Expert: Travel insurance key before heading out of country

The Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade notes consumers will almost certainly not be protected by their Canadian health insurance outside of the country, underscoring the importance of securing a travel insurance policy before leaving home.

David Hartman, president of the Travel Health Insurance Association of Canada, said more countries are requiring proof of medical insurance before visitors enter their country. Cuba was one of the latest countries to adopt such a mandate, joining Belarus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Lithuania, Poland and Ukraine, to name a few, as countries that specifically caution Canadian travellers prepare to provide that proof of insurance before crossing their borders.

Visitors to the Ukraine are even required to purchase mandatory state-provided health insurance before entering, said Hartman. Supplemental travel insurance, he said, can provide a minimum $1 million of coverage for medical emergencies or repatriation expenses.

Though a number of European countries mandate the coverage, the THIA says travel insurance can be vital for Canadians travelling to other countries as well. Political unrest earlier this year in the Middle East, for example, shed a light on the importance of securing the protection.