Going South This Winter? The Date That Decides Your Travel Insurance

<p>Heading somewhere warm this winter? Your province pays something toward a hospital outside Canada, and it's small. Nova Scotia pays up to $525 a day once you're admitted. BC pays up to $75. A Florida hospital spends about $4,400 Canadian per inpatient day, and that's the hospital's own cost. Your bill can be very different.</p><p>Going to Mexico, the Caribbean or Europe instead? Your province pays the same small amount there, and some countries want your credit card before they treat you.</p><p>Your credit card may come with travel insurance. On the 3 big bank cards I checked, it drops to 3 or 4 days a trip at 65. Riveting reading, the certificate, and it's the only place the day count lives.</p><p>The date that matters most is your policy's stability window. A policy can require a condition to have been stable for a set number of days before you leave, such as 90 or 180. A new prescription or a dose change inside that window can leave that condition uncovered. Count back from the day you leave and book your medication review before that date. If your doctor wants a change after it, take the change and call the insurer.</p><p>And answer the health questions exactly. A wrong answer can shrink a claim or cancel the policy.</p><p>5 things I'd keep<br>1. Your province pays a small part, anywhere in the world. Get cover for the rest, including the flight home.<br>2. Check work, your pension and your card first, then top up or buy 1 policy.<br>3. Save with the deductible or by shopping around, and answer every health question exactly.<br>4. Book your medication review before your stability date.<br>5. Outside the US, check the travel advisory and bring a card that can cover a hospital deposit.</p><p>My snowbird guides are in my community at calmmoneycoach.com, and my email list is free.</p><p>I'm Brian Orlando, CPA, in Halifax. Advice-only planning through Calm Money Coach. No products, no commissions.</p><p>Provincial rates from each plan's page. Florida: KFF 2024 hospital cost per inpatient day, at the Bank of Canada rate. Trips: Statistics Canada. Card days from each card's certificate, read September and October 2026. Your policy's wording decides your cover. Education only.</p>