Is Your Credit Card’s Travel Medical Insurance Enough?
Many travel and premium credit cards offer travel insurance that includes emergency medical coverage — but the rules for “activating” coverage depend on the specific benefit and issuer (and may not always require you to charge the trip to the card).
A 2025 TD Insurance survey, conducted by The Harris Poll Canada, found that 25% of surveyed Canadians who said they didn’t plan to buy travel medical insurance for a domestic trip believed they were covered by their credit card provider.
Having travel coverage can be a lifesaver, even if you’re staying in Canada. That’s because your provincial health plan might not transfer to other parts of the country for certain services like an air ambulance, explains Pamela Wong, head of affinity Canada for Manulife, a global travel insurance provider based in Toronto. Some provincial plans can leave travellers on the hook for things like ambulance or air ambulance costs out of province, depending on the service and jurisdiction.
But relying on a credit card for emergency medical insurance while travelling may not be the best choice for every traveller.
Common credit card coverage gaps
BACK TO TOPUnderstanding if your credit card’s travel insurance policy works for you depends on the fine print.
For example, the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Card provides coverage for 25 days for cardmembers 64 and under, but just three days for those 65 and older.
If you’re a relatively healthy person younger than age 65 and you’re taking a standard vacation in a popular tourist destination for a few weeks, your credit card’s emergency medical travel policy may be sufficient.
In addition to age-related limitations, watch out for these coverage gaps:
Pre-existing health conditions. Credit card policies typically exclude coverage for many pre-existing conditions, such as pregnancy or chronic illness. Some direct-to-consumer policies offer coverage for existing health conditions. For example, some card policies exclude certain pregnancy-related claims late in pregnancy and commonly apply “stability period” requirements for pre-existing conditions.
Trip length. If you’re spending a summer abroad, your card’s coverage might lapse before you return home.
Coverage amounts. Credit card policies have lower coverage amounts than what you might be able to buy directly through an insurance carrier. For instance, the Scotiabank card is capped at $2 million for emergency medical expenses, but direct insurers may offer higher limits depending on the plan and provider.
How you paid for the trip. Some benefits require you to pay a minimum portion of your trip with the card and/or rewards points, while others don’t require trip purchase at all — so check the certificate for each benefit you plan to rely on.
An itinerary with risky activities. If you’re going skydiving or scuba diving, for example, check your plan’s policy first. Some certificates exclude or limit coverage for “dangerous” sports or activities.
Travel medical insurance options, compared
BACK TO TOPBefore you travel, consider what will happen if you need emergency medical care. Remember: What worked well for someone else may not work for you.
“People have to realize that there’s no such thing as a vanilla plan that’s going to be a great fit/bullseye for everybody and every traveller,” says Christina Tunnah, general manager of global marketing and brands with World Nomads, a direct-to-consumer travel insurance carrier.
Credit card coverage
Best for: Relatively healthy travellers under age 65 who have access to a travel or premium credit card with travel emergency medical coverage.
If your credit card offers travel emergency medical coverage, read the fine print to understand what’s included (and what isn’t) to decide whether or not the policy is enough — or if you need supplemental coverage. You won’t pay extra for this coverage, but your card may have hefty annual fees.
Looking for a travel rewards credit card?
We compared the best options so you can get away in style.
Direct-to-consumer insurance providers
Best for: Travellers over 65, those with stable pre-existing medical conditions, long-term travellers and those without access to credit card emergency medical coverage.
Companies like Manulife and World Nomads offer comprehensive travel medical policies you can tailor to your trip needs and purchase directly from the carriers. As a rule of thumb, comprehensive travel insurance often costs a few percent of your total prepaid trip cost, though your price depends heavily on age, trip length and the coverage you choose.
When purchasing through a direct provider, you can choose from single-trip or annual policies. For frequent travellers who take two or three trips per year, annual policies usually offer a better bang for your buck than buying one-off trip coverage, Wong says.
Banks
Best for: Travellers with access to bank-provided travel emergency medical policies and those who don’t have a travel or premium credit card.
Many banks offer travel insurance to premium members, and some of these policies may be more flexible in their guidelines. For example, CIBC’s Comprehensive Travel Insurance policy covers travellers who are 15 days up to 89 years old and CIBC also offers travel medical coverage up to $10 million, depending on the plan.
Pro tips for smart insurance shopping
BACK TO TOPDon’t wait until you’re at the airport to think about coverage because, by then, it’s too late. “It’s really important to actually make travel insurance part of your trip planning, and part of your trip budget,” Wong says.
Here are some quick tips on how to shop smart.
Use the cooling-off period: Many policies offer a “free look” period (usually 10 days) where you can read the policy and get a full refund of your premium if you change your mind.
Call customer service: Ask specific questions about how claims work and common reasons a claim might be denied before purchasing.
Check online reviews: Read what other travellers have to say about different insurance providers and, especially, how their claims were handled.
Consider benefits across policies: Understand how multiple policies (via your credit card or bank, or directly through an insurer) might work together.
Quick checklist before you rely on card coverage
Before you travel, confirm these details in your credit card’s certificate of insurance:
Age limits and whether coverage shortens after a certain age.
Maximum trip length covered, and whether you can buy a “top-up” for longer trips.
The pre-existing condition rules, including stability periods and pregnancy-related exclusions.
Activity exclusions (sports, rentals, altitude limits, etc.) and what counts as “risky.”
Activation rules: whether you must charge the trip (or a portion of it) to the card, use points, or simply be a cardholder in good standing.
Sources
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- TD Bank Group Newsroom. Close to Home, Far from Covered: Travel Insurance Misconceptions Persist Among Canadians. Accessed Mar 5, 2026.
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