FAQ – Travel Insurance

What type of situation does trip cancellation insurance cover?

• Change in travel health notice risk level: If the Government of Canada’s travel health notice for your destination changes from Level 1 or 2 at the time of purchase to Level 3 before your departure, then you can cancel your trip. If you decide to travel, you will still be covered for travel assistance (emergency medical expenses including COVID-19) for as long as the Government of Canada’s travel health notice level does not change to Level 4.
• Level 4 travel health notice: If the Government of Canada’s travel health notice for your destination changes from Level 1, 2 or 3 at the time of purchase to Level 4 before your departure, then it is possible and recommended that you cancel your trip. If you don’t, you won’t be covered for travel assistance.

The following are the Government of Canada’s travel health notice risk levels:

• Level 1: Practice health precautions
• Level 2: Practice enhanced health precautions
• Level 3: Avoid non-essential travel
• Level 4: Avoid all travel

Please see your insurance policy in the Client Centre for more details on eligible reasons for cancellation.

1. Check the options offered by the airline

Go to their website or contact them directly for information related to booking changes, travel credits or reimbursements.

• For Air Canada, click here (This hyperlink will open in a new tab).
• For Sunwing, click here (This hyperlink will open in a new tab).
• For Air Transat, click here (This hyperlink will open in a new tab).
• For WestJet, click here (This hyperlink will open in a new tab).
• For Lufthansa, click here (This hyperlink will open in a new tab).
• For EasyJet, click here (This hyperlink will open in a new tab).
• For Air France, click here

2. Check the options included with your credit card

In the event that you are dissatisfied with the airline's options, contact your credit card company (the one you used to purchase the trip) to see if their travel insurance coverage applies to your situation.

3. Contact your travel agent

If you purchased your trip through a travel agency, they can help you determine what options are available to you.

4. Ask about the options offered in your province

Depending on your province of residence, there may be a governmental organization that offers consumer protection services to travelers like the Office de la protection du consommateur (OPC) in Quebec and the Travel Industry Council of Ontario (TICO).

Flights cancelled because of an airline strike (Air Canada, WestJet, Sunwing, Air Transat, etc.) are not generally covered by your travel insurance. Check your contract in the Client Centre or call the number on the back of your insurance card to confirm.

Airlines may cancel flights for any number of reasons, like inclement weather, technical problems, security issues or any other operation-disrupting event.

Don’t panic! Head to their website or contact your travel agency to learn the procedure to follow. They’ll know where to direct you.

• For Air Canada, click here (This hyperlink will open in a new tab).
• For Sunwing, click here (This hyperlink will open in a new tab).
• For Air Transat, click here (This hyperlink will open in a new tab).
• For WestJet, click here (This hyperlink will open in a new tab).
• For Lufthansa, click here (This hyperlink will open in a new tab).
• For EasyJet, click here (This hyperlink will open in a new tab).
• For Air France, click here (This hyperlink will open in a new tab).

Not necessarily. Before planning to stay longer, make sure your trip doesn’t exceed the maximum days covered by your insurance. To avoid any surprises, see your coverage in the Client Centre or call our travel insurance assistance service at 1 855 635-9460.

Absolutely! You can cancel your trip if your illness is severe enough to warrant cancellation. You have to provide proof of your medical condition to be eligible.

• Completed and signed claim form
• Proof of trip cancellation from the provider
• Copy of any credits and refunds you’ve received
• Detailed invoices from your service providers, including their cancellation policies
• Proof of payment for the trip (like your credit card or bank statement)
• Your plane tickets (if applicable)
• Completed and signed request for direct deposit form (if applicable)

• Original and detailed invoices, including:
  • Name, signature and address of the health care provider
  • Location of service
  • List of all services received
  • Diagnosis and treatment
  • Cost and date of services received
• Original receipts for prescription drugs, including:
  • Name of the prescription drugs
  • Dosage
  • Price
• Proof of payment for all claimed expenses, including:
  • Copy of credit card statement
  • Proof of cashed cheque indicating currency in which the service was paid
  • Transaction receipt may be accepted (in certain cases only)
• Proof of departure and return dates, including:
  • Airplane or train ticket
  • Copy of stamped passport
  • Bank or credit card statement showing purchases made in Canada just before your departure and immediately after your return
• Any other relevant documents, including:
  • Medical reports
  • Lab results
• Claim forms (completed and signed)

1. To start, contact your travel service providers (airline or travel agency, etc.), 72 hours before a deposit becomes due.
2. Then contact the travel assistance service provided by your travel insurance, 72 hours before your departure or a deposit becomes due by your travel agent. The number is indicated on the back of your insurance card or in the Client Centre.
   • For those covered by CanAssistance, fill out the form on their website (This hyperlink will open in a new tab).
   • For those covered by AXA Assistance, call the phone number on your insurance card or your plan administrator.

For Quebec residents who purchased their trip from a travel agency in Quebec

1. Submit a reimbursement request to the Compensation Fund for Customers of Travel Agents (This hyperlink will open in a new tab). (CFCTA) for services not received (transportation, lodging, tourist activities or other), when your security is compromised, when departure and repatriation is required, or even in the event of the closure or bankruptcy of the travel agency.
2. Fill out the claim form for your travel insurance assistance service.
   • For those covered by CanAssistance, fill out the form on their website (This hyperlink will open in a new tab)..
   • For those covered by AXA Assistance, call the phone number on your insurance card or your plan administrator.

An advisory to avoid non-essential travel outside Canada must be in effect at the time of your departure.

If you received travel credit as compensation, we consider this as reimbursement and will deduct it from your claim. If it's equal to your total amount, you won't receive any further reimbursement from us.

For us, travel credit is compensation. Therefore, whether you accept it or not, this amount will be deducted from your reimbursement.

If the travel credit is equal to the total amount, we won’t make any additional reimbursement.

If the travel credit is less than the total amount, we’ll reimburse the remainder of your claim based on all eligible expenses in your contract.

Unfortunately, no. Before booking your trip, you have to make sure that your passports and visas are in order or will be before you leave. If not, your adventure will have to be postponed!

Although this isn’t covered by our group insurance, your airline can help you. Go to their website or contact them directly to find out what to do.

• For Air Canada, click here (Cet hyperlien s'ouvrira dans un nouvel onglet).
• For Sunwing, click here (Cet hyperlien s'ouvrira dans un nouvel onglet).
• For Air Transat, click here (Cet hyperlien s'ouvrira dans un nouvel onglet).
• For WestJet, click here (This hyperlink will open in a new tab).
• For Lufthansa, click here (This hyperlink will open in a new tab).
• For EasyJet, click here ((This hyperlink will open in a new tab).
• For AirFrance, click here (This hyperlink will open in a new tab).

If your health is good and stable, you don't need to notify us before leaving.

However, if you have a known illness, changed your medication, received a new diagnosis or something else, call our travel insurance assistance service to check the coverage for your new medical condition. You can always visit our travel assistance page for more advice before leaving.

If you plan to travel to a high-risk region, see the Travel Advice and Advisories (This hyperlink will open in a new tab). as well as the Travel Health Notices issued (This hyperlink will open in a new tab). by the Government of Canada. If a travel advisory is in effect for your destination, please contact your travel insurance assistance service.

Since October 1, 2020, emergency medical expenses, including those related to COVID 19, are covered for destinations for which the Government of Canada issued Level, 1, 2 or 3 travel health notice. To be covered, your health must be good and stable before departure.

However, emergency medical expenses are not covered if your destination has a Level 4 travel health notice.

The following are the Government of Canada’s travel health notice risk levels:

• Level 1: Practice health precautions
• Level 2: Practice enhanced health precautions
• Level 3: Avoid non-essential travel
• Level 4: Avoid all travel

Note for FNEEQ and AREF members: Travel insurance coverage is limited to 30 days for destinations with a Level 3 travel health notice on the departure date.

The following expenses are eligible according to the maximum amount provided for under the contract:

• Medical expenses
• Additional expenses incurred for the purchase of a return ticket, or change fees for an existing ticket, according to the following parameters:
  • Single, economy-class ticket
  • Flight operated by a public carrier with a fixed schedule
  • Most direct route to the initially planned destination

Accommodation and living expenses are not covered unless indicated in the contract.

To be eligible for travel insurance, you have to be covered by your provincial or territorial health insurance plan. If your trip exceeds the maximum allowable days set by your province or territory, you have to fill out an exemption request.

Choose the province or territory to view the extended absence rules that apply.

• Quebec (This hyperlink will open in a new tab).
• Alberta (This hyperlink will open in a new tab).
• British Columbia (This hyperlink will open in a new tab).
• Prince Edward Island (This hyperlink will open in a new tab)).
• Manitoba (This hyperlink will open in a new tab).
• New Brunswick (This hyperlink will open in a new tab).
• Nova Scotia (This hyperlink will open in a new tab).
• Ontario (This hyperlink will open in a new tab).
• Saskatchewan (This hyperlink will open in a new tab).
• Newfoundland and Labrador (This hyperlink will open in a new tab).
• Northwest Territories (This hyperlink will open in a new tab).
• Yukon (This hyperlink will open in a new tab).

Your insurance contract may have certain exclusions for high-risk sports. We recommend that you check the Exclusions section of your contract available in the Client Centre and contact your travel insurance assistance service to get more details about the exclusions that may apply to a sport you’re planning to do. You can always visit our travel assistance page or more advice before leaving.

Yes, in part. RAMQ’s provincial health insurance plan doesn’t cover all medical expenses when you travel outside your home province. Without travel insurance in the United States, a simple flu could result in significant out-of-pocket expenses. Consider getting travel insurance to avoid any unpleasant surprises.

To find out what your insurance covers during pregnancy, check the Limitations section in your travel insurance brochure. We highly recommend that you contact our travel insurance assistance service for more information. For example, if you have a specific pregnancy-related condition, that may be subject to a limitation.

Visit our travel assistance page to find all the information you need. We’re here to help at every stage of your trip!

When it comes to impairment, an exclusion or limitation of coverage may apply. For more details, check the Exclusions and Limitations section of your group insurance brochure.