Last updated on July 20th, 2020
Photo by Pixabay from Pexels
Going on a trip can be exciting but you also need to plan for the unexpected. I never thought I’d actually use my insurance policy on my vacation in Mexico. 5 days in and there it is- a small rock that somehow got into my plate resulted in a chipped tooth. A quick toll free call to the insurance company and I can head straight to the dentist without having to worry about the expenses. And expenses can be huge!
Here’s a list compiled by the one of the insurance companies- you can see that no matter how old you are – accidents and sicknesses do not discriminate.
Case Study A: 20 year old male: Broken Wrist
Will, from Australia, came to Canada on a Working Holiday visa. Since he is into snowboarding he went over a jump and crash- landed. He was taken to the hospital where surgery was recommended for his broken wrist.
Hospital fees $2500.00
Doctor fees $175
Radiology Fees $125
Ambulance fees $765
Prescription costs $12.49
Trip Interruption $785
Airline Change Fee $75
Amount paid by the insurance company: $4437.49
Case study B: 69 year old female: Cancerous Tumor
69 year old Mariela, from Morocco, came to Canada to visit her daughter through the Super Visa program. Thirty days into her visit, she experienced sudden, acute abdominal pain. Mariela was taken to the doctor, who recommended rest and ordered some lab work, believing the symptoms were signs of gastroenteritis. A week later, however Mariela’s condition worsened; she was admitted to hospital where they discovered she had a cancerous stomach tumor. She had immediate surgery and began chemotherapy right away.
Mariela remained in the hospital for two weeks and was then discharged into her daughter’s care. While attempting to make arrangements to return home to Morocco, she was readmitted to the hospital. Unfortunately, Mariela passed away four days later and her body was returned to Morocco.
Clinic fees $150.00
Lab fees $210
Initial Hospital Fees $89,413.87
Additional Hospital fees $12,215.43
Doctor fees $17,176.83
Chemotherapy Fees $2,513.01
Repatriation $5,100.00
Amount paid by the insurance company: $126,779.49
Case Study C: 76 year old female: Cellulitis
During a month long stay with family in Canada, 76 year old Xiao Mei from China, tripped over a curb and got a small laceration on her knee. At the time, it didn’t warrant medical attention, but several days later, Xiao Mei’s knee became red and very painful with every movement. Her daughter took her to emergency, where it was determined that she had cellulitis, and it was rapidly spreading. Due to Xiao Mei’s age, the doctor put her on strong antibiotics to prevent her from becoming septic. Ten days later, she was discharged and given oral antibiotics for an additional 10 days.
Clinic fees $150.00
Lab fees $210
Initial Hospital Fees $89,413.87
Additional Hospital fees $12,215.43
Doctor fees $17,176.83
Chemotherapy Fees $2,513.01
Repatriation $5,100.00
Amount paid by the insurance company: $37,325.76
Case Study D: 79 year old male: Femur Fracture
79 year old Charles from the UK was visiting family in Canada for three weeks, when he slipped in the shower. He was taken to the hospital, where it was determined he had fractured his femur. Charles had surgery to stabilize the fracture. Two days later, he developed a blood clot, which complicated his recovery. Charles remained in hospital for 11 days, and was then discharged to his family care. Charles’ family had purchased him a Visitors to Canada plan prior to his arrival. With a $20,000 liability maximum for short trips. As a result, this was the maximum amount reimbursed.
Clinic fees $150.00
Lab fees $210
Initial Hospital Fees $89,413.87
Additional Hospital fees $12,215.43
Doctor fees $17,176.83
Chemotherapy Fees $2,513.01
Repatriation $5,100.00
Amount paid by the insurance company: $20,000.00 (maximum liability amount purchased)
Case Study E: 56 year old male: Stomach Cancer
56 year old Baran, from Turkey, was visiting family for two months. At a local beach, he suffered a laceration to his foot. Since it was a minor injury, he went to a walk in clinic later that evening. He was advised to keep the injury dry and was given a seven day course of antibiotics to prevent infection.
Several days later, Baran had nausea and vomiting, so he returned to the clinic. The doctor felt that Baran was experiencing side effects of the medication previously prescribed and was advised to discontinue it. However, another five days after stopping the medication, he continued to have persistent nausea and vomiting. Friends took him to the hospital. After several tests, Baran was diagnosed with an abdominal mass. He was admitted for an additional five days and was conclusively diagnosed with stomach cancer. Due to the prognosis, Baran elected to return home for continuing treatment. When he first arrived in Canada, Baran had purchased a Visitors policy with a $10,000 maximum coverage. As a result, this was the maximum amount reimbursed.
Clinic fees $300.00
Hospital fees $32,732.00
Doctor Fees $4,463.72
Prescription costs $69.83
Total amount of claim $35,557.71
Amount paid by the insurance company: $10,000.00 (maximum liability amount purchased)
Next time you book a trip make sure that you and the ones close to you have enough coverage to protect them in case of sickness or injury. You can’t predict what’s going to happen but using the examples above you should have a good idea of what medical care costs in Canada and what you can do to protect yourself.
Visit our website today and speak with an experienced Insurance Advisor regarding the way to secure your financial stability and personal safety being away from home.
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