Save
with AMA
Members save
10% on AMA travel
medical plans:
aMatravel.ca/
travelinsurance
protection—meaning the coverage you
get is not necessarily the coverage you
want. And in some cases, you may only
be covered if you paid for your trip using
that card. Cardholder eligibility can also
depend on age and length of trip.
Many credit card plans provide up
to $1 million in coverage, but not all
services are included, and some medical providers—particularly air ambulances—require immediate payment
before providing assistance. While you
can certainly charge an airlift to your
credit card, just be sure it (and the resulting interest) is covered in your policy.
Travel Medical Decoder
How to decipher plans to understand your coverage
By BritNey Hope
No oNe ever expects to need emergency medical care while on vacation.
But these days, in-the-know Canadians
rarely leave home without coverage.
But with workplace benefits, credit
card plans and individual plans, it’s
more confusing than ever to know
which plan covers what.
“When people receive travel coverage with an employee plan or credit
card, they usually assume it includes
everything. They may not realize they
need to read all of the details and limitations,” says Pam Murray, insurance
manager at AMA Travel.
So how can you tell which plan suits
your needs? Consider the following
before booking your next getaway.
employee plans
Benefits packages that offer travel
medical insurance are great workplace
perks. But such plans rarely cover
expenses upfront—meaning travellers
Care in
the Air
CAA’s medical service
partner, skyservice
Air Ambulance,
recently rolled out its
26
WINTER 2016
must pay emergency medical fees themselves, submit the bills to Alberta Health
Care, and embark on a lengthy claims
process before being reimbursed.
Furthermore, some employee insurance plans only cover a percentage of
prescription medications, which can
easily add up during an unexpected
hospital stay abroad.
Even if you’re stable, many policies
offered through employee benefits may
have limits and might not include preexisting conditions. Always read your
policy carefully to understand its stability requirement, exclusions, terms
and conditions.
Credit card plans
Accepted almost anywhere, credit cards
that include travel insurance for cardholders are an alternative way to ensure
you’re prepared for anything.
With that said though, many credit
card plans are designed for all-purpose
Bombardier Learjet
45XR, an aircraft
built for worldwide
emergency response.
This exciting new
addition to the
skyservice fleet
AMA INsIdER
features state-ofthe-art critical care
technology, including
cardiac monitoring,
in-flight lab testing
and ventilator
management. The
individual/private plans
Every trip and every traveller is
different. Individual/private insurance
policies, such as those provided by
AMA Travel*, offer a host of advantages that go beyond one-size-fitsall coverage.
Plans are tailored to your specific
travel needs, medical status and history. They are also surprisingly affordable—starting at just $25—and can
offer up to $5 million in emergency
medical coverage. They’re often sold
as annual plans, perfect for frequent
travellers and snowbirds.
AMA’s medical plans also include
coverage for pre-existing conditions
(if stability criteria are met), with no
age limits. And when possible, upfront
medical expenses can be arranged to
be paid directly by the insurance company. Applying for coverage is fast and
easy: The medical questionnaire takes
just five minutes to complete.
Individual/private insurance also
offers services not available through
standard plans. With AMA, policyholders receive private medical evacuation in an emergency. Such coverage
provides an essential safety net when
venturing beyond Alberta borders.
aircraft can transport
up to two patients—as
well as a medical
team—and carries
enough medical
oxygen for
a 24-hour flight.
*AMA Travel Insurance is underwritten by Orion Travel Insurance Company.
subject to certain terms, conditions and limitations.
AMBuLANCE: ANdREsR/IsTOCk; PLANE: BRITNEy HOPE
travel intel