Study: Canadians have generally positive experiences with travel medical insurance

Report also reveals what clients are looking for from their policies

Study: Canadians have generally positive experiences with travel medical insurance

Insurance News

By Lyle Adriano

New research has revealed that Canadians’ experience with travel medical insurance has been largely positive.

The report was sponsored by the Canadian Association of Financial Institutions in Insurance (CAFII) and prepared by Pollara Strategic Insights. For the report, Pollara conducted an online survey, with 1,200 adult Canadians participating, between February 16, 2018 and March 05, 2018.

According to the survey, more than 8 in 10 Canadians said that they are satisfied with travel medical insurance products and the value they provide. Moreover, 98% of people who made travel medical insurance claims in the past year said they were fully or partially paid – only 2% said their claims were rejected. Ninety one per cent (91%) of claimants also said that they were satisfied with their claim experience, from the beginning of the process to payout.

Confidence among Canadian travel medical insurance consumers was also high as well, the study discovered. Eighty-seven per cent (87%) said that they were confident they would receive the quality of service they expected, while 90% said they were confident they would receive the assistance they needed, and 86% expected reimbursement to cover the cost of the travel medical emergency, as per their policy. Notably, these results were even higher for those who had made a claim.

Many Canadians appear to understand how travel medical insurance works, the study suggests. Eighty-nine per cent (89%) of Canadians said their understanding of travel medical insurance coverage terms and limitations was at least reasonable; 89% of buyers also said that they had understood some of the exclusions of their policy at the time of purchase.

CAFII’s study also ranked the top six factors Canadians look for in travel medical insurance:

  • Features and benefits – 87%
  • Overall amount of coverage – 85%
  • Ability to speak to someone – 83%
  • Price – 81%
  • Ease of purchase 77%
  • Coverage for pre-existing conditions – 71%

“Canadian consumers have expressed a great deal of confidence in the travel medical insurance industry, and the products that our members provide,” commented CAFII co-executive director Keith Martin. “On the other hand, consumers continue to raise the bar on what they expect from their policies in terms of product features, quality service and value, and rightly so.”

 

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