Travel insurance in Burlington, Ontario
Burlington residents need their own emergency medical travel insurance because OHIP pays little or nothing outside Canada and never advances funds. A single policy from a Canadian insurer such as TripCovered covers hospital, doctor and emergency transport abroad, with premiums set by age, trip length and coverage amount.
Key takeaways
- OHIP coverage for out-of-country care effectively ended in 2020 — assume no overseas help.
- Emergency medical travel insurance covers hospital, physician and emergency evacuation costs.
- Under 60 you usually answer no medical questions; 60+ complete a questionnaire that sets price, not eligibility.
- Single-trip suits one holiday; a multi-trip annual plan is cheaper if you leave the province often.
- Buy before you depart — coverage must be in place before you leave the country.
Burlington sits between Toronto and Hamilton, with Pearson airport under an hour away and a large share of residents who head south for winter or overseas on holiday. Wherever you are flying from, the one thing your provincial health card will not do is protect you once you leave the country.
Why OHIP is not travel insurance
It is easy to assume your Ontario health coverage follows you abroad. It does not. OHIP has never paid foreign medical bills up front, and the small reimbursement program that once existed was discontinued in 2020. If you are hospitalized in the United States, Mexico or Europe, you are responsible for the full bill, and foreign hospitals expect payment or a guarantee from an insurer before they treat you. A few days in intensive care overseas can run into six figures. Emergency medical travel insurance exists to stand between you and that bill.
What emergency medical coverage includes
A single-trip emergency medical plan is built for unexpected illness and injury while you are travelling. It typically covers hospital stays, physician and specialist fees, diagnostic tests, prescription drugs related to the emergency, and — often the most valuable part — emergency air transport or repatriation back to Canada. Plans from our underwriting partner, a Canadian insurer operating since 1964, come in Worldwide, Excluding-USA and Within-Canada versions, so Burlington travellers can match the coverage to where they are actually going. There is no age limit, and 24/7 assistance is available in multiple languages if something goes wrong overseas.
Choosing coverage for your trip
Think about three things: destination, trip length and your health. A beach week in Florida, a European tour and a cross-country drive to visit family all call for different coverage. If you take several trips a year, a multi-trip annual plan usually costs less than buying single policies each time. Travellers under 60 generally answer no medical questions. At 60 and over you complete a short medical questionnaire — this sets your premium, not whether you qualify, so pre-existing conditions do not automatically shut you out. If you ski, dive or do other higher-risk activities, an optional Sports & Activities add-on is worth considering.
Add-ons Burlington travellers often want
Beyond emergency medical, you can layer on Trip Cancellation and Interruption coverage if you have prepaid flights or a package you would lose money on, Baggage coverage, and Rental Car Protection for a road trip. Services like telemedicine and MyFlyt flight-delay support come alongside many plans. Only add what fits your trip — there is no point paying for cancellation coverage on a non-refundable weekend you could easily rebook.
Getting the right price
Premiums depend on your age, how long you will be away, the coverage amount you choose and, for older travellers, your health profile. You can lower the cost by matching the coverage region to your destination, choosing a deductible, and picking an annual plan if you travel often. The honest answer on price is that it varies, so the useful step is to compare your own options with real trip details.
If something goes wrong abroad
Keep your policy number and the 24/7 assistance line where you can reach them quickly, and call before seeking non-emergency treatment when you can. The assistance team can point you to an appropriate facility, arrange a guarantee of payment so you are not paying out of pocket, and open a claim on the spot. Save receipts, medical reports and any incident reports, since these support a claim later. With TripCovered, claims are handled directly and the assistance line runs around the clock in multiple languages, so time zones and language are not a barrier when you are far from home.
Pre-existing conditions and the fine print
Emergency medical plans cover sudden, unexpected events, so read how yours treats pre-existing conditions. Many require a condition to be stable for a set period before departure — no new symptoms, treatment changes or medication adjustments in that window. If you are 60 or over, answer the medical questionnaire accurately, because an incorrect answer can undermine a claim. When anything is unclear, confirm it before you leave Burlington, not after.
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Frequently asked questions
Does OHIP cover me when I travel abroad from Burlington?
No, not in any practical way. Ontario ended its out-of-country travel reimbursement program in 2020, and even before that it paid only a small fraction of foreign hospital bills and never up front. You are expected to carry private emergency medical insurance for any trip outside Canada.
Do I need travel insurance for trips within Canada?
Your OHIP card covers most hospital and physician care in other provinces, but not everything — air ambulance, prescriptions and some services can be billed to you. A Within-Canada emergency medical plan fills those gaps for a modest premium.
How soon before my trip should I buy?
Buy before you leave Ontario. Coverage has to be purchased and active before departure; you cannot add emergency medical insurance once you are already out of the country or after something has happened.
TripCovered is a licensed insurance referral service operating in Ontario. Insurance is administered by North American Air Travel Insurance Agents Ltd., doing business as TuGo®, a licensed insurance broker in all provinces and territories. The issuer of the contract is Industrial Alliance Insurance and Financial Services Inc. and Industrial Alliance Pacific General Insurance Corporation. Coverage is subject to the terms, conditions, limitations and exclusions of the policy. This website provides general information only and is not a contract of insurance. Always read your policy wording before you travel.