What Snowbirds Need to Know About Insurance
Canadians heading south for the winter have a lot of planning to do. They need to find accommodations, make travel arrangements, and plan activities for the family. Amidst all the planning it's also important for snowbirds to inquire about insurance when travelling.
Whether you're leaving for a few weeks or a few months, it's a good idea to find out if you're covered under your existing home, auto, and health insurance policies while out of the country. Here’s what snowbirds need to know about insurance:
How long can snowbirds be away from home?
Canadians are lucky to have several social benefits, such as free basic medical insurance from the government, and additional medical coverage from an employer group plan. But are those benefits still available when you're out of the country? The answer is yes.
CBC says that Canadians can stay out of the country for a half a year before their benefits are affected. "Usually a maximum of 182 days, or about six months during a 12-month period. Those days can be amassed during one trip or they could be the sum of several trips."
Keep in mind that all your insurance payments need to stay in good standing when you're out of the country, so make arrangements to ensure all payments are paid on time. If a payment lapses, you may find yourself without coverage while away from home.
What does travel medical insurance cover?
One of the most important things you need to know about insurance as a snowbird is the medical situation. Talk to your insurance provider to find out if you're covered for out of country emergency medical expenses such as hospital stays and doctor visits, as well as treatments and medications. The last thing you need is a medical emergency while away from home. You don’t to be stuck paying tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical bills.
If you're travelling by plane, you will also want to have trip cancellation and trip interruption insurance. This may be included with your credit card or under your existing travel insurance policy. This type of insurance will cover the costs of accommodations and other travel arrangements if your flights are delayed or cancelled.
Do you need to buy additional car insurance?
Contact your insurance company if you're planning to use your car for an extended period of time while out of the country to make sure you're covered. ou don't want to have a car accident in a foreign country and find yourself as the defendant in a lawsuit.
The majority of Canadian car insurance policies cover driving and car rentals in the U.S., but only for short periods of time. If you're out of the country for more than 30 days you will probably need to buy additional car insurance coverage. This is a point of snowbird insurance that you need to make sure of.
Is US residence home insurance needed?
Your Canadian home insurance policy needs to be reviewed before you leave because you may find a clause that does not cover damage to your home if you are away for extended periods of time. Contact your insurance company and let them know about your travel plans since you may need to purchase additional insurance on your home in Canada.
Snowbirds who are renting a home in the U.S. need to inquire about home insurance coverage in the States. The landlord may require tenants to purchase their own home insurance policy. It's a good idea to find out before you leave in order to factor any insurance costs into your overall travel budget.
No matter your travel plans as a snowbird, understanding the insurance implications is vital so that your assets are covered.