National Cancer Institute Unsplash
It is pertinent to disclose all medical conditions, including prescribed medication you're taking.
Words by Steve Fennell
There’s no doubt that when RVers are considering medical insurance for the 2021/2022 snowbird season, thoughts of COVID-19 coverage still come to mind. As the rate of preventative vaccinations is increasing with provincial restrictions and quarantine regulations easing, so are travelling concerns among snowbirds. While still a worry - as it should be for good reason - let it be known that medical insurance coverage for the virus is readily available, as well as many other medical insurance coverage policies for pre-existing medical conditions and unexpected illnesses or accidents.
“Last year this time, some underwriters were very reluctant to offer coverage for COVID-19,” says Leah Mongillo, Vice President for Travel Insurance Office Inc. “Some covered COVID-19 no matter what, some didn’t offer coverage for it at all, and another underwriter offered a rider for Covid-19 coverage at an extra premium.”
Mongillo explained that while underwriters and medical insurance companies industry were implementing different options in the past year, COVID-19 coverage is now all part and parcel of exisiting coverage policies. As a result, and based on having the mandatory double dose, it’s safe to say that it’s ‘medical insurance coverage business as usual’ and snowbirds are required to follow the same precise protocols as pre-COVID-19 times.
For example, prior to paying a premium, a thorough medical questionnaire is required to complete, disclosing such pertinent information including details on current illnesses or medical conditions, personal medication prescribed and the stability of the medication, the requirement of physical assistance due to a medical condition, and/or any related issues to pulmonary fibrosis, congestive heart failure, and kidney disease requiring dialysis.
It’s also important to realize that if medication has been changed since a previous policy, it’s regarded as the medical condition has also changed and stability needs to be determined for a certain period of time to ensure coverage with the specific condition while south in the U.S.
“Snowbirds - including RVers - definitely require a policy that covers pre-existing conditions and they need to ensure that the pre-existing conditions are in fact covered, which has always been the case,” says Mongillo.
Daniel Schludi Unsplash
You don't have to be fully vaccinated to obtain medical coverage in the U.S., but it does ensure personal safety, as well as ideal insurance rates and optimal coverage.
What is also available from Travel Insurance Office are four different packages to choose for travellers including Travellers Choice, T.I.M.E., Tugo, as well Blue Cross when travelling within Canada. While all share many of the same benefits including COVID-19 coverage (even during unexpected travel advisories), refunds for policy cancellations, early-bird discounts, and family plans, Travellers Choice and Tugo are two of the more popular products for snowbirds. Both entail coverage for pre-existing medical conditions that have been stable for 90 days prior to travel, daily rates so you just to pay just for the duration of a trip, the ability to receive $5 million in coverage if you have a retiree plan that provides a minimum of $500,000 coverage, plus a variety of optional deductibles as well as multi-day tip plan rates.
While several iron-clad coverage options are available, there’s always the fine print to consider and worst-case scenarios to plan for. Just. In. Case. A common example is unexpected adjustments in medication, which through the eyes of a medical insurance provider means there’s a change in a health condition. While visits to the clinic, cost of medication, follow-up visits or any other necessary procedure will be covered by the policies provided by Travel Insurance Office, once the emergency is over, the specific condition under the policy will not be covered.
“This is very important for people to realize as medical insurance coverage is for unforeseen and unexpected emergencies,” says Mongillo. “In a situation when there’s a sudden change in medication for high blood pressure, it’s the individual’s responsibility to monitor their condition. Or, in the event of a heart attack or a stroke, we would advise the individual to return home when they are sable. But in both scenarios, they wouldn’t be covered twice for the same emergency during the same trip.”
In the instance - especially for RVers - when a health condition causes a trip to fall short and the ability to drive the RV home is not possible, Travel Insurance Office also offers a feature within its policies to cover the expense of a secondary party to return the RV. According to the company, policy-holders can be reimbursed up to a maximum of $5,000 (USD) for the cost of
a commercial agency to return the RV back to the province or territory of residence. The policy also applies to rental RVs and coverage is also available in the event of an expensive breakdown with coverage on select associated costs.
“Currently, there are no extra benefits or exclusions to snowboards (except for the border crossing restrictions being closed at the time of publication) that travel in an RV south of the border for winter when it comes to medical coverage,” says Mongillo. “But there are other stipulations and features within a policy that RVers should consider and not overlook for the when they travel south this season.”