Compare travel insurance

The easiest way to find the best deal on travel insurance for Canada is by comparing policies online. Remember, the cheapest policy may not be the right one for you, so do take the time to read the T&Cs. Make sure the policy you buy includes at least:

• Medical cover – the UK doesn’t have a reciprocal healthcare agreement with Canada and the cost of medical treatment for visitors can be high, so medical bills can soon add up. So, make sure your policy covers you adequately in the event of emergency.
• Repatriation to the UK
• Lost and stolen luggage – unfortunately, belongings can go missing while you’re away so ensure any holiday insurance for Canada you take out includes sufficient amounts for both the overall cost and individual items.
• Cancellation and curtailment cover – should something unexpected cause you to cancel your holiday before you go – such as the death of a close relative or redundancy – you may be able to claim the cost of your holiday back through your travel insurance. Canada holidays aren’t known for being cheap so ensure any policy you take out includes cover for at least the cost of your trip, plus any excursions.
• Personal liability – this will cover you should you accidentally injure someone or damage their property and they make a claim against you.
• Missed departure cover – in case something out of your control causes you to miss your flight.

If you’re not travelling on an ATOL-protected package holiday, you should also look for policies with scheduled airline failure or end supplier failure to protect you should your airline, hotel or other provider go bust. Catastrophe cover is another item to consider as this will cover you should an earthquake or another natural disaster disrupt your travel. And delay cover might be worth looking at as well.

While you’re comparing all of your options, pay attention to the excess amount on the policies you’re considering. This is what you’ll have to pay if you make a claim. We recommend looking for amounts less than £100 where possible.

Many insurers now offer some level of Covid-19 cover, but this can vary quite a lot between providers. Examples of what may be covered include:

• Emergency medical expenses: Including repatriation (getting you home), and additional expenses (for example, a quarantine hotel stay) if you fall ill with Covid-19.
• Cancellation: If you test positive (or a close relative passes away due to Covid-19) prior to your holiday and are unable to travel.
• Curtailment: If you test positive for Covid-19 pre-departure, upon arrival at your destination, or while on holiday. Additionally, look for a policy that offers curtailment cover in the event a close relative passes away from Covid-19 during your holiday.

As well as making sure your policy includes everything you need, it’s important to read the T&Cs so you’re aware of any exclusions which may stop you making a claim. Here are some common things you should look out for in your Canada travel insurance.

• Canada may not be included on standard worldwide travel insurance policies – you’d be forgiven for thinking that if you took out a worldwide travel insurance policy, everywhere would be covered. But some standard worldwide policies exclude destinations such as America, Canada and the Caribbean.
• Pre-existing medical conditions – always declare these to your insurer before you take a policy out or you risk invalidating your insurance. If you have a pre-existing condition, which can be anything from a heart condition to asthma, there are specialist policies available. Some may exclude the condition from claims while other more comprehensive policies will cover a range of conditions, so compare all of your options.
• Winter or extreme sports – Canada is an outdoor playground so if you’re planning an active holiday, ensure the sports you are taking part in are covered by your policy. If not, add cover on to ensure you’re financially protected should you have an accident.
• Accidents while you’ve been drinking or taking drugs – if something happens while you’re under the influence of drink or drugs, your insurer is unlikely to pay out.
• Limits on the number of days you’re travelling for – if you’re planning an extended trip, check how many consecutive days abroad your policy covers you for.

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The TravelSupermarket Limited travel insurance comparison service is operated by Moneysupermarket.com Limited. Registered in England No. 3945937. Registered Office: MONY Group House, St. David's Park, Ewloe, CH5 3UZ.

Moneysupermarket.com Limited is an appointed representative of MONY Group, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA FRN 303190).

TravelSupermarket Limited (FCA FRN 953671) is an appointed representative of MONY Group plc, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA FRN 303190). MONY Group Financial Holdings Limited, registered in England No. 3157344.