From the Rocky Mountains to huge coastlines and pristine lakes, in addition to vibrant multicultural cities like Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal, Canada is a big and exquisite nation, price exploring, even for Canadian residents. Pure magnificence and world-renowned outside adventures, from winter sports activities to wildlife viewing, together with distinctive sights just like the Northern Lights and well-known festivals, make Canada a sought-after vacation spot for all.
The native Canadian is actually not going to overlook out on exploring the fantastic thing about their very own nation, just like the “Grand Canyon of the North,” Canada’s most underrated adventure destination. That is highlighted by the truth that, in 2024, Canadian residents took a total of 330.8 million trips, including 292.1 million domestic trips, up 7.8% from the earlier yr. But, regardless of the excessive variety of home journeys undertaken by Canada’s residents, there’s a common hesitation in direction of buying journey insurance coverage.
Lower than half of Canadian vacationers planning to journey domestically plan to purchase journey medical insurance coverage, whereas this is not the case for these touring internationally. Whereas there are a number of causes behind this selection, a typical thread that binds these causes is a lack of knowledge or miscommunication about their current insurance coverage protection. What are these causes that persuade Canadians to keep away from getting journey insurance coverage?
Causes Why Canadians Keep away from Journey Insurance coverage
Statistics point out that whereas many Canadians journey to worldwide and home locations to discover the world and their very own nation, these touring domestically are 16% much less prone to organize journey insurance coverage for themselves than these touring internationally. Why?
The rationale behind this can be a false sense of safety and understanding that they imagine they’re already protected and lined. In keeping with a latest TD Insurance survey carried out by The Harris Ballot Canada on Could thirtieth, 2025:
|
Share of Canadians within the Survey |
False assumptions |
|---|---|
|
44% |
Provincial or territorial well being protection already covers them |
|
36% |
An employer covers them |
|
25% |
Their bank card supplier covers them |
Provincial medical health insurance solely covers the fundamental medical bills incurred exterior the province of residence for Canadian nationals. Whereas journey insurance coverage shouldn’t be required by regulation in Canada, limitations, corresponding to ambulance charges, repatriation prices, and prescription expenses, encourage Canadians to have insurance coverage when touring inside Canada to cowl these gaps.
This survey was carried out in a single day on Could 30, 2025, and concerned 1,534 randomly chosen Canadian adults.
The survey additionally revealed that out of all Canadians who plan to journey domestically, solely 51 p.c plan to buy journey insurance coverage, and as few as 42 p.c plan to buy emergency journey medical protection. This leaves a major 49 p.c with out journey insurance coverage and 58% with out journey medical insurance coverage—an alarmingly excessive quantity with out insurance coverage, and for all of the flawed causes.
Anthony Ricci, Affiliate Vice President, Life, Well being & Credit score Safety at TD Insurance coverage, explains this with an instance: “In case you’re from Ontario and wish an ambulance in Nova Scotia, OHIP will not cowl that price; and with out non-public insurance coverage, it may price you greater than $700.” With extra vacationers planning to journey domestically, this turns into a vital selection that Canadians should make. With an emphasis on planning for the sudden and checking current plans for adequate protection to fulfill distinctive journey wants, Ricci asserted, “The important thing message right here is: do not make assumptions about your current protection.”
“There’s an assumption that since you’re in Canada, you do not have the identical dangers as going overseas, however that merely is probably not the case. Canada is a really huge nation – it is a longer distance to fly from St. John’s to Vancouver than it’s from Toronto to Paris – and lots can occur to upset your trip in that distance,” Ricci added.
Equally, in accordance with one other national survey conducted for the CAA (Canadian Vehicle Affiliation), 4 in ten Canadians (39 p.c) don’t use journey insurance coverage or assume it’s pointless whereas exploring their very own nation. Patricia Marques, Managing Director, Retail & Name Centre Gross sales & Operations at CAA, says,
“Many Canadians assume they’re totally protected when touring inside the nation, however that’s merely not the case. A minor mishap can develop into a serious expense, whether or not a damaged ankle on a hike or a last-minute interruption.”
In keeping with the corporate, the common medical declare price has risen by 15 per cent yearly since 2019, with every little thing from ear infections to air ambulance providers turning into considerably costlier.
Insurance coverage Suggestions To Make Touring Smoother Inside Canada
It is a simple false impression to imagine that native or home journeys don’t carry a lot danger, however journey consultants counsel in any other case. Canada is a big nation, and lots of home journeys may be longer than some worldwide locations. Emergencies, flight disruptions, misplaced baggage, or last-minute journey adjustments can derail your plans and result in sudden prices. These are the everyday conditions the place a dependable journey insurance coverage coverage involves the rescue, whether or not touring domestically or internationally. It is necessary to:
Buy Journey Coverage When Reserving Journeys
E book your journey insurance coverage similtaneously you e-book your journey.
Verify for Enough Protection
Overview current protection, whether or not it’s from an employer, bank card supplier, or an current plan. If wanted, think about topping up your current protection
Verify insurance policies
Perceive any key insurance policies associated to cancellations, expenses or adjustments
Preserve Emergency Contact Numbers Useful
This consists of who to name for assist and your journey insurance coverage help telephone quantity.
73% of Canadians don’t understand travel insurance, and extra particularly, its benefits, even for shorter journeys. World over, extra folks, together with Canadians, are choosing reasonably priced quick journeys, corresponding to a weekend street journey. Consultants warn that with out the proper protection, even fast getaways can pack surprises that may result in some expensive complications.
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