Is Canada Life Travel Insurance worth it? Review 2024

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Sunny Yadav updated on 3 January 2024

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Finding good travel insurance that offers comprehensive coverage is a daunting task. They always lack one thing or the other. But we've got you covered.

Among the host of options available in the market, Canada Life travel insurance could be an option to consider. But is it the right fit for you?

To help you with that, we bring you this review of Canada Life travel insurance, its coverage, pros and cons, claims process, and everything you need to know. You can also compare its coverage with different providers and get quotes so you can pick a travel insurance that suits you the best.

Canada Life travel medical insurance: 5 Key Takeaways

  1. Canada Life primarily focuses on travel medical insurance, providing coverage for emergency medical expenses during trips.
  2. It offers two types of travel insurance add-ons: multi-trip and single-trip travel medical insurance.
  3. Canada Life offers comprehensive coverage options, 24/7 emergency assistance, customizable plans and competitive pricing.
  4. For snowbirds, there is specific travel medical insurance tailored to their needs.
  5. Compare coverage, prices, and get quotes from different providers using HelloSafe comparator.

Our review of Canada Life travel insurance

Canada Life is a financial services company that provides various insurance and investment products, including travel insurance. While it offers travel insurance as an add-on, it mostly focuses on medical coverage.

Canada Life's travel medical insurance is designed to provide coverage and protection for travellers when they encounter unexpected situations during their trips. It offers two types of travel insurance add-ons:

  1. Annual or Multi-Trip Travel Medical Insurance: This option provides coverage for all your trips throughout the entire year and is particularly suitable for frequent travellers.
  2. Single-Trip Travel Medical Insurance: With this, you purchase coverage for a specific time period, meaning you are protected only for the duration stated in your policy.

Overall, the company offers affordable coverage under its travel medical insurance. Here are its pros and cons to help you understand the offering better:

Pros

  • Reputable company
  • Comprehensive coverage options
  • 24/7 emergency assistance
  • Customizable plans
  • Competitive pricing

Cons

  • No standalone travel policy
  • Policy complexity

What is Canada Life travel insurance coverage?

One of the most often asked questions online is "Does Canada life have travel insurance standalone plans?" As mentioned before, it doesn't, but if offers add-ons that include a variety of travel medical insurance services to cover your needs. Whether you're travelling within Canada or internationally, it provides feasible options.

Some of the benefits that are typically covered by Canada Life travel medical insurance plans include:

  • Canada life emergency travel insurance protection, including doctor's visits, hospital stays and surgery
  • Medical evacuation and repatriation
  • Trip cancellation and interruption
  • Lost luggage and passport reimbursement
  • Personal liability coverage
  • Pre-existing conditions coverage (pre-travel stability periods may apply)
  • Canada life travel insurance covid coverage

<strong>Canada life covid travel insurance</strong>

Canada Life out-of-country travel insurance or emergency care benefit offers coverage for specific medical expenses for you and eligible dependents during travel outside Canada. This encompasses various purposes like business trips, vacations, or educational journeys. The coverage extends to emergency medical care, including treatment for COVID-19 symptoms. Claims related to COVID-19 travel insurance are handled similarly to other claims, with each claim evaluated on a case-by-case basis, considering unique aspects of each plan.

We recommend that you look at coverages and plans offered by other popular travel insurances like Allianz travel insurance and TuGo travel insurance and more. It helps to consider multiple options before making a decision.

If you'd like to compare the coverage and pricing of different travel insurances, all you need to do is use our comparator below. It's free to use and you can get personalised quotes in no time.

Compare the best travel insurance plans on the market!

Get a quote

What does Canada Life travel insurance not cover?

Some common exclusions in Canada Life's travel insurance include:

  • High-risk activities, such as extreme sports
  • Incidents related to war, civil unrest or acts of terrorism
  • Travel to high-risk countries
  • Alcohol or drug-related incidents
  • Loss of unattended belongings
  • Travel to excluded regions

How much does Canada Life travel insurance cost?

The cost of Canada Life travel medical insurance will vary depending on the length of your trip, your age, your health and the level of coverage you choose. Here are some of the factors to consider when choosing a Canada Life travel medical insurance plan:

  • The length of your trip
  • Your age
  • Your health
  • The level of coverage you want
  • Your budget

Here is a sample quote for a 33-year-old British Columbia resident traveling to France, for your reference:

Health Insurance Plan TypeBase PriceTravel Medical add-on cost per month
(30-day trip)
Travel Medical add-on cost per month
(60-day trip)
Travel Medical add-on cost per month
(90-day trip)
Travel medical Coverage outline
Select
Select Plus
Select Elite
$79.89
$124.95
$130.94
$6.50$13.70$21.801. Multi-trip coverage.
2. $1,000,000 coverage per trip.
3. Available prior to age 80.
4. Ambulance services
5. Medical evacuation and repatriation
6. Treatment by a physician
7. Dental accident treatment
travel insurance Canada life quote

As you can see the travel add-on is same irrespective of your health insurance plan. However, please note that the Canada life out of country travel insurance prices and add-on costs may vary based on individual factors like age, trip destination, and pre-existing conditions among others. It is recommend to get a Canada life travel insurance quote based on your unique needs.

It is worth mentioning that a "pre-existing exception will apply to medical conditions and/or symptoms that existed prior to your trip."

Canada Life travel medical insurance for snowbirds

Canada Life offers add-ons for Snowbirds, which is specifically designed to cater to the needs of individuals who travel to warmer regions during the winter months, often referred to as "Snowbirds."

This type of insurance is essential for Canadian retirees and other travellers who escape the harsh winter weather in Canada and spend an extended period in warmer climates, such as the southern United States or Mexico.

Travel medical insurance for Snowbirds typically provides coverage for emergency medical expenses while abroad, including:

  • Hospitalization
  • Medical treatments
  • Prescription drugs
  • Emergency medical evacuation

It is crucial for Snowbirds to have this insurance because their provincial health coverage may have limitations or exclusions when they stay outside of Canada for an extended period. The coverage options may vary and Snowbirds can choose plans based on their specific travel needs, duration and destination.

Single-trip vs. multi-trip insurance: Which one is better for snowbirds?

For snowbirds, the choice between a single-trip and annual travel insurance add-on depends on their travel plans and preferences.

Annual travel insurance allows for unlimited trips within a 12-month period, but the number of days per trip may be limited. On the other hand, single-trip insurance covers a specific trip for a set number of days. If you are a snowbird planning one extended trip, annual travel medical insurance might be more suitable.

However, if you are a senior, planning several shorter trips, single-trip insurance could be more practical. For this, consider a plan like Freedom to Choose health and dental insurance, which offers the option to add emergency travel medical coverage in multi-trip bundles of 30, 60 or 90 days per trip, with no restriction on the number of trips per year.

How much does Canada Life travel medical insurance cost for snowbirds?

The cost of travel medical insurance for snowbirds varies based on coverage amount, trip length and age. For instance, if you are a 60-year-old adding it as extra coverage to your existing health insurance plan, the add-on cost per month depending on the trip length is as follows:

  • 30 days: $15
  • 60 days: $31.50
  • 90 days: $50.30

You can compare other travel providers that offer the best insurance plans for snowbirds and decide the one that suits you the best. You could simply use our free comparator below and get quotes based on your unique needs in no time.

Compare the best travel insurance plans on the market!

Get a quote

How do I contact Canada Life travel insurance?

If your Travel Assistance card provides an alternate contact number, you can use that for assistance as well. Otherwise, use these helpline canada life travel insurance phone numbers that are available 24/7 to help you during any emergency:

  • Canada and the United States: 1-855-222-4051
  • The rest of the world: 1-204-946-2577

How do I file a claim for Canada Life travel medical insurance?

You will need to fill and submit a claim form to claim any out-of-country medical expenses. If you purchased your policy directly from Canada Life, you must fill the Freedom to Choose form. You can download the form here.

You will next be prompted to fill out the provincial authorisation form based on the province you reside in. Then, you can submit the completed forms via email to [email protected]. One can also submit it online using your Canada Life login.

Supporting documents to corroborate your claims will be requested. These typically include receipts, prescriptions, or validations from a medical practitioner, related to the claim you're making. Upon review, your claims will be processed.

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Sunny Yadav Copywriter
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Sunny has over six years of experience curating engaging content spanning across industries. Specifically in finance, his expertise is insurance reviews and lending and investment topics.