Inflation has not spared travelers who pay more for sun destinations. Should we therefore cut back on the cost of travel insurance?
Yet this is what many consumers do. 68% of Canadians plan to leave in the next year, but a third will not take out any travel insurance, according to a recent TD Insurance survey.
This carelessness could cost them very, very dearly.
Remember that Statistics Canada established in March that Canadians had made 5 million trips abroad, the majority of which were to the United States (50% by car).
However, American medicine is one of the most expensive in the world. Thus, the average hospitalization cost there is $4,129 (all amounts in this article are in Canadian dollars), according to KFF. The state of California is the most expensive, with an average of $5,920 per day. In Florida, very popular among Quebecers, it is $3,857.
Hospital costs in the US
According to various sources, an average daily U.S. hospital bill (medical and nursing care, room, food, medications) is:
- $39,310 for a kidney stone;
- $29,250, broken arm or wrist;
- $24,900, sepsis;
- 24 000$, appendicectomie;
- 20 340$, AVC;
- $20,270, childbirth;
- $18,320, cardiac arrest;
- $8250, pneumonia.
The average stay is 5.9 days, or $24,361. Consulting a doctor south of the border costs between $150 and $300. Stories of hospitalizations worth more than $1 million abound in the media. However, medical insurance abroad costs between $60 and $300, depending on the formula.
And if you think it’s cheaper elsewhere in the world, think again. According to a study by HelloSafe which has just been published, the average daily cost of hospitalization varies greatly from one country to another (see table)
Quebecers staying in the South will be delighted to learn that this cost is $149 in Mexico, $92 in Costa Rica, $66 in Cuba and $60 in the Dominican Republic.
Advice:
- Most credit cards offer travel insurance, but exclusions and limits vary depending on your health, length of trip, destination and card type. Many group insurance plans also offer travel insurance.
- It is preferable to purchase travel insurance from a Quebec travel agent, to benefit from better service before leaving (in particular to establish the most appropriate coverage) and abroad in the event of an accident.
- Adequate travel insurance normally covers: cancellation, repatriation, accidents, emergency transport, hospitalization, accommodation and food for those accompanying you, theft or loss of luggage.
- Quebec health insurance does not cover all medical expenses incurred in other Canadian provinces. The difference is covered by travel insurance.
Daily hospitalization cost
(without specialized medical care or surgery)
Monaco 4567$
Norway $1819
- Qatar 1772$
- Suisse 1195$
- Ireland $1089
- Netherlands $963
- Sweden $937
- Iceland $933
- Belgium $828
- Germany $782
- France 772$
- United Kingdom $766
- Japan $665
- Italy $660
- Spain $600
Source: HelloSafe – $CAN
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