FAQ

About this insurance

ICR Travel Insurance is administered by etfs, one of Canada's leading providers of insurance products and services. With over 20 years of experience in the specialized travel and health insurance industry, etfs provides a full range of travel and health insurance products and services to students, groups and individuals. Assistance services to are provided 24 hours a day by Global Excel Management Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of etfs. Global Excel also provides case management, cost containment and claims adjudication services.

Should you need assistance while on a covered trip or need to report a claim, Global Excel can be reached using the following numbers:

Medical assistance: 1-888-215-4091 toll free or 819-566-8477 collect.

Cancellation or interruption: 1-877-644-4215 toll free or 819-566-4215 collect.

Frequently asked questions

1. I'm healthy… why should I consider travel insurance?

Travel insurance is not just for people with health problems! Travel insurance is designed to cover unexpected illnesses, injuries and accidents while you're outside your province of residence, so you'd have coverage for a bout of pneumonia but also for an accidental slip that results in a broken arm. Travel insurance also provides non-medical coverage; for example, if you have to cancel or interrupt your trip due to one of the many covered risks, your policy is designed to cover you for the cost of your pre-paid travel arrangements.

Even minor illnesses or injuries can have serious financial consequences if you're away from home. You never know what can happen on a trip, and that's why insurance is so important.

2. Do I really need travel insurance if I'm only travelling within Canada?

Yes, you do! Provincial government health insurance plans (GHIP) will usually cover only a limited portion of any medical costs incurred outside your province or territory of residence or outside Canada.

Provincial health plans vary from province to province - for example, Ontario may not pay the same rate for a given service as Alberta or Quebec. You would be responsible for paying the difference if you didn't have adequate insurance.

Other services, such as ground or air ambulance transportation, could also be your responsibility not only to pay for but also to arrange. Why take the chance? Having appropriate travel insurance coverage means you can travel worry-free, no matter what your destination.

3. How often can I travel under one insurance policy?

Each trip you take must have its own policy in force for the duration of that particular trip. For example, if you travelled in March and again in September, you would need to purchase separate policies for each trip.

4. Does the insurance have an age limit?

The maximum eligible age to purchase this insurance is 75.

5. I already have insurance on my credit card; why should I pay for another insurance policy?

You may have some coverage with a credit card, but make sure you read the fine print. Does it cover everything you need? Does it provide an adequate number of days of coverage? Are the benefit limits high enough? What services are excluded? Many credit card plans are not as comprehensive as a travel insurance policy purchased separately.

6. What is trip cancellation and interruption insurance?

Trip cancellation insurance will protect you against non-refundable deposits and cancellation fees for pre-paid travel arrangements should you need to cancel your trip due to unexpected, unforeseen circumstances or circumstances beyond your control, while trip interruption insurance provides coverage if you have to cut short your trip and return home unexpectedly.

Your policy contains a number of insured risks - covered reasons for which you may have to cancel or interrupt a trip (e.g., illness or death of an immediate family member, being summoned for jury duty, a new government travel advisory issued for your destination, etc.). Please refer to your policy for complete details.

7. I have a family member who's terminally ill - is that a good reason to purchase insurance?

When you purchase your insurance, you must not know of any reason why you might reasonably be expected to cancel or interrupt your trip. Should you make a claim for trip cancellation or interruption due to a terminally ill family member whose health you knew about before purchasing your insurance, the insurance would not provide coverage for that claim - trip cancellation and interruption insurance is designed to protect against unforeseen events.

8. What do I do if I become ill or have an accident while on my trip, or if I need to claim for trip cancellation or interruption?

When you purchase your insurance, your assistance company's name and toll free telephone numbers will be listed in your policy - keep the numbers with you at all times when travelling. Call if you have to seek medical attention while travelling, and your assistance company will guide you through the claims process by helping you find a medical provider, coordinating with the provider to make sure you don't have to pay out of pocket, and arranging any assistance services you may need.

If you need to cancel your trip before you leave, or if you have already left on your trip and need to make a claim for trip interruption, make sure to call your assistance company right away to report the claim.