Each year, thousands of Canadians embark on months-long journeys to warmer destinations to escape the frigid winter season back home. Popularly known as snowbirds, this group of travellers consists mostly of seniors and retirees who take seasonal trips to tropical locations such as the southern part of the US, Central America, and the Caribbean to enjoy the sun and the beach.
But travelling at this age presents a different set of risks, which makes securing travel insurance even more essential, according to industry insiders.
“As we grow older, we are also more susceptible to health issues or injuries than younger travellers,” Allianz Global Assistance explained on its website. “Because most countries don’t provide free health care to visitors, travel insurance is a must-have if you need emergency medical treatment while you’re away.”
Unlike in Canada where citizens are covered by provincial health insurance and supplemental private health plans, snowbirds face exorbitant out-of-pocket expenses for medical care should the need arises while they are outside the country.
In Canada, a snowbird is used to describe a group of seasonal travellers who go to places with warmer climates when the winter season arrives. The name comes after the dark-eyed junco – also called snowbird – which likewise migrates south during the cold winter months.
Snowbird travellers are usually senior-aged or retired Canadians who spend several months in a destination of their choice or stay in different locations before returning to the country once warm weather comes in.
According to Toronto-based insurance brokerage Snowbird Advisor, while many Canadian snowbirds still flock to warmer parts of the US – including Arizona, California, Florida, and Texas – a growing number of travellers are becoming more adventurous and choosing “exotic destinations further afield,” especially with the Canadian dollar weakening against the US dollar. These locations include Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama, Dominican Republic, Cuba, Belize, Portugal, Spain, and Southeast Asia.
As the name suggests, snowbird travel insurance is a type of policy tailored for Canadians leaving the country for extended periods, offering coverage for up to 212 days. Because this group of travellers consists mostly of seniors, snowbird plans are designed to provide emergency healthcare coverage for this demographic.
Snowbird travel insurers typically offer three types of policies. These are:
Read more: Travel insurance for seniors – what Canadians should know
Coverage varies between insurance providers and policies, but snowbird travel insurance typically covers the following medical expenses:
Some plans may also cover:
Elective medical procedures, routine check-ups, cosmetic surgery, and non-emergency dental care, meanwhile, are excluded from cover.
It is very important for snowbird travellers to disclose any pre-existing medical conditions to their insurer as failure to do so could risk voiding their coverage. A pre-existing condition is any illness, injury, or medical issue that travellers knew they had prior to their departure. According to the comparison website Ratehub.ca, these include any condition that travellers “experienced symptoms of, were diagnosed and/or treated, prescribed new medication for, or changed existing medication.”
Most travel insurance policies for snowbirds provide coverage for pre-existing conditions but include a “minimum stability period,” which requires a medical condition to be under control with no major changes for between 90 days and one year.
The good news for snowbird travellers is that unlike at the onset of the pandemic when COVID-19 coverage was rare, travel insurance providers have since stepped up their game and have started offering protection against disruptions related to the coronavirus.
Snowbirds, however, also need to consider a few points before buying travel policies. These are:
To be eligible for snowbird insurance, a traveller must be:
Insurance brokerage platform PolicyAdvisor reminded snowbirds, however, to be aware that different plans may also have varying stipulations.
“For instance, if you purchase multi-trip coverage, there may be requirements about the maximum number of days you can travel and be covered for each trip,” the insurtech firm noted. “In this case, some insurance companies specify that you will only be covered for between 30 and 90 days per trip.”
Several factors impact the price of snowbird travel insurance premiums. These include the traveller’s age and pre-existing medical conditions, length of the trip, and level of coverage. According to PolicyAdvisor, policies typically start at $500 annually.
One of the biggest differences between standard senior travel insurance plans and those catering to snowbirds is the length of time for coverage. Regular travel policies for seniors cover trips lasting up to 21 days. Snowbird travel insurance, meanwhile, offers up to 212 days of coverage.
On its website, Global Affairs Canada has warned all travellers that “Canadian public health insurance is almost certainly not valid outside Canada,” and getting treatment in “foreign hospitals can be very expensive and may require immediate cash payment.” The agency added that the government will not foot any medical bills “for an illness or accident suffered abroad.”
For this reason, all Canadian travellers – not just snowbirds – would benefit from taking out travel insurance with solid medical and healthcare coverage.
According to Snowbird Advisor, because each snowbird has their own unique set of coverage needs, they must also choose a policy that caters to their specific requirements. To help travellers find the right plan that fits their needs, the insurance brokerage firm shared these key questions that snowbirds must ask before purchasing a policy:
“Just like every snowbird has unique needs, every snowbird travel insurance policy has unique terms,” the firm explained. “While many policies are similar, some will meet your specific requirements much better than others and the best policy for you may not be the best policy for someone else.”
Much like other types of policies, travel insurance for snowbirds provides financial protection in the event something goes wrong. Coverage details vary from policy to policy, which is why experts advise travellers to review the fine print carefully before purchasing. Here are some additional tips from industry experts on how snowbirds can make the most out of their policies:
