Travel insurance in Ontario
Travel with cover that goes where OHIP stops
OHIP pays only small amounts for emergency care outside Canada. Learn what travel insurance covers and talk to a broker before your next trip.
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Travel insurance helps pay for emergencies when you are away from home. Its most important part is emergency medical coverage, because OHIP pays only small daily amounts for care outside Canada and does not pay for transfer back to Ontario. Policies can also cover trip cancellation, interruption and baggage. Anyone leaving Canada, including snowbirds, families and students, should consider it, and the right plan depends on your age, health and trip.
Fits your trip and health
A broker matches the plan to your destination, trip length, age and medical history, including how pre-existing conditions are treated.
Explains the fine print
Stability clauses, exclusions and claim steps matter a lot with travel policies. A broker helps you understand them before you leave.
Options for different travellers
Single trips, multi-trip annual plans, family cover and longer stays for snowbirds are all different. A broker helps you choose.
What travel insurance usually covers
Plans differ, but these are the common parts you can choose from.
Emergency medical care
Pays for medically necessary treatment abroad, such as hospital stays, doctors and prescriptions, up to the policy limit. This is the core of most plans.
Emergency transport
May cover ambulance, air transport or return to Ontario when medically necessary. OHIP does not pay for transfer back to Ontario.
Trip cancellation and interruption
Can reimburse prepaid, non-refundable costs if you must cancel or cut a trip short for a covered reason, such as a serious illness.
Baggage and delay
Can help with lost, stolen or delayed baggage and extra costs while you wait, subject to limits and conditions. Ask your broker how the limits and conditions apply to you.
Accidental death and dismemberment
Some plans pay a benefit for serious accidental injury or death while travelling. Check the amounts and conditions. Ask your broker how the limits and conditions apply to you.
Family and companion cover
Many policies can cover a spouse and children on one plan, and some include costs for a companion who stays with you.
Ready when you are
Answer a few questions and see your options in minutes. No payment, no commitment.
Who travel insurance is for
Families on vacation
A medical emergency abroad can be costly and stressful, and a plan lets the whole family travel with a safety net.
Snowbirds and long stays
Spending months outside Ontario brings extra requirements, including how long you can be away and your health status.
Students and workers abroad
People studying or working outside Canada for a time can look at options designed for longer stays.
Travellers with health conditions
Pre-existing conditions can affect coverage, so it matters to declare them and understand how the plan treats them.
What changes your travel insurance price
Travel insurers price on risk and trip details. These factors usually matter most.
Age
Medical risk generally rises with age, and older travellers typically see higher premiums.
Trip length and destination
Longer trips cost more, and the destination affects both medical costs and risk.
Health and pre-existing conditions
Medical history affects eligibility and price, and a stability period may be required before coverage applies.
Coverage amount and deductible
Higher medical limits and lower deductibles cost more. Extras like trip cancellation add to the total.
Single trip or annual plan
A multi-trip plan can suit frequent travellers, while a single-trip plan can suit one-off journeys.
What people often assume is covered but is not
Costs OHIP does not pay, since OHIP covers only small daily amounts abroad and nothing for transfer back to Ontario.
Pre-existing conditions that were not stable as the policy requires, or that you did not declare.
Treatment that is not medically necessary or is planned in advance, such as elective care.
Cancelling because you simply changed your mind, unless your plan includes a specific reason.
Injuries from high-risk activities or while under the influence, which many plans exclude.
Travel to a destination or during a time that your government has advised against, depending on the policy.
Always check your policy wording; a broker can explain what applies to you.
How it works
Tell us about you
Share a few details in under five minutes. No payment, no commitment.
Compare clear options
See what each option covers and what drives the price.
Confirm with a broker
Your broker checks everything with you before anything is bound.
Frequently asked questions
Only in small amounts. OHIP pays up to $50 CAD a day for emergency outpatient care and up to $400 CAD a day for inpatient care in certain intensive units, with lower amounts for other inpatient care. It does not pay for transfer back to Ontario. Private travel medical insurance is therefore needed.
A medical emergency can happen on any trip, and costs abroad can be high. Even a short stay benefits from emergency medical coverage, so most people choose it for any trip outside Canada, regardless of how long they are away.
A health condition you had before the policy started. Insurers may exclude it or require it to be stable for a set period before the trip. Declare your health history honestly, and ask your broker how each plan treats it.
A single-trip plan fits one journey. An annual multi-trip plan can suit people who travel several times a year, though it often limits the length of each trip. A broker can compare the two against how you actually travel.
Many people buy it when they book, because trip cancellation coverage may depend on buying soon after your first deposit. Medical coverage is needed before you leave. Ask your broker about timing for the plan you are considering.
Contact the emergency assistance number on your policy as soon as you can, ideally before non-urgent treatment. Keep receipts and records. A broker can explain the claim steps before you travel so you know what to do.
Plan your cover before you leave
Tell us about your trip and a broker will contact you to explain your options and answer your questions.
This page is general information, not advice, and rules change. Coverage, eligibility and terms depend on the insurer and your situation, so your broker confirms what applies to you. Reviewed October 2026.