CHAMBERS PLAN AND VOYAGE ASSISTANCE
TRAVEL WITH CONFIDENCE
Heading off on a business trip brings excitement, anticipation and the niggling worry that you’ve forgotten an important document at home. Whether you’re travelling for business, or for a vacation, following a few best practices, like making sure you have travel health coverage in place and being prepared to use it, can take away some of those worries and can make things go more smoothly if you hit an unexpected problem like a medical emergency. BEFORE YOU GO While planning your trip, confirm what documents the destination country requires for entry, which might include passports, visas, driver’s license or ID cards, a copy of your itinerary, plus COVID-19 or other immunization records, along with proof of health coverage at home and travel insurance for the country you’re exploring. Make sure you understand what’s covered under your provincial coverage, what your employee travel health benefits can do for you, and the process and limitations for submitting a claim. Your packing list should include a printed version of your travel benefits card that identifies your employer or group number, your certificate and account numbers. It should also include the contact phone numbers to call for insurance help in case you need assistance on your vacation, like for a broken arm after a slip at the resort’s pool. Many insurers allow you to access or download this information on your phone. But keeping a printed copy means, if you can’t connect to your online information for any reason, you can still get emergency medical travel assistance.
What many people don’t think about is sharing your travel coverage information with your travel companions. This could be important if a medical situation arises where you need someone to communicate on your behalf. It’s also a good idea to leave a copy of your benefits card, passport and itinerary with someone at home in case your ID or phone gets stolen or lost during an upside- down ride at the amusement park. IF YOU NEED HELP In the unfortunate case where you have to stay in a hospital while you’re outside your province or the country, you need to let your travel assistance provider know within 48 hours of an emergency admission. Save all your receipts and claim forms and, if you’re required to submit originals, keep copies for yourself. When you call with an Emergency Out-of-Country claim, see if your travel assistance providers can set up your hospital or medical clinic for direct billing so you avoid out-of-pocket expenses. TRAVEL COVERAGE IN EMPLOYEE BENEFITS It’s very important to understand the limitations of the travel coverage in an employee benefits plan. For instance, travelers frequently have their claims denied because their emergency is related to a pre- existing condition, which is usually excluded under travel insurance. Voyage Assistance, which is included in Chambers of Commerce Group Insurance Plan’s Extended Health options, has no pre-existing conditions or stability clauses, and because it’s already in place automatically, it’s ready to go when you decide to take advantage of last-minute flight deals for a warm beach vacation during a cold snap. When people call in, Voyage Assistance confirms your eligibility for coverage and can assist during a medical emergency. It can help you find a local doctor or medical facility, make
payments required by emergency treatment facilities, and even make arrangements if you require medical transport home. MORE OPTIONS IN TRAVEL COVERAGE While group benefits are built, well, for groups, there are other coverages you can buy that complement your plan coverage or that might be suited to a more specific need. Chambers Plan members, for example, can take advantage of even more travel options through the Personal Benefits program. Trip Cancellation is a good choice if you’re concerned about your travel being interrupted by bad weather, or if an itinerary involves complicated reservations (like a flight plus a cruise), and especially for lost luggage, when your vacation hinges on golf or ski gear arriving on time. If you’re the lucky person who’s receiving a visit from friends or family abroad, you can add Visitors to Canada coverage, so you don’t have to worry about the bill if they need emergency medical treatment while they’re here. You can get Travel Top-up for additional coverage for yourself, or even for your buddies joining you on a trip to the Bahamas! Stuff happens, and when you’re travelling, an unexpected event can result in a complicated health situation. But if you take the steps to be prepared, you can ensure a smooth path to your care and coverage for your medical bills. That means all that’s left is to figure out how to squeeze your essentials into a carry-on bag, and wonder if you remembered to water the plants, turn down the furnace, put out the garbage, unplug the power bar… ■ For more information on Chambers Plan and Voyage Assistance, visit chamberplan.ca/ plan-members/coverage
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WINTER 2023
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