Canadian Medical Insurance discussion

[LiftLockCouple]

To all Canadian cruisers. Especially those of you with medical conditions and those over 55. Who do you use for your medical coverage when out of the country?

1) The insurance provided by the major banks?

2) Independent providers such as

a) Primelink b) Primelink underwriters c) Travel Underwiters d) Travel and health care Solutions ( ETFS ) e) TIC f) Travel Guard canada G) CAA H) Sears , there are probably others.

3) do you take the chance and use the American policies even though the coverage limits are very low and there is little in the way of dispute resolution available to Canadians?

4) Emergency Evac companies such as MedJet Assist, there are probably lots of others. They get you home but don't pay for treatment.

5) How many of you have read and understand the Pre-Existing Condition clauses and stability period requirements? There is a significant difference between these companies in this area.

6) what has been your claim experience?

 

Almost all of the advice on this board is for Americans which is no surprise since mostly Americans use it. Lets add some Canadian flavor and help each other on this important issue.

[Misty_Que]

I would like to know the answers of these questions as well. I fall under having a pre-existing condtion and need the most extensive coverage there is. Just wondering what others experiences have been.

[erin_cruisers]

To all Canadian cruisers. Especially those of you with medical conditions and those over 55. Who do you use for your medical coverage when out of the country?

1) The insurance provided by the major banks?

2) Independent providers such as

a) Primelink b) Primelink underwriters c) Travel Underwiters d) Travel and health care Solutions ( ETFS ) e) TIC f) Travel Guard canada G) CAA H) Sears , there are probably others.

3) do you take the chance and use the American policies even though the coverage limits are very low and there is little in the way of dispute resolution available to Canadians?

4) Emergency Evac companies such as MedJet Assist, there are probably lots of others. They get you home but don't pay for treatment.

5) How many of you have read and understand the Pre-Existing Condition clauses and stability period requirements? There is a significant difference between these companies in this area.

6) what has been your claim experience?

 

Almost all of the advice on this board is for Americans which is no surprise since mostly Americans use it. Lets add some Canadian flavor and help each other on this important issue.

 

We have used RBC for several of our cruises, and Travelguard.ca for the rest.

When we buy the insurance we always get the most we can, and cover 100% of the total cost of the holiday.

 

We have only had to use insurance one time. On our Panama cruise a couple of years ago.

I can't remember how the disbursements went, since my DW looked after it all.

I'll ask her tonight and post again.

[Debathome]

We purchase the RBC annual medical coverage. It is a reasonable rate (around 60 dollars) and covers us even for short trips across border ~ up to 14 days. I don't have to purchase or worry about it each time I leave the province. Then I purchase extra coverage for the flight/cruise portion using either RBC (which my TA uses) or through the place purchased (ie; Airmiles etc.). I always get coverage, even for the shortest getaways.

 

I am sure Carol (dirtgirl) will be able to input some good advice here. She is a Canadian and a TA and has run into problems while cruising which needed to be covered by insurance. She should be able to input some expert advice on the best to use but she is off cruising right now.

[LiftLockCouple]

Historicly we have always used insurance from our bank but a few years ago some issues entered the scene that has required a different approach. Most recently we used Travel Underwriters ( Richmond BC ) through insuremytrip.ca ( based in Rhode Island ). No claims yet so no experience there.

Anouther option that I failed to list is of course CARP and their provider The Mclennan Group. I'm told that if your pre-ex conditions are a little complicated that they forward you to either Primelink underwriters or maybe it is Travel Underwriters ( not sure ).

[maryann2]

The bank and credit card insurance does not cover Medical over 65. I don't use trip cancellation but do have the CIBC credit card coverage for trip interruption, as long as everything is put on the card and that you have actually started the trip.

 

For Medical coverage I now use Travel Safe Premier through Squaremouth. It covers pre-existing if purchased within two weeks of booking.

 

Accident and sickness $250,000 which is better than a lot of other plans, and $1,000,000 evacuation and repatriation.

 

I have never had to make a claim so cannot help you in that aspect.

[maryann2]

As a follow up to my post yesterday. I booked a cruise this morning and could not get any Travelsafe information from Squaremouth so went to the Travelsafe site. Was able to book it direct with them and the underwriters are Coop Life insurance company in Saskatchewan.

Medical expense is increased to $1,000,000 now. Covers pre-existing as purchased withinn 14 days of booking.

[LiftLockCouple]

As a follow up to my post yesterday. I booked a cruise this morning and could not get any Travelsafe information from Squaremouth so went to the Travelsafe site. Was able to book it direct with them and the underwriters are Coop Life insurance company in Saskatchewan.

Medical expense is increased to $1,000,000 now. Covers pre-existing as purchased withinn 14 days of booking.

 

Wow, that is very good coverage. This goes onto the " investigate further" list. Will want to look up the med evac and the Pre-ex conditions fine print. eg, Will they bring you home or just to the nearest hospital?

[LiftLockCouple]

As a follow up to my post yesterday. I booked a cruise this morning and could not get any Travelsafe information from Squaremouth so went to the Travelsafe site. Was able to book it direct with them and the underwriters are Coop Life insurance company in Saskatchewan.

Medical expense is increased to $1,000,000 now. Covers pre-existing as purchased withinn 14 days of booking.

 

MA2: Thanks for this post. I finally checked the website, read the certificate for the Canadian coverage and indeed a policy with $1M coverage that also has a pre-ex waiver. Over the past three years I have had opportunity to read various policies and am excited to finally find a Canadian policy with acceptable coverage limits AND with a pre-ex waiver. It is about time that we finally have these options.

[superoma]

Hi Liftlockcouple, we have been using Special Benefits Insurance Services and they have a coverage of $5 Million for emergency medical benefits. They do ask about existing conditions and exclude some things but check out their website at www.sbis.ca Also the staff that answer the phone calls are very helpful and knowledgeable. We found them a much less expensive option than most. We carry annual insurance that covers us up to 16 days, multiple times per year and can buy top up insurance days if we are going for longer.

 

We have been buying trip cancellation insurance through President's Choice and have been happy with the cost and coverage. They no longer cover trips to Cuba, however, since they are now owned by an American firm.

 

My most recent bill was $64.08 for me and $77.61 for my DH who is on high blood pressure medication for the year. We always carry some out of country since even a trip to Detroit airport without coverage could be a problem. We are 61 and 66.

 

We have never had to claim on any of the policies so I cannot vouch for how difficult or easy that might be.

 

Hope this helps,

[LiftLockCouple]

Superoma: Thanks for the post. I have never heard of SBIS so will look them up. What I am trying to do is get us talking. The last two posts have shown that there are many options for us and that none of us are aware of all of them. The Pre-Ex exclusion waiver offered by Travelsafe seems to be new to Canada and could be key for someone with some issues. There might be others without resorting the the very low coverages offered by American companies. Nothing against them except their coverages are IMO way to low for us Canucks.

[LiftLockCouple]

Here is a repost of my OP. I have added two "new to me " companies.

 

To all Canadian cruisers. Especially those of you with medical conditions and those over 55. Who do you use for your medical coverage when out of the country?

1) The insurance provided by the major banks?

2) Independent providers such as

a) Primelink b) Primelink underwriters c) Travel Underwiters d) Travel and health care Solutions ( ETFS ) e) TIC f) Travel Guard canada G) CAA H) Sears J) Travelsafe Canada ( has a Pre-Ex Waiver option ) K) Special Benefits Insurance Services , there are probably others.

3) do you take the chance and use the American policies even though the coverage limits are very low and there is little in the way of dispute resolution available to Canadians?

4) Emergency Evac companies such as MedJet Assist, there are probably lots of others. They get you home but don't pay for treatment.

5) How many of you have read and understand the Pre-Existing Condition clauses and stability period requirements? There is a significant difference between these companies in this area.

6) what has been your claim experience?

 

Almost all of the advice on this board is for Americans which is no surprise since mostly Americans use it. Lets add some Canadian flavor and help each other on this important issue.

Edited April 17, 2011 by LiftLockCouple

[millineumwoman]

I have used blue cross medical usually buy the one for the full year as it will cover anytime we cross the border as my daughter has had a lot of competitions in the us.

 

also check your work insurance as i have found that some of them like manulife (my mother has this) include out of the country so any preexisting conditions are covered and you only have to notify them that you are going out of the country to activate it.

 

we have been lucky so far and have never had to claim anything. we drink milk lol

[dirtgirl]

Hi there,

I am a Canadian travel agent, and I sell RBC insurance. RBC really doesn't have a good policy for those with unstable pre-existing conditions. We even refer people to BCAA in that case - you pay through the nose for their policy, and it only has $200,000 of medical coverage, but that is better than nothing!

The cruise line insurance policies are a joke, medical-wise; most offer $10,000 to a max of $20,000 medical coverage, which is not nearly enough. If I sell the cruise line insurance (and I do mostly to my American clients), I always advise them to get additional medical insurance (as of yet, we can't sell medical insurance to Americans, but that will be changing, thankfully)!

 

I did have to make a claim with RBC recently - 4 claims in fact - medical, trip delay, baggage claim, and subsistence allowance. I was compensated without any problems. Keep all receipts!! I do recommend that if you have a Deluxe or Non-medical Package with RBC to get the additional $5 Rider 1, which provides you with more coverage.

 

RBC does have an unlimited medical component as long as you are stable. Anyone 60 and over has to fill out a medical questionnaire to score them and determine which coverage you will get.

 

The policy itself is quite good. Never, ever, EVER rely upon credit card insurance - they are vastly inferior in their coverage. RBC covers for 46 reasons for canceling, and it's very comprehensive.

[MSunshine]

Just looking for anyone's experiences with Berkeley Group Cruise Care Insurance through Royal Caribbean International. We are trying to determine if this is good coverage for our family of 4. Thanks in advance for any input.

[euan]

Wow, that is very good coverage. This goes onto the " investigate further" list. Will want to look up the med evac and the Pre-ex conditions fine print. eg, Will they bring you home or just to the nearest hospital?

 

Yes,this is really very good coverage and it has so many advantages..........

[Carnevale]

A very big thank you to all who shared info on this thread. My TA gave me no options for the situation I face however, after reading this, I called SquareMouth and found exactly what I need. I had given up hope of getting any coverage and am delighted to find I have several options to consider!

[LiftLockCouple]

A good thread that discusses actual experiences with medical costs and medical evac costs in other countries. Well worth the read if you are considering how much coverage you will need for cruises a long way from home.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1371432

[LiftLockCouple]

The following is an excerpt from a Toronto Star article today. Please note this situation worked out favorably but it involved the local authorities. If this had been an American company, would the result have been the same? I don't know since I have no experience with them but I have to assume it would be more difficult. In this case the insurance was purchased from a company ( RBC ) that has a local office in Ontario. The initial claim was denied on what I would call a technicality but the consumer had local help. Something to think about when purchasing your insurance. Here is the excerpt. You can find the entire article at www.thestar.com .

 

Eunice Ryder and Emil Sutter had a problem with an RBC travel medical insurance policy they bought from Uniglobe Travel before going to Florida last March.

“My partner and I should have insisted on more information,” Ryder said. “Perhaps we should have taken the medical questionnaire home and read all the fine print and asked more questions.

“I feel the insurance company and travel agent should make it clear to the customer that the contract should be reviewed before being submitted. Instead, it was presented as, ‘Fill it in and that’s all you need to do.’”

Sutter, 76, made a mistake when filling out the form. He denied any history of arthritis, even though he’d had hip replacement surgery the previous year. (He thought the problem was caused by wear and tear.)

When he left for Florida two months later, he had a heart attack on the flight. Later, he filed a claim for $112,000 (U.S.) in hospital costs after having emergency surgery and a stent implanted at a cardiac care centre.

RBC turned down his claim, even though his doctor confirmed he had no history of cardiac problems.

“They gave back the premiums, but said the error voided the coverage,” said Ryder, who appealed for help after finding a previous column I’d written about a travel insurance claim denied by RBC (and later reversed).

Writing to the bank ombudsman did the trick. Within days, she got a call saying RBC would pay the full claim. (Uniglobe Travel also went to bat for the couple, she told me.)

[LiftLockCouple]

http://www.thestar.com/news/article/1017800--toronto-man-faces-65-000-medical-bill-after-incorrectly-filling-out-form

 

Be very cautious how you answer the questions. I would have answered the question the same way. Maybe the question needs to be more specific.

[maryann2]

If you decide to go with TravelSafe do not book through Squaremouth or Insure my trip. Book directly through the website and it covers $1,000,000 Medical for Canadians who have MSP, only $50,000 for US purchasers. Pre-existing covered with no questionair if purchased within 2 weeks of booking. Of course you have to be fit to travel at the time of purchasing.

[LiftLockCouple]

This thread on the Celebrity board has an interesting discussion about Medjet Assist. Some might be interested to read it. It is a insurance type service that will transport a patient home ( with no Pre-Exisiting condition exclusions) as long as the patient is stable enough to travel. The transport is from anywhere in the world with adequate airport service to the nearest suitable airport to your home or hospital of choice.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1438875

[LiftLockCouple]

I found this article today. It is really a word of warning the the wise, be prepared.

 

http://travelinsurancefile.com/always-up-to-date/travel-insurance-advisory-u-s-hospitals-cracking-down-on-foreign-patients/

[LiftLockCouple]

The complete article is at the attached link.

 

the man had seen a doctor before he left Toronto. “There was concern that he could have a heart problem but he was told he was okay and could travel,” she said.

Turnbull says #### also learned he was referred to a heart specialist. “(Even if he had) answered the questionnaire correctly, his claim wouldn’t have been covered, because of an increase in severity and frequency of symptoms of a heart condition.”

 

http://www.moneyville.ca/article/1039536--an-89-year-old-man-s-travel-insurance-mistake

[LiftLockCouple]

The following is an excerpt from a larger review from the Carnival Dream as seen in this link. “A” is the reviewers young son.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1468964

Medical Center

And yes, we got to visit the medical center. I wish I could say it was an unavoidable thing, like the flu or food poisoning. But no, it was parental negligence. A was sitting on the bed with us and I looked away for one second and he scooted back and fell off the edge of the bed. He had the whole floor to fall on but managed to hit the hinge at the bottom of the foldable crib (which was open). Right on the back of his head. He screamed, blood poured from his head, it was oh so exciting. We got tissue on the wound and held it there until the bleeding seemed to stop. This was at 7:30am and the med center didn’t open until 8am so we had to wait and see. At 7:55, we could see it was still bleeding and looked really nasty. It was a horseshoe shaped gash. So we headed down to deck 0. I guess the first thing that shocked me was that the waiting room was full of crew. Isn’t that so dumb of me? I never thought about how to the crew, this is the general practitioner. I used to wonder how busy the docs down there were but now I realize they’re very busy. There was member of the kitchen crew in there who had glass in his face. The waiting room was pretty small but I could see an exam room and it looked like a full ER room, with everything you need. I think they had 4 exam rooms total. They took D and A back and kept me up front to fill out paper work. Then the nurse asked me some questions about how it happened and had me repeat it a few times. I was kinda annoyed by that. Then I was allowed to go back to the exam room and D told me that they had asked him how it happened too. We realized that they were making sure our stories matched and it wasn’t a case of child abuse. Then we were very happy how thorough they were being. The doc came in and looked at A’s head wound and said it wasn’t horrible but it did need to be shut. Instead of stitches, they went with Dermabond (pretty much superglue for the skin). First the nurse had to cut some hair off and then I assured my little man it wouldn’t hurt. The nurse had to tell me that actually, Dermabond burns a bit when applied. Thankfully it didn’t take too long and he didn’t cry too much. Then they put bandages on his head so all would be able to see what a crappy parent I was that morning. The doc came back and checked it out and said all was good. No sleeping until noon and no water for 48 hours (hence why we never used the blow up pool). They never asked for an insurance card but the bill was only $148. However, it meant that visit to the spa I was eyeing was now out of the question. Thankfully, A seemed pretty unaffected by the injury. He woke up from naps more cranky than usual but after some Tylenol, he felt much better. Probably had a killer headache.