Motorcycle Travel to the United States.

Are you covered for medical and medevac?

One thing you need to be certain about is having emergency medical coverage that includes Life Flight Medical Evacuation back to your home and province of origin. If you don’t have it and you are involved in a life threatening accident across the border, you will likely be liable for any and all expenses, including your medical evacuation back to your province.

This may not seem important, as you might have assumed that medical coverage would be provided by your provincial medical coverage. You’d be dead wrong in that assumption.

The costs associated with an air ambulance ride can “cost an astronomical sum, and that cost can be passed on directly to the patient.” The New York Times reported that motorcyclist Diana Kidd received an invoice for $36,646 after being life flighted after her accident, a bill her health insurance claimed didn’t fall under her policy.”. https://www.revzilla.com/common-tread/what-motorcyclists-need-to-know-about-air-ambulances

https://www.revzilla.com/common-tread/what-motorcyclists-need-to-know-about-air-ambulances

In Canada, almost every insurance policy provides full medical and life flight or medevac coverage. That is because Canada has a National Health Policy and Program that stipulates what insurance providers must include in their coverages.

On average, for a senior, like myself, who intends to ride in the USA for an extended period of time this coming summer, it’s essential to have coverage. On average, with no medical issues to speak of, cost for someone my age will be around $120 per week. It may be cheaper if you purchase annual insurance for multiple trip coverage.

A single trip, all-inclusive plan from Manulife Canada (for example) covers the following:

Single-Trip All-Inclusive

The best of both worlds – this comprehensive plan protects you from both emergency health costs and unexpected travel costs.

• Up to $10 million in emergency medical coverage, including COVID 19 related emergency medical costs*
• Select trip cancellation coverage amount based on your pre-booked trip expenses
• Unlimited trip interruption coverage to bring you home early due to a medical emergency or other covered events
• Up to $2,700 for misconnection and up to $3,500 for delay return coverage
• Includes up to $1,500 coverage for baggage issues, $100,000 for flight accident, $50,000 for travel accident, and more

Irrespective of the cost, it would be very unwise to not have complete medical coverage. As a brief anecdote about the costs in the United States, my ex-father in law, suffered a stomach anyeurysm in California. He received a exploratory drug from the University of Southern California Medical School, and was hospitalized for only 3 days, all 3 being in intensive care. The year was 1974, and the cost for his 3 days in hospital was $103,000 US. No, this is not a misprint. It simply illustrates that were you to have a life threatening injury requiring intensive care in the United States, one would have to be rich indeed in order to not go bankrupt after returning home.

Take my advice and get coverage, first. Then read the fine details about your coverage and know beforehand what you are liable for, including deductibles.

Be healthy, be safe.

Ciao…