Your card says 'travel insurance.' The fine print says something else.
Get a QuoteYour credit card says it includes travel insurance. That sounds great — but what's actually covered is usually a lot less than you think, and what's excluded is often the expensive part. Here's how to read the fine print and why you probably still need a real policy.
Common inclusions: trip cancellation/interruption (up to a limit), lost baggage, travel accident, rental car collision. Some premium cards include emergency medical, but usually with low limits ($1M–$2M) and strict conditions.
Pre-existing conditions (usually excluded), adventure sports (almost always excluded), high medical limits (many cap at $1M–$2M vs $5M for dedicated plans), and the 24/7 assistance infrastructure that real travel insurers provide.
Most credit card insurance only activates if you paid for the trip with that card. If you booked your flight with a different card or points, you may have no coverage at all. Read the activation requirements in the certificate of insurance.
Credit card medical coverage is often secondary — meaning you have to claim through your provincial plan and other insurance first. The limits are lower, the exclusions are broader, and the claims process is often slower and more adversarial than a dedicated travel insurer.
Credit card travel insurance has lower limits, more exclusions, and stricter activation rules. Get a real policy.
Get a Quote Learn more about Canadians leaving CanadaOne night in a Canadian ICU can top $14,000 — without coverage, that's on you.
Cost reality