Manulife Canada is giving eligible travel insurance customers a free one-year eSIM membership, as it adds non-insurance perks to its travel products.
The offer comes through a partnership with Travelgoogoo, a Singapore-based travel connectivity company. Customers who buy an eligible Manulife travel policy will receive an email with instructions to activate the eSIM, which works in more than 120 countries and is designed to help travelers avoid roaming charges.
The membership includes unlimited messaging through apps such as WhatsApp, iMessage, Facebook Messenger and WeChat, plus 1 GB of high-speed data for browsing, maps and social media. Once activated, it stays live for 12 months and can be reused across multiple trips. Customers get 20% off additional 4G and 5G data plans from Travelgoogoo, and 24/7 eSIM support from the provider.
An eSIM is built into compatible smartphones, so travelers can connect to local networks without buying or swapping a physical SIM card.
“This launch marks another step in our evolution from a traditional insurer to a trusted travel companion,” said Geoff Finnie, head of individual health and travel, affinity, at Manulife Canada.
Travelgoogoo chief executive Richard Bok said connectivity and travel insurance were both essentials that give people more confidence when they travel.
The eSIM joins Manulife Travel Advantage, a set of benefits and partnerships the insurer offers alongside its travel coverage. Manulife has not said which policies qualify.
It’s the second travel launch from Manulife in less than a month. On September 28, the insurer launched a CoverMe plugin in ChatGPT that lets Canadians get personalized travel insurance quotes inside the AI chatbot, which Manulife said was a first in Canada. Pamela Wong, Manulife’s head of affinity, said at the time that being a trusted travel companion means showing up for Canadians throughout their journey, not just when they make a claim.
Travel insurance is a crowded and largely price-driven market, with policies sold through advisors, travel agents, banks, credit card programs and directly online. Perks like a free eSIM give an insurer a reason to be chosen that isn’t purely about premium, and keep the brand in front of customers during a trip rather than only when something goes wrong.
The timing also suits the peak snowbird season, when many older Canadians head south for months. Whether a free messaging and 1 GB data allowance changes buying decisions is less certain. For advisors who sell Manulife travel coverage, it’s a value-add worth mentioning, but clients will still choose mainly on medical limits, pre-existing condition rules and price.
