{"id":2170,"title":"Costco Travel Insurance in Canada: A Practical Guide to Coverage, Plans, and Eligibility","slug":"costco-travel-insurance-in-canada-a-practical-guide-to-coverage-plans-and-eligibility","lang":null,"description":"Explore how Costco Travel Insurance works for Canadian travellers, including emergency medical coverage, trip cancellation, plan options, eligibility, pre-existing conditions, and key considerations for seniors.","content":"

Travel insurance can help Canadian travellers manage certain financial risks associated with medical emergencies, cancelled trips, interrupted travel, delayed baggage, and other unexpected events. It can be particularly important when travelling outside Canada because provincial and territorial health plans may cover only a limited portion—or none—of the medical expenses charged in another country.

Costco Travel Insurance in Canada is not insurance underwritten directly by Costco. Costco directs members to travel insurance products administered or provided through Manulife. The available products may include emergency medical insurance, all-inclusive coverage, trip cancellation and interruption insurance, coverage for travel within Canada, and plans designed for visitors or students. Costco Travel also recommends that members consider insurance before departure and links customers to Manulife for policy information and quotations.

The right plan depends on factors such as the traveller’s age, health, destination, trip duration, existing insurance, planned activities, and the amount of prepaid travel expenses. Older travellers may need to pay particular attention to medical questionnaires, pre-existing condition clauses, stability periods, exclusions, and eligibility requirements.

This guide explains how Costco Travel Insurance generally works for Canadian residents and identifies the questions travellers should consider before selecting a policy.

How Costco Travel Insurance Works in Canada

Costco members can access travel insurance information through a dedicated Manulife insurance website. Although the insurance is promoted as a Costco member service, Manulife is the company responsible for the insurance products, policy documents, customer service, assistance services, and claims process.

This distinction matters because coverage decisions are governed by the insurer’s policy wording rather than by Costco’s travel-booking terms. A Costco membership does not automatically provide travel insurance, and booking a trip through Costco Travel does not necessarily mean that the trip is insured.

Travellers normally need to apply for coverage and pay a separate premium. Depending on the plan and the applicant’s circumstances, the application may request:

The traveller’s age and province or territory of residence
Departure and return dates
Destination
Trip cost
Existing medical conditions
Recent medical treatment or medication changes
The type and amount of coverage requested

The insurer may use this information to determine eligibility, coverage conditions, and price. Applicants should answer medical questions accurately and completely. An incorrect or incomplete answer could affect a future claim.

Main Types of Coverage Available

Emergency Medical Insurance

Emergency medical insurance is intended to cover eligible medical expenses arising from an unexpected illness or injury during a trip. Depending on the policy, covered expenses may include hospital treatment, physician services, diagnostic tests, prescription medication, ambulance transportation, and medically necessary transportation back to Canada.

The Costco-member emergency medical plan marketed by Manulife currently describes coverage of up to $5 million for eligible emergency medical expenses. It must generally be purchased before the traveller leaves their province or territory of residence and must cover the full duration of the trip. Exact limits, exclusions, deductibles, and eligibility conditions are set out in the policy.

Emergency medical insurance may also be relevant for travel within Canada. Provincial health plans may not pay every expense incurred outside a traveller’s home province or territory, particularly costs such as ambulance services, prescription drugs, private nursing, or transportation home. Manulife lists a Travel Canada Emergency Medical Plan among the options available to travelling Canadians.

All-Inclusive Travel Insurance

An all-inclusive plan combines several forms of protection in one policy. It may include:

Emergency medical insurance
Trip cancellation
Trip interruption
Baggage loss or damage
Baggage delay
Flight accident coverage
Travel accident coverage

This type of plan may be useful for travellers who have both medical concerns and substantial non-refundable travel costs. Manulife’s Costco all-inclusive plan is described as offering protection beyond emergency medical expenses, including trip cancellation, interruption, and baggage-related benefits. The current plan page states that it offers up to $5 million in emergency medical coverage, subject to the applicable contract.

A bundled plan is not automatically more suitable than separate coverage. Travellers should compare its limits with the actual value of their prepaid flights, cruises, hotels, tours, and other bookings.

Trip Cancellation and Trip Interruption Insurance

Trip cancellation coverage generally applies before departure. It may reimburse eligible prepaid and non-refundable expenses when a trip must be cancelled for a covered reason.

Trip interruption coverage generally applies after departure. It may help with eligible costs when a traveller must return home early, remain at the destination longer, or change travel arrangements because of a covered event.

Covered reasons may include certain illnesses, injuries, deaths, natural events, travel advisories, employment circumstances, or transportation disruptions. However, coverage varies significantly. A policy may not cover an event that was already known, foreseeable, or occurring when the insurance was purchased.

The Costco-member plan can be purchased alongside medical insurance or, in some circumstances, as stand-alone trip cancellation and interruption coverage.

Travellers should not assume that every airline delay, strike, weather event, or change of plans qualifies for reimbursement. The Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association advises policyholders affected by transportation disruptions to first determine what refunds or alternatives are available from the airline or travel supplier and then review the insurance contract for remaining eligible losses.

Multi-Trip and Single-Trip Plans

A single-trip plan covers one defined journey. It may be appropriate for someone who travels occasionally or is planning one extended vacation.

A multi-trip annual plan covers multiple trips during a policy year, subject to a maximum number of covered days for each trip. This arrangement may be practical for travellers who regularly cross the border, take several vacations, or visit family in another province.

The traveller must check the per-trip duration carefully. For example, an annual plan covering a limited number of days per trip may require a top-up when one vacation exceeds that duration. Coverage should be arranged before the original insurance period expires and in accordance with the insurer’s rules.

Considerations for Senior Travellers

There is no single Costco travel insurance plan automatically assigned to everyone over a certain age. Two travellers of the same age may receive different terms or premiums because of differences in health history, trip length, destination, coverage amount, and policy selection.

Medical Questionnaires

Older applicants may be required to complete a medical questionnaire. Questions can address recent hospital visits, diagnostic testing, heart or lung conditions, cancer treatment, diabetes, medication use, and other aspects of medical history.

Applicants should avoid guessing. When a question is unclear, it may be useful to consult the insurer and review medical records or speak with a health-care professional before submitting the application.

Pre-Existing Medical Conditions

A pre-existing condition is generally a medical condition that existed before the insurance became effective. Having a pre-existing condition does not always mean that the traveller is ineligible, but the policy may require the condition to have been stable for a specified period.

“Stable” has a contractual definition. It may mean that there has been no new treatment, worsening of symptoms, medication change, diagnostic investigation, hospital admission, or medical recommendation during the stability period. A routine dosage adjustment can sometimes be treated differently from a change caused by deteriorating health, depending on the policy wording.

Travellers should read the definition that applies to their specific plan rather than relying on a general understanding of the term.

Age and Trip Duration

Age can affect premiums, maximum trip duration, medical underwriting, deductibles, and eligibility. The age bands shown in an advertisement or informational graphic should not be interpreted as guaranteed plan categories. Actual insurance terms must be confirmed through the application and policy.

Longer trips can also cost more and may be subject to additional conditions. Snowbirds and other extended-stay travellers should verify that insurance covers the entire time they are outside their province or territory.

Existing Coverage

Some travellers already have insurance through an employer, retirement benefits plan, professional association, credit card, bank account, or spouse’s benefits.

Existing insurance may reduce the need for duplicate coverage, but it should be examined carefully. Important questions include:

What is the emergency medical limit?
How many days does each trip remain covered?
Does coverage decrease or end at a certain age?
Are pre-existing conditions covered?
Is trip cancellation included?
Must the trip be paid for with a specific credit card?
Is there a deductible?
Does the plan coordinate benefits with another insurer?

CLHIA guidance notes that travellers covered by more than one plan should disclose all available coverage so insurers can coordinate eligible payments.

What May Not Be Covered

Travel insurance is designed for specified risks, not every possible travel problem. Common limitations can include:

Medical conditions that do not meet the stability requirement
Routine or elective medical care
Travel undertaken against medical advice
Events that were known before insurance was purchased
Certain high-risk sports or activities
Alcohol- or drug-related incidents
Failure to obtain required travel documents
Unapproved medical treatment
Losses recoverable from an airline, tour operator, credit card, or another insurer
Destinations subject to certain government travel advisories
Trips longer than the plan’s maximum duration

Policy exclusions differ. Travellers should examine the certificate of insurance, definitions, benefits, exclusions, and claim procedures before departure.

Using Emergency Assistance and Making a Claim

Most travel medical policies require the insured person to contact the insurer’s emergency assistance centre as soon as reasonably possible. The assistance centre may help locate medical facilities, confirm benefits, communicate with health-care providers, arrange payment where possible, or coordinate transportation.

Failure to contact the insurer before receiving treatment may affect the amount reimbursed, except where an emergency makes prior contact impossible.

Claimants should keep supporting records such as:

Medical reports and invoices
Prescription receipts
Proof of payment
Airline or hotel confirmations
Cancellation notices
Refund statements
Police or baggage reports
Proof of the reason for cancellation or interruption

Manulife provides online and telephone processes for registering travel insurance claims. The appropriate contact method may depend on the policy and the traveller’s location.

Questions to Ask Before Choosing a Plan

Before selecting Costco Travel Insurance or another Canadian travel insurance product, travellers should compare more than the premium. Useful questions include:

Is the traveller eligible based on age, residence, health, and trip duration?
What is the emergency medical coverage limit?
Is there a deductible?
Which pre-existing conditions are covered?
What stability period applies?
What cancellation and interruption reasons are insured?
Are the cancellation limits sufficient for the prepaid trip cost?
Does the plan cover travel within Canada?
Are planned sports, cruises, tours, or activities excluded?
What government travel advisory provisions apply?
Must the assistance centre approve treatment in advance?
How are claims submitted and what documentation is required?
Can coverage be extended if the traveller remains away longer?
Is the policy primary insurance, or does it coordinate with other coverage?

Comparing these details can be more informative than comparing price alone.

Government Guidance for Canadian Travellers

The Government of Canada recommends obtaining travel insurance before leaving Canada and warns that the federal government does not pay medical bills incurred abroad. It advises travellers to verify coverage for health, life, and disability risks and to review the policy’s terms, conditions, limitations, exclusions, and requirements before departure.

Its guidance for older travellers similarly recommends sufficient insurance for hospitalization and medical treatment outside Canada. Travellers should also verify whether the insurer will pay foreign health-care providers directly and whether medical evacuation or repatriation is covered.

Conclusion

Costco Travel Insurance gives eligible Canadian Costco members access to travel insurance products offered through Manulife. Available options may include emergency medical, all-inclusive, trip cancellation and interruption, multi-trip, domestic travel, student, and visitor coverage.

The most suitable option depends on the traveller’s health, age, destination, trip length, prepaid costs, and existing benefits. Senior travellers should pay close attention to medical questionnaires, pre-existing condition definitions, stability periods, and maximum trip durations.

Before purchasing coverage, travellers should read the complete policy, compare benefits and exclusions, and confirm that all application information is accurate. Careful research can help ensure that the selected policy reflects the traveller’s actual needs and reduces the risk of unexpected coverage gaps.

Disclaimer

This article provides general information only and is not insurance, legal, medical, or financial advice. Plan availability, premiums, coverage limits, exclusions, eligibility, and policy terms may vary by provider, province or territory, age, health status, destination, and travel dates. Travellers should review the current policy documents and consult the insurer or a qualified adviser before making a decision.

References

Costco Travel Canada — Travel Insurance information and Terms and Conditions
Manulife Travel Insurance for Costco Members
Government of Canada — Trip Interruption and Travel Health Insurance
Government of Canada — Guidance for Older Travellers
Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association — Guide to Travel Health Insurance
Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association — Travel Insurance Guidelines

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