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Travel Insurance Updates

Summary of BCAA Travel Insurance Policy Wording Updates – Effective October 30, 2024

For new policies with an application date of October 30, 2024, or later and renewals with effective dates from December 8, 2024.

Your BCAA Travel Insurance policy wording has been updated to enhance your coverage and provide increased clarity. Changes have also been made to clarify your coverage when a travel advisory has been issued and to exclude coverage when travelling in war impacted countries or regions. A summary of these changes can be found below. For the full details of these changes, please review the full wording available in the ‘Your Policy Wording’ section.

COVID-19 Coverage Expansions

This change confirms vaccination is no longer required for COVID-19 coverage, and coverage will be provided under the Emergency Medical benefit up to the policy limit.

  • COVID-19 Emergency Medical benefit has been deleted
    • Vaccine Requirement is no longer required for coverage
  • Fully Vaccinated definition has been deleted
  • COVID-19 related Conditions and Exclusions have been removed

This change provides coverage for trip cancellations and interruptions due to COVID-19 illness (unless a formal written travel advisory and/or travel warning is in place “to avoid all travel” or “avoid non-essential travel” due to COVID-19).

COVID-19 related cancellations/interruptions will now be covered under the following Covered Risks:

  1. Sickness, injury, death or quarantine of you or your travelling companion.
  2. Sickness, injury, death or quarantine of your immediate family or your travelling companion immediate family.
  3. Sickness, injury, death of your or your travelling companion caregiver, or death of a friend not travelling with you on the trip.
  4. Sickness, injury, death or quarantine of your host at your final destination.
  5. Hospitalization of you, your travelling companion or your accompanying immediate family member that prevents you from returning on your regular scheduled return date and that causes you to incur boarding fees for your accompanying pets.
  6. Hospitalization (including home based palliative care) or death of a family member not travelling with you that causes you to interrupt your trip before your scheduled return date.
 

This change removes requirement that quarantine expenses must be related to COVID-19 quarantine.

Old Wording New Wording  

2. COVID-19 Quarantine Expenses
The company will pay up to $300 per insured ($500 per family) per day to a maximum of $3,000 per insured per trip ($5,000 per family) for your additional and unplanned commercial accommodation, meals, and internet costs when:
a) You, your insured family member(s) or your insured travelling companion(s) are placed in quarantine as ordered by the attending physician, the local government or another lawful public authority as a result of your, your insured family member, your insured travelling positive COVID-19 test during your covered trip, or when your scheduled return to your ordinary place of residence is delayed as a result of such positive COVID19 test; or
b) You test positive for COVID-19 upon arrival in British Columbia but prior to your return to your ordinary place of residence and are placed in quarantine as ordered by the local government or another lawful public authority. This benefit covers you for the duration of the ordered COVID-19 quarantine.
Proof of a positive COVID-19 test and proof of being ordered to quarantine will be required. Coverage only applies if you, your insured family member(s) and insured travelling (s) are fully vaccinated (over 18 years of age).

2. Quarantine Expenses
The company will pay up to $300 per insured ($500 per family) per day to a maximum of $3,000 per insured per trip ($5,000 per family) for your additional and unplanned commercial accommodation, meals, and internet costs when:

You, your insured family member(s) or your insured travelling companion(s) are placed in quarantine as ordered by the attending physician, the local government or another lawful public authority during your covered trip, or when your scheduled return to your ordinary place of residence is delayed as a result of being in quarantine.
This benefit covers you for the duration of the quarantine. Proof of being ordered to quarantine will be required.

Acts of War and Terrorism General Exclusion

General Exclusion #1

This change clarifies how coverage is impacted when losses are incurred in war-impacted countries/regions.

Old Wording New Wording  

1) a) Applicable to Policies with Trip Cancellation & Interruption
Coverage Losses arising out of acts of war or acts of terrorism unless a formal travel advisory and/or travel warning has been issued by the Canadian government after the date the trip is booked or the date the insurance was purchased, whichever occurs later.
b) Applicable to all plans
Your participation in and/or voluntary exposure to acts of war or acts of terrorism.


1) a) Applicable to all plans and coverages other than Trip Cancellation & Interruption
Losses occurring while you are in any country or region (including any connections, layovers, or transit locations that you travel to or through) where Acts of War or Acts of Terrorism are occurring or anticipated or imminent.
b) Applicable to Trip Cancellation & Interruption Coverage Only
Losses due to Acts of War or Acts of Terrorism unless a formal travel advisory or travel warning has been issued by the Canadian Government after the booking date of the trip or the date the insurance was purchased, whichever is later.


Travel Advisory Exclusion #10

Exclusion #10 

This change clarifies how coverage is impacted when an advisory is issued.

Old Wording New Wording  

10) Emergency sickness or injury incurred if you choose to travel to a destination after a formal written travel advisory and/or travel warning has been issued by Global Affairs Canada or Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) recommending that you avoid all or non-essential travel to that destination during your trip. This exclusion applies if the advisory/warning is issued on or before the date you leave for your trip and the sickness or injury is caused by, contributed to or arising out of, directly or indirectly, or in connection with the reason for the travel advisory/warning, regardless if there are other contributing factors that are not otherwise excluded.

10)
a) Travel Advisory Issued on or Before Your Departure
Emergency sickness or injury if you travel to a destination after the Canadian Government has issued a formal written travel advisory to Avoid-all or Avoid Non-essential travel to that destination (including any connections, layovers, or transit locations during your trip that are impacted by such advisories) and when sickness or injury arises from or is attributable to the circumstances outlined in the travel advisory or warning. When the travel advisory is related to war, acts of war or acts of terrorism, no coverage whatsoever will be provided while you are in the country, region or city impacted by the advisory (General Exclusion #1 applies).

b) Travel Advisory/Warning Issued After Your Departure
Emergency sickness or injury arising from or attributable to the circumstances outlined in a travel advisory issued by the Canadian Government to Avoid-all or Avoid Non-essential travel for a destination after you have already departed for or arrived at that destination (including any connections, layovers, or transit locations during your trip that are impacted by such advisories) is covered and limited to 15 days from the date that the advisory was issued. General Exclusion #1 will not apply for the first 15 days.
If you remain at the destination impacted by the advisory beyond 15 days, General Exclusion #1 will come into effect and no coverage whatsoever will be provided if the advisory is related to war, acts of war, or acts of terrorism, if the advisory is unrelated to war, acts of war, or acts of terrorism, no further benefits will be payable for any sickness or injury arising from or attributable to the reason of the advisory or warning.

Emergency Definition

Emergency Definition

This change clarifies when a situation is no longer considered an emergency. 

 
Old Wording New Wording

Emergency means an unforeseen sickness or injury, which requires immediate medical treatment to alleviate existing danger to life or health. An emergency no longer exists when the medical evidence indicates you are able to continue the trip or return to your home province or country of permanent residence. Once such emergency ends, no further benefits are payable in respect of the condition that caused the emergency.

Emergency means an unforeseen sickness or injury that happens during your covered trip, which requires immediate medical treatment to alleviate danger to your life or health. The end of your emergency is determined by the company’s medical advisor based on the available medical evidence. The emergency no longer exists when:

  • No further immediate emergency medical treatment is required at destination; or,
  • You are able to return to your home province or country of permanent residence; or,
  • You are able to continue your trip.

Emergency Medical Exclusion #7

Emergency Definition

This change is to align with the Emergency definition.

 
Old Wording New Wording

Any medical treatment, other than continuous treatment as specified in the Fracture Treatment and the Dental Services Benefits, which is a continuation of or subsequent to an emergency sickness or injury during the same covered trip, including its recurrence or any complications, regardless if there are other contributing factors that are not otherwise excluded, that are, or could be, caused by, contributed to or arising out of, directly or indirectly, or in connection thereto unless you were declared by an attending physician medically unfit to return to your home province because the initial emergency had not ended.

Any medical treatment in respect of an emergency sickness or injury that occurs after the company’s Medical Advisor has declared, based on the available medical evidence, that the emergency with respect to such sickness or injury has ended, whether or not such medical treatment is a continuation of or subsequent to such emergency sickness or injury during the same covered trip, including its recurrence or any complications, regardless if there are other contributing factors that are not otherwise excluded, that are, or could be, caused by, contributed to or arising out of, directly or indirectly, or in connection thereto unless otherwise specified in an Emergency Medical benefit.

Emergency Medical Benefits Section 

This change aligns with the Emergency definition

Old Wording New Wording

Emergency Medical Benefits
Maximum limit - $10,000,000

The wording in this section applies to Travel Emergency Medical Insurance:

  • Annual Multi-trip and Single Trip Worldwide
  • Single Trip Worldwide excluding USA
  • Single Trip Within Canada

The company will pay the actual, reasonable and customary expenses up to the coverage limits for acute, sudden and unexpected emergency sickness or injury, resulting from an emergency that occurs while you are travelling outside your home province.

Emergency Medical Benefits
Maximum limit - $10,000,000

The wording in this section applies to Travel Emergency Medical Insurance:

  • Annual Multi-trip and Single Trip Worldwide
  • Single Trip Worldwide excluding USA
  • Single Trip Within Canada

The company will pay the actual, reasonable and customary expenses up to the coverage limits for acute, sudden and unexpected emergency sickness or injury, resulting from an emergency that occurs while you are travelling outside your home province. Once the emergency ends, no further benefits will be payable related to the specific medical condition/injury that initially caused the emergency.

Visitors to Canada Benefits

Maximum limit – Up to the sum insured as indicated on the application/declaration
Whenever a benefit limit is not specified, the benefit is limited to the maximum sum insured that is indicated on the application/declaration and for which the appropriate premium has been paid. The company will pay the actual, reasonable and customary medical and related expenses up to the coverage limits for acute, sudden and unexpected emergency sickness or injury, resulting from an emergency that occurs while travelling outside your country of permanent residence.

Visitors to Canada Benefits

Maximum limit – Up to the sum insured as indicated on the application/declaration
Whenever a benefit limit is not specified, the benefit is limited to the maximum sum insured that is indicated on the application/declaration and for which the appropriate premium has been paid. The company will pay the actual, reasonable and customary medical and related expenses up to the coverage limits for acute, sudden and unexpected emergency sickness or injury, resulting from an emergency that occurs while travelling outside your country of permanent residence. Once the emergency ends, no further benefits will be payable related to the specific medical condition/injury that initially caused the emergency.

   

Baggage Coverage Updates

Exclusion #1

These changes update outdated technology references, such as DVD players and MP3 players, to more generic and modern terminology. 

Old Wording New Wording

Loss, damage, or theft of animals; self-propelled conveyances of any kind or their equipment; trailers, boats, motors, aircraft or other conveyances or their appurtenances; bicycles except while checked as baggage with a common carrier; household effects and furnishings; artificial teeth and limbs; hearing aids; eye glasses, contact lenses; money (except as specified under the Currency Benefit), securities, tickets and documents; personal entertainment devices including but not limited to portable DVD players, mp3 players including but not limited to iPods, personal computers, software, pagers or cellular phones; professional or occupational equipment or property; antiques and collectors items; property illegally acquired, kept or stored, or transported; works of art, jewellery, furs, cameras or camera equipment.

Loss, damage, or theft of animals; self-propelled conveyances of any kind or their equipment; trailers, boats, motors, aircraft or other conveyances or their appurtenances; bicycles except while checked as baggage with a common carrier; household effects and furnishings; artificial teeth and limbs; hearing aids; eye glasses, contact lenses; money (except as specified under the Currency Benefit), securities, tickets and documents; electronic devices and their accessories and/or related equipment , personal computers, software, ; professional or occupational equipment or property; antiques and collectors items; property illegally acquired, kept or stored, or transported; works of art, jewellery, furs, cameras or camera equipment.

Updates to Statutory and General Conditions

Additions:

  • Termination of Insurance added to the Statutory Condition section

Changes:

  • Action Against Company and Notice to Company moved from Statutory Conditions to General Conditions
  • Notice of Limitation moved from Statutory Conditions to Other Conditions

Travel Insurance is sold through B.C.A.A. Holdings Ltd. dba BCAA Insurance Agency, a licensed insurance agent and is underwritten by BCAA Insurance Corporation. Insurance claims are administered by Global Excel Management Inc.. Policy terms apply. Visit bcaa.com/wordings.