Emergencies can happen anytime, anywhere. Be prepared for the unexpected by purchasing travel insurance that protects your family, as soon as you book your next family vacation. Family travel insurance protects the main policyholder and their dependents with emergency medical and trip cancellation benefits and other services.
You never know when illnesses or accidents may sideline you or a family member during a family vacation. Here’s the latest on what you should know about the benefits of family travel insurance and what to research before purchasing a policy.
Family travel insurance differs from individual travel insurance because it covers all dependents travelling with the policyholder. Typically, family travel insurance policies include plans with emergency medical treatment and transportation benefits for the entire family, or comprehensive plans with trip cancellation and delay, and baggage protection benefits, in addition to emergency medical treatment and transportation benefits.
Having your family safeguarded by travel insurance in case of emergencies may provide you with comfort and peace of mind. It's important to know that your provincial or territorial health insurance plan may not provide full coverage if you encounter a medical emergency outside your home province. Additionally, healthcare facilities abroad often require upfront payment for services. Travel insurance with emergency medical treatment and transportation benefits that also include emergency medical evacuation and repatriation may save you thousands.
Including trip cancellation benefits in a travel insurance plan may also be a valuable consideration. Let’s say the family is all packed to fly out to Cancun for a resort hotel stay to escape the winter blues but your son comes down with the flu, which has been making its rounds at his elementary school this year. Unfortunately, you have to cancel your trip to quarantine at home.
A travel insurance plan by Allianz Global Assistance with trip cancellation benefits could make the difference between losing money and postponing your vacation for a better time. Plans with trip cancellation benefits reimburse eligible non-refundable expenses, if your trip is cancelled for a covered reason included in your policy.
Travel insurance plans offered by Allianz Global Assistance with trip cancellation coverage may also provide protection if your trip is interrupted. Suppose you and the family are going on a multi-destination adventure throughout Europe. A storm forecasted after you purchased travel insurance grounds your flight from Italy to France, and you miss the boat for your multi-day canal cruise on the Seine. Trip cancellation and interruption benefits by Allianz Global Assistance may reimburse non-refundable expenses from the missed leg of your trip.
Rounding up the kids and all of their suitcases for the annual family summer vacation is a logistical feat. To keep plans going smoothly, you may want to consider travel insurance plans with protection that includes reimbursement for lost, stolen or damaged luggage. If your luggage is lost, damaged or stolen, comprehensive plans by Allianz Global Assistance may reimburse eligible non-refundable expenses up to the amount specified in your policy.
Before you go shopping for a travel insurance plan, make a list of your family’s needs. Does anyone in your travel party have preexisting conditions? Are you travelling with in-laws, parents or grandparents who are over the age of 65? Factors such as coverage for older travellers and those with preexisting conditions impact the plan you would choose.
You should also compare plan coverage limits and exclusions to find a plan that fits your specific needs. For example, if you and your family are going wreck diving in Bermuda or skiing in Banff, you’ll want to purchase a plan that doesn’t exclude accidents that occur during high-risk activities from its emergency medical coverage policies. You should also consider plans that offer flexibility in case of changes to your travel plans that call for you to reschedule or postpone your trip.
For families, finding the least expensive insurance premium is a top priority. So, be sure to shop around to find the policy that covers your needs. If your family travels more than once a year, it may be more economical to purchase an annual plan. For a single payment, annual plans by Allianz Global Assistance offer 365 days of comprehensive protection.
Allianz Global Assistance offers multiple plans for a range of needs and budgets. Keep in mind that the cost of an unexpected emergency or trip cancellation often far exceeds the cost of purchasing a family travel insurance policy.
Some credit cards may include trip cancellation and baggage protection, but these benefits are often more limited in scope than the services included in a standalone travel insurance plan. A stand-alone travel insurance plan often offers more extensive emergency medical coverage, with more generous coverage limits. Also, most credit cards require you to have paid for your flight or accommodations with the card to be eligible for travel insurance benefits.
A family travel insurance plan may give you peace of mind by providing your loved ones with extensive emergency medical protection. A family travel insurance plan may also protect your financial investment with trip cancellation and baggage protection benefits.
Travel insurance is underwritten by CUMIS General Insurance Company, a member of The Co-operators group of companies and administered by Allianz Global Assistance. Allianz Global Assistance is a registered business name of AZGA Service Canada Inc. and AZGA Insurance Agency Canada Ltd
