Younger Canadian travellers who like to frequent the United States rarely purchase travel insurance, according to a new poll from the Royal Bank of Canada.
Conducted by Ipsos Reid on behalf of RBC, the survey found nearly half - 44 per cent - of Canadians who were between 18 and 34 years of age said they forgo buying travel insurance. Among those who do purchase coverage, 56 per cent did not go over it to see what it included.
Tim Bzowey vice president of travel for RBC, said not purchasing or not understanding what it covers can have lasting repercussions.
"Young travellers often forget about travel insurance in the excitement of planning a trip," said Bzowey. "Travelling without insurance can have some serious consequences and since this age group tends to be more active when they travel, their chances of needing emergency medical care may be increased."
Other findings from the poll revealed respondents had misconceptions about travel insurance, as 84 per cent said they didn't think they needed it if they were travelling to another province.
While standard policies vary, travel insurance protection may include emergency evacuation coverage, medical care and reimbursement after flight cancellations.
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