Health & Insurance

Insurance

Travel insurance covers everything from medical bills and collision insurance for rental cars to emergency evacuation costs and theft. The cost of travel insurance varies widely, depending on your destination, the cost and length of your trip, your age and health, and the type of trip you're taking, but expect to pay between 5% and 8% of the vacation itself. You can get estimates from various providers through InsureMyTrip.com. Enter your trip cost and dates, your age, and other information, for prices from more than a dozen companies.

U.K. citizens and their families who make more than one trip abroad per year may find an annual travel insurance policy works out cheaper. Check www.moneysupermarket.com, which compares prices across a wide range of providers for single- and multi-trip policies. The Association of British Insurers (tel. 020/7600-3333; www.abi.org.uk) gives advice by phone and publishes Holiday Insurance, a free guide to policy provisions and prices.

Most big travel agents offer their own insurance and will probably try to sell you their package when you book with them. Think before you sign.

You can also shop around for deals at Columbus Direct (tel. 0870/033-9988; www.columbusdirect.net).

Trip-Cancellation Insurance -- Trip-cancellation insurance will help retrieve your money if you have to back out of a trip or depart early, or if your travel supplier goes bankrupt. Trip cancellation traditionally covers such events as sickness, natural disasters, and State Department advisories. The latest news in trip-cancellation insurance is the availability of expanded hurricane coverage and the "any-reason" cancellation coverage -- which costs more but covers cancellations made for any reason. You won't get back 100% of your prepaid trip cost, but you'll be refunded a substantial portion. TravelSafe (tel. 888/885-7233; www.travelsafe.com) offers both types of coverage. Expedia also offers any-reason cancellation coverage for its air-hotel packages.

For details, contact one of the following recommended insurers: Access America (tel. 866/807-3982; www.accessamerica.com); Travel Guard International (tel. 800/826-4919; www.travelguard.com); Travel Insured International (tel. 800/243-3174; www.travelinsured.com); and Travelex Insurance Services (tel. 888/457-4602; www.travelex-insurance.com).

Medical Insurance -- Check if your insurance policy covers you while traveling in Canada, especially for hospitalization abroad. Many policies require you to pay for services upfront and, if they reimburse you at all, will only do so after you return home. Carry details of your insurance plan with you, and leave a copy with a friend at home.

Medical treatment in Canada isn't free for foreigners, and hospitals make you pay your bills at the time of service. They may send you a refund after you've returned home and filed the necessary paperwork.

The U.S. Medicare and Medicaid programs do not provide coverage for hospital or medical costs outside the U.S.

U.K. nationals will have to pay for medical treatment in Canada. Details are at www.dh.gov.uk/travellers.

As a safety net, you may want to buy supplemental travel medical insurance. Options include MEDEX Assistance (tel. 410/453-6300; www.medexassist.com) and Travel Assistance International (tel. 800/821-2828; www.travelassistance.com; for general information on services, call the company's Worldwide Assistance Services, Inc., at tel. 800/777-8710).

In a worst-case scenario, emergency evacuation is a particularly expensive service ($10,000 and up). If you're ever hospitalized more than 150 miles from home, MedjetAssist (tel. 800/527-7478; www.medjetassistance.com) will pick you up and fly you to the hospital of your choice anywhere in the world in a medically equipped and staffed aircraft. Annual memberships are $225 individual, $350 family; you can also purchase short-term memberships.

Lost-Luggage Insurance -- On international flights (including U.S. portions of international trips), baggage coverage is limited to approximately $9.07 per pound, up to approximately $635 per checked bag. If you plan to check items more valuable than what's covered by the standard liability, see if your homeowner's policy covers your valuables, get baggage insurance as part of your comprehensive travel-insurance package, or buy Travel Guard's "BagTrak" product.

If your luggage is lost, immediately file a lost-luggage claim at the airport, detailing the luggage contents. Most airlines require that you report delayed, damaged, or lost baggage within 4 hours of arrival. The airlines are required to deliver luggage, once found, directly to your house or destination free of charge.

Staying Healthy

West Nile virus is an infection spread by the bite of an infected mosquito. In Canada, there were 226 cases and 12 deaths in 2005. To reduce the risk of mosquito bites, travelers should use an insect repellent and wear long-sleeve shirts and long pants at dawn and in the early evening.

During the 2003 SARS scare in Toronto, not a single case of SARS was reported in the province of Québec. Toronto and the province of Ontario were declared free of the disease by the World Health Organization later that year.

General Availability of Healthcare -- Before you go: No shots are required to enter Québec province.

Canada has a state-run health system. It is suffering a number of problems, including a nurse shortage, overcrowded emergency rooms, and budgetary difficulties. That said, Québec hospitals are modern and decently equipped, and staffs are well trained.

Contact the International Association for Medical Assistance to Travelers (IAMAT) (tel. 716/754-4883 or, in Canada, 416/652-0137; www.iamat.org) for tips on travel and health concerns in the countries you're visiting, and for lists of local, English-speaking doctors. The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (tel. 800/311-3435; www.cdc.gov) provides up-to-date information on health hazards by region or country and offers tips on food safety. You can find listings of reliable medical clinics overseas at the International Society of Travel Medicine (www.istm.org).

What to Do If You Get Sick Away from Home -- Familiar over-the-counter medicines are widely available in Canada.

If there is a possibility you will run out of prescribed medicines during your visit, take along a prescription from your doctor. Carry the generic name of prescription medicines, in case a local pharmacist is unfamiliar with the brand name. Prescription drugs are usually cheaper in Canada than in the U.S.

Remember to pack your medications in your carry-on luggage, and have them in their original containers, with pharmacy labels -- otherwise they may not make it through airport security. If you are entering Canada with syringes used for medical reasons, bring a medical certificate that shows they are for medical use and be sure to declare them to Canadian Customs officials.

If you suffer from a chronic illness, consult your doctor before your departure.

Staying Safe

Montréal and Québec City are far safer cities than their U.S. or European counterparts of similar size, but common sense insists that visitors stay alert to their surroundings and observe the usual urban precautions. It's best to stay out of the larger parks at night, for example, and to call for a taxi when returning from a late dinner or a club in a dicier area. Neighborhoods to avoid are well outside those of touristic interest.

There are reports of escalating road rage incidents, so expressions of impatience and anger with the actions of other drivers can be unwise.

Québec is one of the more liberal provinces in Canada and its residents often disagree strongly with U.S. policies, but mass demonstrations are rare and political violence is unusual.

Tolerance of others is a Canadian characteristic, and it is highly unlikely that visitors of ethnic, religious, and racial minorities will encounter even mild forms of discrimination. That applies to sexual orientation as well, especially in Montréal, which has one of the largest gay communities in North America.