/EIN News/ -- TORONTO, Aug. 07, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- With a record number of Canadians travelling this summer, the experts at InsureMyTrip.ca, Canada's rapidly growing travel insurance comparison website, are announcing last-minute travel insurance options. For those with an upcoming holiday, it’s not too late to purchase a policy and ensure peace of mind during their travels. 

While it’s best to purchase a policy soon after putting money down on a trip to have access to the most coverage options, there are some benefits now available to travellers at the last minute. Travel insurance plans with cost protection can be purchased up to the day before departure, including:  

• • All-inclusive 
  • Trip cancellation
  • Trip interruption  

Some emergency medical plans can even be purchased after departure. However, if an injury or illness occurs before the effective date of the policy, there will not be coverage.  

  
Last-Minute Travel Insurance Coverage Revealed  
Travels can now access several travel insurance options even up to the say before departure.  These plans include: 
  

• Trip Cancellation & Trip Interruption – Designed to protect the investment you’ve made in your travel plans in the event of cancelling your trip or having to cut it short.   

• Emergency Medical – This coverage is activated if you become unexpectedly ill or injured while on a trip and need emergency medical attention.  It is important to note that your Canadian Government Health Insurance Plan (GHIP) will cover little or none of your medical expenses while you are out of your home province, territory or country.     

• Baggage Loss/Delay – This can help to reimburse you for items if your bags are lost or damaged during a trip, and necessities if your luggage is misdirected and you don’t receive it for a specified number of hours.     

• Weather Delay – Coverage for weather-related flight delays can be found under “Travel Delay” coverage in all-inclusive plans. Under some plans, the delay may have to last a certain number of hours, but it could be helpful in the event your flight is delayed and you end up paying for food or overnight accommodation.    

• All-inclusive – These policies are designed to offer the most robust trip protection and include all the above coverages all under one plan.  

  
Coverage Unavailable Last Minute  
  
While travellers can obtain decent last-minute travel insurance coverage some key benefits are unavailable if a policy is purchased too late, including: 
  

• Cancel for Any Reason (CFAR) – This coverage allows travellers to cancel a trip for something other than a covered reason.  It may either be an optional benefit or included in a plan if eligibility requirements are met.  Examples of these requirements include having to purchase a plan within a certain amount of time after the initial trip payment and/or you would need to cancel a trip within the stated time period before departure Reimbursement is typically up to 50% of your prepaid, non-refundable expenses.  

• Pre-existing Condition Waivers – Some plans may offer the ability to waive the policy’s pre-existing condition exclusion, allowing coverage for medical conditions that existed prior to purchase of the policy.  This benefit is time sensitive, so you must purchase your policy within a certain number of days after your initial trip payment and meet all other requirements.  

• Weather Delay/Cancellation – If a weather event that forces the delay or cancellation of your trip is known before you purchase a policy, you will not be covered. So, if a hurricane is forecast/named before you buy travel insurance, you will not be covered for any travel-related issues related to that storm.  

• Emergency Medical – Similar to weather coverage, you can’t buy medical coverage once you recognize a need for medical attention.  So, while there are emergency medical plans that can be purchased after you depart on your trip, you will not be covered if you are unexpectedly injured or become ill and then purchase a policy.  

• Known Perils – In general, if a travel issue is known before you purchase a policy, you will not be covered.  This includes, but not limited to:   

• • Weather 
  • Natural disasters
  • Medical conditions
  • Injuries
  • Strikes
  • Civil unrest
  • Terrorism
  • Travel advisories
  • Financial default

  
Key Points  
  
Experts recommend buying travel insurance soon after booking a trip to access the most coverage options.  However, decent coverage can still be obtained at the last minute. Every policy and provider are different, so be sure to read through a plan and understand what is and is not covered.    
  

Meghan Kayata  
InsureMyTrip.ca  
press@insuremytrip.ca  

  
About InsureMyTrip  
You like options. We do too. InsureMyTrip finds you the right travel insurance plan, every time. We are committed to empowering travellers to make the best possible insurance decisions by leveraging our technology, data intelligence, and expertise. InsureMyTrip is based in the U.S. with an office in Toronto.    
  
*Not available to Quebec residents.  
  
SOURCE InsureMyTrip 

Meghan Kayata
                  InsureMyTrip
                  Mkayata@insuremytrip.com