Coronavirus (COVID‑19)
Information for Insureds Travel Insurance
Updated: April 8, 2022 at 10:10 a.m.
This FAQ concerns only group insurance products and retirement and end of employment products (Privilege and MRS).
SSQ Insurance recommends that its clientele comply with the Canadian government's travel advisories. SSQ Insurance cannot guarantee access to quality medical care abroad due to the ever changing global situation.
Click here to consult the Government of Canada Travel Advice and Advisories
Yes, you might be. For countries where the federal government has issued a level 1, 2 or 3 travel advisory,* you will be covered for emergency medical care. Unless you have war risk coverage, you will not be covered if the federal government issues a level 4 travel advisory. Please consult your contract for more details and refer to the Government of Canada site to find out the level of travel advisory that applies to the country where you will be travelling.
Please note that the situation is currently very unstable in countries bordering Ukraine and that it may deteriorate suddenly. The federal government’s travel advisory level could change in the coming weeks and accessing emergency medical care or repatriation may be difficult, even unfeasible, in some regions.
* The Government of Canada issues four levels of travel health notices for travel destinations:
- Level 1 – Exercise normal security precautions
- Level 2 – Exercise a high degree of caution
- Level 3 – Avoid all non-essential travel
- Level 4 – Avoid all travel
Yes, if the illness is severe enough to warrant cancellation. You must provide proof of your medical condition.
No, before booking your trip, you must ensure that your passports and visas are in order or will be before your departure.
- Completed and signed claim form
- Proof of the trip’s cancellation from the service provider
- Copy of all credits and reimbursements already obtained
- Detailed receipts from your service provider, including their cancellation policy
- Proof of payment for the trip (credit card or bank account statement)
- Plane tickets (if applicable)
- Completed and signed direct deposit reimbursement form (if applicable)
- Proof of a positive COVID-19 PCR test or rapid antigen test.
- Detailed receipt including:
- Name, signature and address of the health care provider
- Location of service
- List of services received
- Cost and date of services received
- Medical reports
- Laboratory results (if applicable)
- Proof of payment
- Transaction record (if applicable)
- Claim forms (completed and signed)
If your airline cancels your trip, visit its website or contact your travel agent for the procedure to follow.
- For Air Canada, click here.
- For Sunwing, click here.
- For Air Transat, click here.
Call the first payors, which are your travel services providers (your travel agency, airline, etc.).
Then contact your travel insurance assistance service. It is provided on the back of your insurance card and in the Customer Centre.
- For those covered by CanAssistance, fill out the form on the CanAssistance site
- For those covered by AXA Assistance, contact AXA.
For Quebec residents who purchased a trip from a travel agency in Quebec
First, submit a reimbursement request directly to the Compensation Fund for Customers of Travel Agents (CFCTA) in the following situations:
- Transportation not received
- Lodging not received
- Tourist activities not received
- Main service not received
- Compromised security
- Departure or repatriation required
- Closure or bankruptcy of the travel agency
Then, you must submit a claims form to your travel insurance assistance service.
- For those covered by CanAssistance, fill out the form on the CanAssistance site
- For those covered by AXA Assistance, contact AXA
Your trip must have been purchased between October 21 and December 14, 2021. An advisory to avoid non-essential travel outside Canada must be in effect at the time of departure.
If you were offered a travel credit as compensation, we consider this a reimbursement. We will therefore deduct the travel credit (whether you accepted it or not) from your insurance amount. If the travel credit is equal to your insurance amount, you will not receive any further reimbursement from SSQ Insurance.
No. You are not eligible for a refund if you do not meet vaccination requirements, or if you do not meet the PCR / Antigen testing requirements as it is not a cancellation reason listed under your contract terms.
To be eligible for travel insurance, you must be covered by your provincial or territorial health insurance plan. If your trip exceeds the maximum number of days that you can be absent established by the province or territory, an exemption request must be completed.
Click on the province or territory of your choice to view the extended absence rules that apply.
Since October 1, 2020, emergency medical expenses, including those related to COVID-19, are covered for travel destinations for which the Government of Canada has issued a Level 1, 2, or 3* travel health notice. In accordance with your insurance policies, you must be in good and stable health before you leave on your trip.
Emergency medical expenses are not covered for travel destinations for which the Government of Canada has issued a Level 4* travel health notice.
* The Government of Canada issues four levels of travel health notices for travel destinations:
- Level 1 – Exercise normal security precautions
- Level 2 – Exercise a high degree of caution
- Level 3 – Avoid all non-essential travel
- Level 4 – Avoid all travel
The following expenses are covered according to the maximum amount under your contract:
- Medical expenses
- Additional expenses incurred to purchase a return ticket, or the cost of modifying your existing ticket, based on the following:
- One-way ticket, in economy class
- Flight aboard a commercial airline, on a fixed schedule
- The most direct route to the point of departure
Accommodation and living expenses are not covered unless stipulated otherwise under your contract.
Expenses related to mandatory stopovers in a third country are not covered by your travel insurance plan. This includes costs incurred related to living expenses, accommodation fees, and itinerary change fees.
Yes. Your travel insurance coverage will be maintained until your return to Canada.
Expenses related to emergency medical care, including those related to COVID-19 are covered. All other expenses including accommodation and living expense are not covered under your insurance contract.
Call your travel insurance assistance service. You will be referred to a healthcare professional.
This information is provided on your SSQ Insurance card and in your Customer Centre.
For those covered by CanAssistance, contact CanAssistance.
For those covered by AXA Assistance, contact AXA.
During a level 4 warning
You are not covered for emergency medical expenses, including those related to COVID-19. This is valid for all cruises, as long as the Canadian government maintains a level 4 warning, a warning to avoid all travel on a cruise ship.
During a level 3 warning or below
You are covered for emergency medical expenses, including those related to COVID-19. This is valid for all cruises, as long as the Canadian government maintains a level 3 warning and below.
If you want to cancel your cruise, the following conditions must be met:
- You must have trip cancellation insurance.
- The cruise must have been booked after March 7, 2022, when the Canadian government lifted its travel advisory to avoid all travel abord cruise ships.
Since October 1, 2020, the following situations apply BEFORE YOUR DEPARTURE if your insurance includes trip cancellation coverage:
If the Government of Canada’s travel health notice for your travel destination changes from Level 1 or 2 at the time of purchase to Level 3* before your departure, then it is possible to cancel your trip. If you decide to travel, you will still be covered for travel assistance (emergency medical expenses including COVID-19) for as long as the Government of Canada’s travel health notice level does not change to Level 4*.
If the Government of Canada’s travel health notice for your travel destination changes from Level 1, 2 or 3 at the time of purchase to Level 4* before your departure, then it is possible and recommended that you cancel your trip. If you do not, you will not be covered for travel assistance.
*The Government of Canada issues 4 travel health notices for travel destinations as follows:
- Level 1 - Exercise normal security precautions
- Level 2 - Exercise a high degree of caution
- Level 3 - Avoid all non-essential travel
- Level 4 - Avoid all travel
For any trip cancellation prior to departure due to a Government of Canada travel health notice, you must contact SSQ’s travel assistance service for instructions 72 hours before the scheduled departure date.
In addition, if you have purchased your trip through a travel agent and you have to cancel it because of a travel health notice issued by the Government of Canada, you must contact SSQ’s travel assistance service for instructions 72 hours before your deposit becomes payable to your travel agent.
Contact information for your travel insurance assistance service is provided on your SSQ Insurance card and in your Customer Centre.
For those covered by CanAssistance, contact CanAssistance.
For those covered by AXA Assistance, contact AXA.
For SSQ Insurance, a travel credit is equivalent to a reimbursement. Therefore, whether you accept the travel credit or not, we will deduct this amount from the reimbursement.
If the travel credit is equal to the total amount, you will not receive any reimbursement from SSQ Insurance.
If you do not obtain a full reimbursement or credit for the cancellation of your trip, SSQ Insurance will reimburse you for the eligible expenses under your contract.
Additional expenses incurred while awaiting COVID-19 screening test results are not covered (for example, the cost for new plane tickets or changing the return date on the existing ticket, accommodation and living expenses, etc.)
Yes, you can cancel or extend your trip if you are placed under quarantine as long as the quarantine ends 7 days or less before your scheduled departure date or occurs during your trip.
Before incurring any expenses, you must contact your travel insurance assistance service. The contact information is indicated on your SSQ Insurance card and in your Customer Centre.
For those covered by CanAssistance, contact CanAssistance.
For those covered by AXA Assistance, contact AXA.
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