Travel Insurance: Are your employees covered?

3 minutes

These days, the water cooler talk is all about vacations. While some are planning to go to the beach or hike in the forest, others are considering slow tourism in Europe.

But are your employees covered should they experience a health issue outside their province of residence? Is the travel insurance included with the group insurance plan enough?

Here's what every employee needs to know to avoid unpleasant surprises when travelling.

Your role as employer

When it comes to what travel insurance actually covers, many people don’t find out until it’s too late.

As an employer, you must:

  • Remind employees to check their coverage.
  • Help them understand their coverage.
  • Explain best practices before, during and after their trip.

A simple reminder can avoid a lot of stress, and ensure that your employees enjoy their trip to the max.

How?

When you overhear water cooler talk about vacation, see it as an opportunity to inform your staff on group travel insurance.

You should also consider bringing up the subject right before:

  • Summer vacation
  • Holiday
  • March break

Try these simple and effective ways to encourage your employees to check their coverage before they leave.

  • When a vacation request is submitted, add a reminder like ‘Have you checked your travel insurance coverage?’
  • Designate a contact person to whom employees can ask questions, such as an HR or benefits advisor.

You can also refer employees to the following resource material:

Checking coverage before departure

Every plan is different and travel insurance coverage will vary in terms of:

  • Length of stay
  • Coverage amount
  • To-do before departure
  • Exclusions, such as extreme sports
  • Travel advisories for the country being visited

Another thing to check is who is eligible for coverage. For example, an employee’s 23-year-old who still lives at home and is no longer a student might not be covered.

Asking the right questions avoids unpleasant surprises.

Before packing

These simple steps can save travellers a lot of hassle.

Pre-existing conditions matter

Your employees should also be aware that certain coverage may be voided when they have a pre-existing health condition.

For example, they may have:

  • Heart problems
  • Type 2 diabetes
  • Pregnancy-related complications, such as pre-eclampsia
  • An injury that is still being treated

Even though some pre-existing conditions may be stable, they can still affect eligibility, like:

  • pending diagnosis or test results
  • change of dosage
  • new treatment
  • recent surgery
  • medical check-up within the last year that was not a routine examination

Check the eligibility of a condition by calling the travel assistance (This hyperlink will open in a new tab) service provider directly. Failing to do so could mean being denied reimbursement and forced to pay out-of-pocket medical expenses incurred in the destination country. It's better to declare one’s medical history before leaving. In the event of an emergency, this will save a lot of trouble.

Asking questions about insurance coverage is essential when planning a trip because of factors like state of health, purpose and destination. Spread the word around the office!