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Scotiabank is one of the leading providers of financial services in more than 55 countries. It offers a wide range of products and services to more than 21 million customers in personal banking, commercial banking, investment banking, corporate banking and wealth management.

Advantages

  • The ScotiaLife Single Trip Canadian Travel Emergency Medical Plan (for travel within Canada only) is offered at 50% off the regular Single Trip Emergency Medical Plan rate.
  • You can choose a higher deductible to save on premium costs, or a 0 deductible for full coverage. Deductible levels are $0, $500, $1000, $5,000 and $10,000.

Disadvantages

  • Your baby must be 30 days of age to be covered on any of ScotiaLife’s plans.
  • The online quote process is awkward, and takes you from the Scotiabank site to a Scotialife financial webpage, and then to a Manulife Financial online application page.
  • The Scotiabank Bounce Back Benefit (see the note below for an explanation) isn’t well explained before getting a quote.
  • We found the links to the policies a bit difficult to find.
  • If you are 55 years or older, you’ll need to fill out a medical questionnaire.
  • You aren’t covered for many adventure activities, including hang-gliding, mountaineering, rock climbing, parachuting or skydiving (see your policy for specific exclusions).
  • Your pre-existing condition must be stable for three months or you won’t be covered  (see your policy for specific details of pre-existing condition exclusions)

Overview

ScotiaLife financial offers single and multi-trip medical travel insurance with an all-inclusive option, a medical travel insurance policy for travel within Canada, a quick trip plan for trips 17 days and under, stand-alone trip cancellation and interruption insurance, a student travel plan and visitors to Canada insurance. Emergency medical top-up insurance is also available. ScotiaLife policies are underwritten by Manulife Financial.

Emergency Medical Insurance Plans

The company offers the ScotiaLife Single Trip Emergency Medical Plan, ScotiaLife Single Trip Canadian Travel Emergency Medical Plan, ScotiaLife Quick Trip Emergency Medical Plan, the ScotiaLife Single Trip Cancellation & Interruption Plan, the ScotiaLife Multi Trip Emergency Medical Plan and the ScotiaLife All Inclusive Plan (Single & Multi Trip).

ScotiaLife Single Trip Emergency Medical Plan

This plan is a good option when you are planning to take just one trip. It doesn’t have an age limit. The features and options of this plan include deductible savings (with several deductible limits to choose from), family coverage for anyone under the age of 55, a Bounce Back benefit and travel companion savings. It provides up to $5 million in coverage for medical travel emergency expenses and a Bounce Back Benefit of up to $2,000.

ScotiaLife Single Trip Canadian Travel Emergency Medical Plan

This is an additional medical coverage on top of your basic government health insurance plan for when you are traveling within Canada. The plan does not have an age limit for the insured and has a family coverage for all members aged below 55 and has a Bounce Back Benefit and travel companion savings.

ScotiaLife Quick Trip Emergency Medical Plan

This plan is available for individuals aged between 55 and 74 that wish to travel for 17 days or less. It comes with deductible savings (with several deductible limits to choose from), family coverage for members aged below 55, a Bounce Back Benefit and travel companion savings.

ScotiaLife Multi Trip Emergency Medical Plan

This plan provides coverage if you are traveling more than once during a 12 month period. The trip duration covered includes 4, 10, 18 and 30 days. It doesn’t have an age limit, and also offers  top ups, deductible savings (with several deductible limits to choose from), family coverage and travel companion savings. It does not offer a Bounce Back Benefit.

ScotiaLife Single Trip Cancellation & Interruption Plan

This plan covers your needs if you happen to cancel your trip due to an unexpected covered event or you are interrupted by any of the reasons covered. It offers a $1,500 limit for trip cancellation (though you can purchase up to $3,500), and $3,500 coverage for trip interruption. It doesn’t have an age limit and includes a  Bounce Back Benefit and travel companion savings.

ScotiaLife All Inclusive Plan (Single & Multi Trip)

This plan includes an Emergency Medical cover, Baggage Loss, Damage and Delay cover, Trip Cancellation and Interruption cover and Flight and Travel Accident cover. It also comes with top ups and travel companion savings. You can get the all inclusive option for both single and multi-trip (annual) policies.

ScotiaLife’s Travel Insurance Policies Compared

PlanMedical Insurance CoverageDeductibleTrip Cancellation and InterruptionBaggage Maximum Age
ScotiaLife Single Trip Emergency Medical PlanUp to 5 million
variableNone
ScotiaLife Single Trip Canadian Travel Emergency Medical PlanUp to 5 millionvariableNone
ScotiaLife Quick Trip Emergency Medical Plan
Up to 5 millionvariable
55-74
ScotiaLife Multi Trip Emergency Medical Plan
Up to 5 millionvariableNone
ScotiaLife Single Trip Cancellation & Interruption PlanvariableUp to $3,500 per person per tripUp to $1000 per trip or $500 per tripNone
ScotiaLife All Inclusive Plan (Single Trip)Up to 5 millionvariableUp to $3,500 per person per trip
$100 and up, depending on the itemNone
ScotiaLife All Inclusive Plan (Multi Trip) Annual
Up to 5 millionvariable$5,000 per trip or $7,000 per policy$100 and up, depending on the itemNone

ScotiaLife Visitors to Canada insurance

Scotiabank’s visitors to Canada insurance is intended for visitors to Canada, Canadian residents not eligible for a government health insurance plan from a Canadian province or territory, a person in Canada on a work visa, or a new immigrant waiting for Canadian government health insurance coverage. Plans offered are single and multi-trip (annual) emergency medical insurance, single trip trip interruption and single trip travel accident insurance.

ScotiaLife Student Travel Plans

Scotialife offers emergency medical travel insurance for Canadian students studying outside of Canada, or outside their province of residence and for international students studying in Canada. All plans are for full time students. These plans are available to post-doctoral research students. Students must be under the age of 55 and covered by a government health insurance plan from a Canadian province or territory.

Tips for Saving with ScotiaLife Travel Insurance

ScotiaLife Travel provides you with many ways to save. These include:

  • 50 percent Canadian Travel Savings when traveling within Canada
  • 5 percent Travel Companion Savings apply for any kind of Emergency Medical Plan
  • Family Coverage for any kind of Emergency Medical Plan in a family where the spouse and all children are aged below 55. The rate is determined at twice the prime payable by the oldest family member aged below 55
  • Savings Combinations; where all savings except Travel Companion and Family Coverage are combined.
  • Deductible Savings Options; some plans are eligible while others aren’t.

Refunds

A full refund is granted when you call and cancel your planned trip before you’re scheduled. A partial refund is available if you cancel due to medical reasons. However, an application in writing is required.

You Need to Know

  • All travel insurance policies by Scotiabank are underwritten by ScotiaLife Insurance Company, a subsidiary of Scotiabank. ScotiaLife Travel Insurance is underwritten by The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company (“Manulife Financial”) and by First North American Insurance Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of Manulife Financial.
  • You need to be a Canadian citizen with the Canadian government health insurance plan
  • You don’t have to be a customer of Scotiabank in order to purchase the Scotiabank travel insurance policies
  • You must call the Assistance Centre in an emergency or before receiving treatment, or you will  have to pay 25% of the eligible medical expenses ScotiaLife would normally pay. If it is medically impossible for you to call, you need to have someone call on your behalf.
  • Because travel insurance policies can change without notice, please check your policy carefully. This information is intended only as a guide.

How to Learn more

You can make inquiries by visiting your local Scotiabank branch or through a phone call at 1(877) 421-0157

Want to Compare Rates?

An easy way to compare Canadian travel insurance rates is to use a comparison website.

Comparison websites, like RATESDOTCA, let you compare quotes for travel insurance from several different companies at once. Type in a few details about your trip, and compare policy coverage and prices to help narrow down your choice.

Click here to learn more on the RATESDOTCA website.

*As always, the information on this page is from one Canadian traveller to another. We have spent years abroad and have gotten to know the ins and outs of the industry however we are not travel insurance agents. If you have any travel insurance questions, please talk to a qualified travel insurance agent or broker. Finally, policies and plans can and do change all the time, without warning, so always consult your insurance policy since that is the legal document to which you are agreeing to.
*This article is only intended as general advice. Please check your own policy carefully.

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