What to do in case of a Medical Emergency?

Last updated on April 1st, 2020

It is not a secret that life can be unpredictable and at times we feel overwhelmed by the circumstances we are facing, especially when it comes to our health.

We often hear stories about other people’s challenges or share our own. In doing so, we aim to spread awareness regarding our experiences and tools we used in order to solve the issue at hand.

Just a few decades ago our grandparents did not have as much access to helpful resources to use as we do now. One of those resources is a medical insurance for travelers.

Essentially, a travel insurance policy is designed to cover necessary medical expenses when an insured person gets unexpectedly sick or injured in an accident. In other words, you can use your insurance whenever you are travelling outside of your home country to take care of the costs for doctor’s visits, prescription medications, hospitalization, ambulance and much more as long as it is considered an emergency by the insurance provider you have a policy with.

The main reason to have a proper medical insurance policy when you take a trip around the world and especially to Canada is that medical treatment is very expensive to an extent that it could put a significant burden on your financial well-being.

That is why, it is strongly recommended to get an adequate insurance policy before you take off for an adventure!

While the definition of a medical emergency may slightly vary across different insurance providers, in general, an emergency is considered to be an unforeseen sickness or accidental injury that happens while insurance is in effect, which requires timely intervention by a licensed medical professional.

Here are some examples of medical emergencies that are covered under private insurance for Visitors to Canada*:

COVID-19 complications
Bleedings
Fractured / broken bone
Breathing difficulties
Severe / sudden pain
Heart attack
Stroke
Pneumonia
High fever
Stomach flu
Infection

The main thing to remember is that you or someone on your behalf needs to call the Emergency Assistance Center as soon as possible. Ideally, you should notify claims department within 24 hours when an emergency happens.

Reporting an emergency is very important since your insurance provider will not cover your medical expenses unless you notify them of required treatment.

Failure to call to notify your insurance provider during the 24 hour period will result in reduction of otherwise payable insurance premiums by 20% for most of the companies, however for GMS it is 30% and for INGLE it is 50%.

Once you’ve contacted the Assistance Center and provided your policy number along with a brief description of your emergency, they will advise on what to do next. Usually, you will need to fill out a Claim Form and submit it along with original receipts for treatment in case of a reimbursement-based claim i.e. doctor’s visit at a walk-in clinic, prescription drugs purchase, etc. On the other hand, most insurers offer direct billing options for hospitalization events. Meaning that your insurance company will take care of the bill directly without you having to pay out of pocket, unless you have deductible that you must pay yourself first.

Apart from the policy number, be ready to provide them with such information as proof of your travel dates, medical records and proof of payment in case you have already paid for the medical services. Other details may be requested by the company if needed for claim processing.

 
All the Emergency Assistance Centers are open 24 hours 7 days a week.

Please find contact phone numbers for each company below:

21st Century:
– Toll-Free – 1-877-882-2957 (Canada & USA)
– Collect – 1-519-251-7856 (Canada)

If you would like to learn more about emergency reporting click here – 21 Century Insurance

 
Destination Travel Group:
– Toll-Free – 1-833-886-1069 (Canada)
– Collect – 1-519-945-1069 (Worldwide)

If you would like to learn more about emergency reporting click here – Destination Canada Insurance

 
GMS:
– Toll-Free – 1.800.459.6604 (Canada & USA)
– Collect – 905.762.5196 (for all other locations)

If you would like to learn more about emergency reporting click here – GMS Insurance

 
Manulife Financial:
– Toll-Free – 1-877-878-0142 (USA and Canada)
– Collect – 1-519-251-5166 (worldwide)

If you would like to learn more about emergency reporting click here – Manulife Insurance

 
Allianz Global Assistance:
– Toll-Free – 1-800-995-1662 (Canada & USA)
– Toll-Free – 00-800-842-08420 / + 800-842-08420 (Worldwide)
– Collect – 416-340-0049 (Worldwide)

If you would like to learn more about emergency reporting click here – Allianz Global Assistance Insurance

 
TuGo:
– Toll-Free – 1-800-663-0399 (Canada and USA)
– Toll-Free – 001-800-514-9976 (Mexico)
– Collect – 1-604-278-4108 (for all other locations)

If you would like to learn more about emergency reporting click here – TuGo Insurance

 
Travelance:
– Toll-Free – 1.800.334.7787 (Canada & USA)
– Collect – 905.667.0587 (for all other locations)

If you would like to learn more about emergency reporting click here – Travelance Insurance

 
INGLE Assurance:
– Toll-Free – 1-855-883-6479
– Collect – 416-467-4587

If you would like to learn more about emergency reporting click here – INGLE Assurance