Travel insurance for a road trip to the USA

A US road trip is one of the easiest getaways from Ontario — until you consider what a medical emergency south of the border actually costs. American health care is famously expensive, and a crash, a sudden illness or a slip at a rest stop can turn into a bill that dwarfs the trip itself. This is the destination where a thin medical limit hurts most.

US medical costs and the OHIP gap

The United States has among the highest medical costs anywhere. An emergency room visit, an ambulance, a few days in hospital — any of these can run into very large, up-front sums. OHIP, Ontario’s in-province plan, pays little or nothing out of country; most out-of-country OHIP coverage ended in 2020, and it never pays a foreign hospital up front. That combination is why a high emergency medical limit is non-negotiable for a US trip. Emergency medical coverage pays eligible hospital, physician and emergency treatment costs so a mishap on the interstate doesn’t become a financial disaster.

Choose the right coverage region

Coverage regions matter here more than almost anywhere:

• Worldwide / USA-inclusive. This is what a US road trip needs. It covers you across the United States for the whole drive.
• Excluding-USA. Built for travel that avoids the US — the wrong choice for a cross-border trip. Crossing on this plan would leave you uncovered.

Confirm the region before you leave, including any days you spend near the border where you might cross. Size the plan to your full driving itinerary rather than guessing your return.

Single-trip or multi-trip annual

If this is a one-off drive, a single-trip plan sized to your dates is simplest. If you cross the border several times a year — weekend shopping, sports events, a snowbird drive south — a multi-trip annual plan can be better value than buying a new policy each time. Each trip under an annual plan is capped at a set number of days, so confirm the cap covers your longest drive.

Add-ons worth considering for a drive

• Rental car protection. A separate coverage if you are renting a vehicle; it addresses damage to the rental, not your health.
• Sports and activities. If your road trip includes activities beyond driving and sightseeing, declare them so coverage matches.

Your own emergency medical coverage applies whether you drive your own car or a rental.

Age, health and price

There is no age limit, and travellers under 60 answer no medical questions. Travellers 60 and over — common on snowbird drives — complete a medical questionnaire that sets the premium, not eligibility. Your price typically depends on age, trip length, the coverage amount, and health answers; the USA generally sits at the higher end for medical pricing because of those costs. A personalized quote is the only accurate figure.

Hit the road properly covered

A US road trip is only relaxing when a medical emergency won’t bankrupt you. Pick a USA-inclusive region, keep the medical limit high, and size the plan to your full drive. Comparing your options with a quote is the quickest way to see your real price before you pull out of the driveway.