This post is sponsored by RBC Insurance. All expressed opinions and experiences are my own words.
Lost luggage. Bucket list-worthy trips cancelled at the last minute due to unrest in the Middle East. Unexpected visits to medical clinics in spots like Asia and South America, missed flight connections and even getting robbed. In my line of work, I’ve seen just about every travel fail in the book, especially when it comes to group trips.
And by the way, all of those things have happened to me. Le sigh.
Whether you’re planning a trip to a destination wedding in the Caribbean, a backpacking gap year around Europe with your best buds or just going to visit grandma at that family reunion in Tennessee, you need to get travel insurance. Seriously, you do. It doesn’t matter how healthy you are, or that you think nothing will go wrong because all you plan on doing for a week is sunning yourself on a white sand beach. Weird things can happen when you travel, even more so when you’re on a trip with a bunch of people and take the law of averages into account.
Medical Coverage
A huge misconception is that people think the government health plan provided by their province will cover them in the event of a medical emergency. Uh, nope. Once you leave Canada, you’re on your own my friends. And it is absolute insanity how expensive those can be; I know someone who was injured in the USA and had to spend months in hospital, and that bill came to over a million dollars. A MILLION BUCKS! Like, what would you even do if you had to pay that out of pocket?
Securing travel insurance for your group like those offered by RBC Insurance means that in the event of an emergency, you’ll have unlimited coverage for eligible medical expenses, and up-front payment when possible (something that’s frequently demanded in places like Mexico, unfortunately). And, you can also use their free PATH app to quickly find the nearest place to get treatment or call a 24/7 emergency toll-free help-line—because the last thing you’ll want to deal with during a medical trauma overseas is trying to put your Grade 7-level Spanish skills to the test.
Trip Coverage
Hopefully no medical issues will arise during your trip, but as anyone who’s ever had to fly somewhere knows all too well, the adventure usually begins at the airport. Overbooked flights, bad weather, or lost baggage can quickly derail even the most carefully planned trip, which is when travel insurance comes in awfully handy. For example, most plans offer coverage for things like lost or delayed baggage and will compensate you for trip cancellations or interruptions.
Even if your plane is delayed by six hours and you can’t leave until the next day (OK who are we kidding, six hours seems like an eternity when you’re waiting to get your toes in the sand), you can also claim expenses incurred in the airport to help pass the time, such as meals or magazines.
Tips for travel insurance when travelling with a group of people.
- If you’re travelling with 10 or more people—say, to that dreamy destination wedding in Cabo—you’re likely eligible for a group travel insurance rates. Getting a group quote is super easy and coverage can be tailored to each individual.
- Ensure everyone in your group has important information with them like their travel insurance policy and contact numbers, along with who to call in case of emergency. Here’s what to include.
- Don’t assume travel insurance through your credit card will be enough. Know what you’re covered for before jetting off, particularly any limits or maximums. If that long-awaited trip to South America includes adventures like scuba diving, you may not be covered if you get injured while doing those activities.
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This isn’t the first time I have heard someone talk about how important travel insurance is and it makes sense to me. The last thing anyone wants when they are taking vacation is to have bad things happen, but sometimes things go wrong. Great tips thanks for sharing.
I feel like it’s a sign that you wrote this now. I’ve been considering travel insurance for a long time and haven’t done it. We’re taking a big family trip later this year and it’s probably time to get serious about getting it.
Oh you must, especially considering how much you travel!
Absolutely, travel insurance should always be part of a trip. Better save than sorry! I didn’t know you could get ti for a whole group! Thanks for sharing!
Yeah the group discount is so handy!
I always have an annual policy and would never have considered travelling without that. I didn’t realise there were group discounts though – really worth knowing for the future
Yes the group discounts are great!
We all have car insurance, and should have travel insurance for the same reason – to protect our investment. All good points, and the benefits of group travel – and the benefit is one person could organize it for the group. As a Canadian, I’ve used RBC before – making claims was seamless.
Great to hear they were so helpful in the unfortunate event that you needed to make a claim 🙂
Travel insurance is a must! Definitely would not go anywhere without it. Especially with a group, the rates are way better and there’s just no reason to risk a medical/luggage/flight emergency. I would rather enjoy my trip without fear.
My wife and I always make sure we’re covered whenever we travel because the unexpected never announces itself. And any number of hours having to wait to get to the sand is way too many! Most dangerous activities like mountain biking and scuba diving aren’t covered by general insurance, though some companies do offer extra coverage, for a fee of course. Even more reason to keep your toes in the sand! Thanks for sharing.
I’ve actually traveled the world for three years without travel insurance. I’ve never really needed it…until this week. I broke my phone and wish more than anything I had insurance to cover it. Granted, the cost to repair the phone is less than a year of insurance (unless I get it from the UK), but if this does become a trend, I’m going to have to seriously consider getting some. It’s also not work the attention I spend on trying to keep my body in good condition so I never have to see a doctor or hospital.
Luckily, I have medical insurance from my employer that covers me globally. However, I do realise the importance of travel insurance and the need to cover other travel related aspects apart from medical. It is not uncommon to have delayed/ cancelled flights and lost baggage. I also did not know that you could avail of special group rates for travel insurance. Informative post Tamara!
Yes that’s so handy to have it covered through work! So awesome.