Why cross border shoppers need travel insurance

It's hard to ignore all the news reports concerning the extraordinary rise of the Canadian dollar these past few months. With all the talk of a strong dollar, more and more Canadians are flocking south of the border to shop; this weekend will be no exception given it's American Thanksgiving, followed by Black Friday-the ‘super sale' day that typically kicks off the holiday shopping season with a bang.

While the sales might be hot, make sure you get travel insurance before you drive down to make sure you're not left out in the cold should you become "shopped out", ill or in an auto accident.

Why you need travel insurance for just a weekend getaway

Simply put, medical expenses for emergency treatment outside of Canada can be costly and your provincial health plan may only cover a small portion of them.

One of the travel insurance companies featured on the quote comparison service at www.kanetix.ca had a 28-year old client who was in an auto accident in the US. The total cost of medical expenses for this person was a whopping $67,504. Unfortunately, that person’s provincial plan only covered $4,400; which left $63,104 to be paid. Luckily, this person bought travel insurance and the insurance company paid the rest.

What type of travel insurance can you get?

One travel insurance policy does not fit all; which is why there are often many different travel insurance packages available. For example, www.kanetix.ca offers quotes for:

•  Basic emergency medical coverage. Most people can get this for about $12, which is probably all you really need for a short weekend trip over the border; especially if you're taking a few hours to drive rather than fly.

•  Annual, multi-trip policies. Multiple-trip policies mean that for one annual rate, you will have emergency medical travel insurance coverage for every trip you take within the year after the policy is issued. Quotes for a variety of trip lengths are available too. This is a money-saver if you take just a few trips each year.

•  All-inclusive packages. If you've got a bigger trip planned than a quick jaunt across the border to shop, then an all-inclusive plan might suit your needs better. With an all-inclusive travel insurance plan you typically get emergency medical coverage, along with trip cancellation coverage for the cost of your flight or trip package, and coverage for all your baggage in case of loss or damage.

This type of package comes in handy when you've spent your time and money finding that perfect flight or travel package that just happens to be non-refundable. But don't forget, trip cancellation insurance whether on its own or in an all inclusive package must be purchased within 48 hours of paying for your flight or trip package.

If you're planning on taking advantage of the strong Canadian dollar to save money on sales down South, don't scrimp before you get there by neglecting to buy travel insurance. It could save you more money than anything you'll buy during the Black Friday sales.

Compare travel insurance quotes from competing insurers to get the travel insurance you need this weekend.