to mind. And that's right, all of that is what you will see in Canada, especially if you go to the Rocky Mountains, not so much outside of them lol.

But before you dream too much, let me tell you something important: If there is a place where you need good travel insuranceit's here Certainly one of the requirements to travel to Canada from Spaina, among others, is this one. I say this from personal experience (and I'll tell you about it now), but I can tell you in advance that a good travel insurance can literally save you from ruin, as well as your life :P.

Is travel insurance for Canada really necessary?

The quick and anticipated answer to the long story you don't feel like reading: 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 hired the IATI Star Insurance, and thank goodness we did. Luckily we didn't have any mishaps, but some Spaniards we met told us that their daughter twisted her ankle while doing one of the easiest routes in Banff (and when I say easy, I mean it because of what they told us). They ended up in the emergency room, and although everything went well, the medical bill was more than CAD $ 800 by a simple x-ray and a splint. Thanks to insurance, they didn't have to pay a cent. of that atrocity for a simple visit, but just as 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? Cancel your trip if something unexpected happens breaking news? 

If you buy insurance in less than 5 days since you book the flights, you can be covered against the trip cancellationAnd believe me, that can be a lifesaver. It would have cost us a fortune to miss our return flights due to a storm if we hadn't taken out insurance in time, for example! Because that can happen in a place like Canada where nature is amazing!

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

Not all insurance is created equal, and when you travel to a country like Canada, it is essential that yours is impeccable to avoid headachesHere are the key coverages that you cannot miss when you are going to purchase travel insurance:

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

Canada has one of the most expensive medical systems in the world, along with the US, and if something happens to you, the bill can be astronomical. IATI Star, which was the one we used, offers up to 5 million euros in medical expenses. An accident in a national park, or a bad fall while climbing, trekking or skiing, could easily cost you more than CAD $ 150,000 , between hospital, transfers and consultations. A friend in the US was charged $150.000 for a broken leg! Come on, it's no joke!

Coverage for adventure sports

If you like adventure (and in Canada it is difficult to resist), make sure your insurance covers extreme sports. On our trip, although we did not go skiing because it was summer (in winter we would have done it, being the good skiers that we are), we did go on some hiking trails that, for many insurance companies, are considered moderate risk. The IATI Star  the insurance we contracted includes this coverage by default, so we were relaxed.

Trip cancellation coverage

This is crucial, and this is where many people fail: You must take out insurance within 5 days of purchasing the flight so that it covers you in case of flight cancellation.. If an unexpected family event or emergency arises, the insurance reimburses the cost of flights and other non-refundable reservations. For us, this coverage was key on our trip, as we knew that weather conditions in Canada are unpredictable. Imagine losing more than $3,000 CAD for flights and accommodation due to a storm. We were covered by insurance. For me, this is very important to take out cancellation insurance. In the US we already experienced a flight cancellation and we had no desire to go through the same thing again! We didn't do the 5-day thing and we lost money!

Lost or stolen luggage

Traveling with children means carrying half of your house with you. The fear of losing your luggage on such a long trip is real. IATI Star that we contracted covers up to $1,200 CAD for lost or delayed baggage, which is a relief when you have two little ones waiting for their clothes and toys in the middle of the Canadian cold. This actually only happened to us once in Mexico, when we didn't have Iati insurance, but rather the travel agency's, and it was a disappointment because we didn't even have enough for chips. Now we always keep this 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 last tips based on my experience traveling through Canada with the IATI Estrella, which after comparing with all of them, is the one we recommend for price and coverage it offers. In my opinion, it is the best (I hope no one is offended by other companies).:

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.

Good route, friends! And remember, travel insurance for Canada, no matter what!