(reprinted from Mature Lifestyles, September 1998)
By Sean B. Pasternak
One of the most important points on the snowbird's pre-travel checklist should be the purchasing of travel health insurance. If one does not make an informed decision, it can potentially lead to some unpleasant surprises later on.
There are three questions travellers must ask themselves, according to Mark Simone, president of Metapac International Inc. (which features the only program of its kind to be endorsed by the Canadian Snowbird Association).
First, determine if you qualify for travel health insurance. "There's a good possibility that (if your health is) not stable, it can be hard to qualify," Simone says.
From there, find out which program you qualify for. Companies such as Metapac which offer such insurance will go through a series of questions to determine an interpretation of your health. Naturally, the best possible rates go the healthiest candidates, but other packages are generally available as well.
Finally, you need to find if you have a pre-existing condition which may lead to an exclusion of coverage. While the words 'pre-existing condition' can vary from company to company, this is an issue which the newly-formed Travel Health Insurance Association are currently tackling. In many cases, documented medical instability over the last year (for example, a diabetics change in the amount of insulin they take) may qualify as a pre-existing condition.
While companies which offer travel health insurance use these questions to determine coverage, there are other factors that affect rates as well. This year, for example, Simone cites changes in the purchasing habits of snowbirds as one factor, as many are staying for shorter periods due to a lower Canadian dollar. As well, "the El Nino effect had a tremendous impact," he says. "Simple viruses turned into hospital stays."
On the flip side, Simone reports the bulging baby boomer market is finding their way south more with each passing year. "(Baby boomers) are starting to take advantage of the new lifestyle," Simone adds.
Above else, when choosing your travel health insurance, it's important to be as honest as possible when telling them about your health. "Do not play games with your life," Simone warns. "We encourage people to call up and talk as long as they want, so that way you're protected properly."
After all, the idea behind going on vacation is to relax. Why give yourself more of a reason to worry?
