Blog

ClearCompare.ca provides travel insurance coverage to more Canadians with pre-existing health conditions

Last fall, when Philip Collins was denied travel insurance because of some rare pre-existing medical conditions, he found himself faced with a dilemma.

The Calgary-based businessman wondered how he could secure deals in the United States without being there in person or how he’d be able to take his family, including three kids, on vacation to places like Hawaii.

It was a major setback. “It was upsetting to hear that I was no longer eligible for coverage from my travel insurance provider because of my medical history and stability period requirements,” the 54-year old Collins says.

He faced two choices: travel without health insurance and take an enormous financial risk should he become ill or have an accident, or cease traveling to the U.S., which could hurt his company’s bottom line and limit where his family could go for their holidays. None of these prospects was appealing.

A customized approach

Collins had to find another way to protect himself. He discovered ClearCompare.ca, a Canadian insurance provider that offers Canadians with or without pre- existing medical conditions the opportunity to secure comprehensive and personalized travel insurance. In minutes, he completed an online medical assessment and was offered an affordable policy.  “I was so relieved to find travel insurance,” he says. “It left me with so much peace of mind.”

Unfortunately, Collins isn’t the only Canadian having trouble finding travel insurance that covers pre-existing medical conditions. It’s a common issue and unfortunately, it leaves Canadians vulnerable to significant financial risks.

Along with providing travelers with personalized insurance coverage, ClearCompare.ca dispenses with the need for ‘medical stability’ periods. Almost all travel insurance policies require travelers to be ‘medically stable’ for a certain period-of-time prior to their trip departure date. Depending on your age and health status, stability periods can be anywhere from three to six, or even as long as 12 months. 

This means that there can be no changes to your health status or with any medication(s) you take. Failure to disclose any change, such as being prescribed a new medication or even a change in dosage, could render your policy null and void, resulting in the denial of a claim. Even a medical test will deem you medically unstable, such as an electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG).

Unfortunately, some travelers who do not take the time to understand the coverage of their specific policy discover the existence of exclusions and limitations after the fact. Medical care can really add-up, a 24-hour stay in a U.S. hospital can cost in the $20,000 range leading to a significant and unexpected financial loss.

While not everyone will be eligible for coverage, Clear Compare’s proprietary medical assessment technology can provide coverage for over 1,300 medical conditions including transplants, epilepsy, stroke, heart conditions, diabetes, and cancer. All without medical stability period limitations and/or exclusions.

You can apply for complete coverage even with recent changes in your health status or medication(s), backed by leading, brand name insurance companies, including Manulife and AIG. 

Lawrence Ferron

With over twenty-five years of experience in financial services, Lawrence Ferron had held senior executive positions at leading Canadian financial institutions. Prior to founding Clear Compare insurance, he was Vice President and Head of Product & Marketing for Manulife’s direct-to-consumer Insurance division.

Call for personal service: 416-814-5591