This document provides an overview of the eligibility requirements, health declarations, pre-existing conditions clauses, and medical questionnaires that apply to travel insurance policies. It serves as a guide for insurance advisors to support the application and processing of travel insurance coverage.
All travelers must meet the following criteria to be eligible for travel insurance:
Canadian Residency: Must be a Canadian resident.
Provincial Health Coverage: Must be covered under the Health and Hospital Insurance Acts of their province of residence for the entire duration of the trip.
Age Requirement: Must be over 30 days old on the departure date of the trip.
The appropriate Health Declaration (A, B, C) will be assigned based on the traveler’s age and trip duration.
Health Declarations contain eligibility questions, pre-existing conditions clauses, and medical questions, tailored to the traveler’s age and trip length. The appropriate Health Declaration (A, B, C) will be automatically assigned based on the traveler’s age and trip duration.
The Health Declaration Forms (A, B, C) are available in your Advisor Travel Portal > Useful Documents for reference only and may be shared with customers to review with their doctor or specialist if needed.
Note: All travel insurance plans must be applied for and purchased through the online Advisor Travel Portal.
Applies to all travelers.
Stability period varies depending on the age of the insured person and the plan type.
Excludes any pre-existing conditions deemed unstable 3 or 6 months prior to the benefit becoming effective.
Annual Plans: Stability period applies before each departure.
For travelers aged 55 and over, a Declaration of Eligibility must be completed. This includes:
5 mandatory questions that determine eligibility based on certain medical conditions.
A single “Yes” response to any question will result in ineligibility for coverage.
Travelers subject to Health Declaration C will complete additional medical questions to assess health and lifestyle risks, which are used to calculate a personalized premium.
Applicable To:
Travelers aged 55-59, for trips of 18 days or longer.
All travelers aged 60 and over.
Allows coverage of certain medical conditions and influences premium pricing.
Section 1: Determines any medical exclusions and influences both premium and coverage. Additional condition-specific questions may be generated if “Yes” is answered to any questions. If exclusions apply, a Medical Questionnaire may be required.
Section 2: Assesses personal lifestyle factors (e.g., exercise, nutrition, sleep, and stress) but does not impact coverage, only the premium.
Section 3: Notice regarding pre-existing conditions.
A Medical Questionnaire may be offered based on responses in Section 1 of Health Declaration C. It is used to provide further details on excluded medical conditions and is applicable if the applicant is declined or has exclusions due to a specific condition.
A Medical Questionnaire reference number will be generated at the end of the quote or contract issuance.
The Medical Questionnaire is not mandatory and only applies to the excluded condition(s).
The form must be completed by the insured’s primary and attending care physician.
The applicant is responsible for any fees associated with the completion of the form. No reimbursement is provided.
Completed forms must be submitted directly to Blue Cross Travel Assistance via email or fax, as detailed on the form.
Assessment of the Medical Questionnaire takes 3-5 business days, with an additional 4 days for mailing, if required.
If approved while traveling, coverage for the reviewed condition will begin on the approval date and continue for the remainder of the trip.
An acceptance or refusal letter will be sent directly to the customer, explaining the results in detail.
A valid Medical Questionnaire is applicable for 12 months. If additional trips are purchased within this period and the customer’s health status has not changed, the decision on file will be used to cover the listed condition.
Note: Saskatchewan Blue Cross will not accept Medical Questionnaires submitted by email, fax, or in-person at the office. Advisors will only have access to an approval/declined summary, and all detailed information must be discussed directly between the customer and the Blue Cross Travel Assistance medical team.