Understanding The Essentials

Orion Travel Insurance, a CAA company, has launched a campaign to make it easier for Canadian travellers to navigate and understand the essentials of travel insurance in advance of the busy summer travel season.

Kellee Irwin, vice president of Orion Travel Insurance Company, says that: “As a CAA company, founded on the principle of member safety, we felt it was important to take a leadership position when it comes to traveller education.”

Irwin continues: “It’s important that travellers have the tools to be able to evaluate coverage options and plans and to confidently choose the protection that meets their needs.”

The need for more education among travelling Canadians was highlighted in the 2018 Annual Report of the Office of the Auditor General of Ontario.

In that report, the Auditor General indicated that: “more public education is needed to ensure that Ontarians are aware that, while they may be able to receive the same level of care outside of Ontario that they would be entitled to while in the province, they may be financially responsible for any difference in coverage.”

Over 50% of out-of-province hospitalizations are due to accidents. Provincial coverage typically only covers on average only 2.5% to 5% of medical bills and they can be very expensive outside of Canada. Medical costs also differ by country and state in the U.S., so costs can differ depending where you are travelling.

Orion’s digital education campaign consists of 10 videos – three of which have now been released – and they break down the fundamentals of what travellers need to know about travel insurance regardless of where or how it is purchased.

The first three videos explain the different types of travel insurance, how to use emergency medical insurance and what are the common benefits included in travel medical insurance.

Alison Hammill, marketing manager, Orion, explains: “Every policy has different levels of coverage and benefits, eligibility requirements, policy conditions and exclusions and it is important that travellers understand these fully before leaving their home province.”

And Hammill adds: “The videos will cover all the basics and will be distributed via social media to Canadian travellers across the country.”

Orion hopes that more proactive education campaigns like this one, will help to ensure that travellers have the protection they need, when they need it. More videos will be rolled out over the course of the coming weeks.

To check out the video, go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GVJBJeLrRM .

To find out more about Orion Travel Insurance Company, go to https://www.oriontravelinsurance.ca/ .