FAQ COVID-19

If your trip cancellation or interruption insurance or your trip was purchased before the Government of Canada issued a level 3 (avoid non-essential travel) or level 4 (avoid all travel) advisory for your destination, your claim is eligible and will be assessed by your travel insurer.
Although the Government of Canada issued an official advisory on March 13, 2020, to avoid non-essential travel, regardless of destination, most travel insurers considered the COVID-19 pandemic to be a known cause (ie. not an unforeseen event) before that date. Therefore, even if no Government of Canada advisory was issued, your claim may not be eligible if the cancellation is related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
To find out if your claim is eligible, we suggest that you:

• Check the date from which COVID-19 is considered a known cause on the website of your insurer.
• Communicate directly with the Department of Foreign Affairs to find out if a level 3 (avoid non-essential travel) or level 4 (avoid all travel) advisory was issued for your destination by writing to: voyage-travel.ldwt@international.gc.ca

For the majority of our insurers, a credit is equivalent to a reimbursement. If you choose to refuse the credit, your claim may not be eligible for a partial (or full) refund. For more information, we invite you to consult your insurer’s website.

If your trip is scheduled to take place in less than 30 days and you would like to cancel it, we recommend that you follow these steps:

1. Check with the provider or company that sold you the trip if it is possible to obtain a refund (air carrier, travel agency or agent, etc.).
2. If your claim is for a travel cancellation due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and you purchased your trip through a travel agency located in Quebec, please refer at all times to your insurance company’s website for specific instructions relating to this particular situation.
3. Once all these verifications are done, submit a claim for unpaid travel expenses by completing the claim form. This form must be returned to us by email, along with all the required supporting documents. For additional information, please see: https://canassistance.com/en/policy-holder-section/filing-a-claim/cancellation/

The situation may evolve prior to your departure. Please submit your claim only when your departure date is within the next 30 days.

On March 13, 2020, the Government of Canada issued an official advisory to avoid non-essential travel, regardless of destination. If you still decide to travel, certain benefits in your insurance contract may no longer cover you, such as:

• Flight delay or cancellation
• Trip cancellation or interruption
• Trip extension
• Evacuation and repatriation
• Medical care

You therefore take the risk of not being covered for an event beyond your control.
If in doubt, ask your travel insurer. We strongly advise you to follow the recommendations issued by the Government of Canada not to travel.

If you travel to the United States for work, as this is considered an essential service during this period, most insurers will cover emergency medical care. For more information, we invite you to consult the website of your travel insurer.

If you have symptoms, start by contacting the medical assistance service provider included in your travel insurance contract and they will assist you with your needs. The telephone numbers to reach this service are generally found at the bottom of your travel insurance certificate or on the back of your insurance card.

Your claim could be eligible if your departure date was BEFORE the Government of Canada issued a level 3 (avoid non-essential travel) or level 4 (avoid all travel) advisory and BEFORE your insurer considered COVID-19 to be a known cause.
Given the preventive measures that countries are taking to limit the progression of the pandemic, such as the cancellation of several flights or airport closures, you may not be able to find the means necessary to return to your province of residence. Unfortunately, CanAssistance faces the same constraints, and may be unable to assist you in organizing your return.

Most insurers do not cover COVID-19 testing done to comply with the new government requirement. For more information, we invite you to consult the website of your travel insurer. The Government of Canada has provided information for travellers regarding available local testing centers for certain destinations. We invite you to visit https://travel.gc.ca/travel-covid for more information.

Most insurers do not cover COVID-19 vaccines administered abroad. In this case, the costs of purchasing and administering the vaccine will be entirely your responsibility. However, if you experience serious side effects from vaccines given abroad, some insurers may cover the costs related to this medical emergency. For more information and to confirm the benefits covered, we invite you to consult the website of your travel insurer.