Effective March 13, there is an official global travel advisory to avoid all non-essential travel outside of Canada until further notice.
For those who choose to travel outside of Canada, the Government of Canada recommends that all travellers register so they can be provided with updates if issues arise. Beyond this advisory, the Public Health Agency of Canada is recommending that Canadians avoid all cruise ship travel.
If you choose to travel we recommend you review safety tips posted on the Government of Canada’s Travel and Tourism site and the Travel health notices section of the site for current health notices and definitions of travel warning levels.
If you’re travelling, it’s important to review your plan member booklet to:
- See if your group benefits plan includes travel coverage and if it does,
- Review the information on the emergency travel coverage and trip cancellation/interruption coverage provided under your group benefits plan.
Because of the Government of Canada’s official global travel advisory travelling to a destination outside of Canada can impact your travel insurance coverage. Depending on the insurer:
- Trips booked to a destination after an advisory has been announced may not be eligible for medical emergency coverage or trip cancellation/trip interruption coverage
- If you departed on a trip before the travel advisory was issued, your trip interruption coverage may only be in place for 10 days from the date of the travel advisory
- Trips booked for future travel to a destination that has a formal travel advisory or for a cruise may not have emergency medical coverage if the advisory is still in effect at the time of travel
- If you’re on a cruise that departed after March 9, the date the Government of Canada issued the advisory to avoid all cruise ship travel, you may not have out of country medical coverage
We strongly recommend that you contact your emergency medical travel provider with questions before you travel. Contact information can be found on your benefits card or on your travel card. If you don’t have this information, contact your plan administrator.