Every year, Canadians leave the country without travel insurance because they think nothing will happen to them. And every year, some of those same people come home with a bill they cannot pay, a medical situation that nearly broke them, or a cancelled trip they absorbed entirely out of pocket. This is not bad luck. This is a choice — and it has consequences.

The Real Cost of “It Won’t Happen to Me”
A broken leg in the United States can run $50,000 before you blink. A medical evacuation from Europe? Six figures is not unusual. Your provincial health plan covers almost nothing outside Canada. The “nothing will happen” plan is not a plan — it is wishful thinking with a price tag attached.

Not All Travel Insurance Is the Same
There are emergency medical policies, trip cancellation policies, trip interruption policies, baggage coverage, and all-in-one packages. Buying the wrong one — or the cheapest one without reading what it covers — is nearly as dangerous as buying nothing. A $29 policy that excludes pre-existing conditions will not help you when you actually need it. You need the right policy, not just any policy.

Pre-Existing Conditions Are Not a Dead End
A lot of Canadians assume that because they have a health condition, they either cannot get coverage or cannot afford it. That is not accurate. There are policies specifically designed to cover stable pre-existing conditions. The key word is stable — and the definition matters. When I help a client find coverage, we go through that fine print together so there are no surprises at the claims stage.

Trip Cancellation Is Not Just for Emergencies
You sprained your ankle two days before departure. Your father had a cardiac event. Your employer pulled your approved vacation at the last minute. Trip cancellation coverage exists for a reason — and it pays you back for non-refundable costs when life interferes with your plans. Deposits, airfare, resort fees — these add up fast. Without coverage, you are simply out that money.

Flex Pay Means You Have No Excuse to Skip Coverage
One reason people skip insurance is cost — they are already stretching to pay for the trip. Flex Pay solves that. You can spread your travel costs, including insurance, over time with no interest and no fees. You lock in your price, get your coverage in place, and travel when you are ready without putting everything on a credit card at once. There is no reason to leave protection on the table when you can budget for it properly.

Your Credit Card Is Not Enough
Credit card travel insurance is frequently misunderstood. Most cards have strict age limits, low coverage maximums, short trip duration limits, and pre-existing condition clauses that catch people off guard. Read the certificate of insurance on your card — all of it — before you decide that counts as your coverage. In most cases, it does not cover what you actually need.

Travel insurance is not a luxury. It is the difference between a hard moment abroad and a financially devastating one. I have seen both outcomes, and I will always advocate for the policy over the gamble.

If you want help finding the right coverage for your trip, I do that as part of every booking. No extra charge. No runaround.

Call me at 780-933-0182, visit cmtatravelservices.com/booking, or check current travel deals at cmtatravelservices.com/offers. 

Let me help you travel with a real safety net.

Renee Charbonneau is a Certified Travel Agent with The Travel Agent Next Door and Executive Director of the Canadian Motorcycle Tourism Association. She specializes in motorcycle tourism, Canadian travel, adventure travel, and custom itineraries.