Snowbird season is starting, and many Canadians heading south are asking the same question: will my travel insurance actually pay if something goes wrong? The answer depends on details most people never read. One of the biggest is how your policy treats government travel advisories.
Key takeaways
- Many Canadian travel policies tie limits or exclusions to government travel advisories.
- Fewer Canadians are heading to the US, but those who go tend to be older, stay longer and have more pre-existing conditions.
- Four checks before you leave can prevent an expensive surprise: trip length, stability period, the medical questionnaire, and advisory changes.
Fewer Canadians are travelling south, but those who go carry more risk
A September 2025 survey by the Travel Health Insurance Association of Canada (THIA), run by The Harris Poll Canada, found that 26% of Canadians planned a trip to the US last winter, a 37% drop. Those who still go tend to be older, stay longer, and are more likely to have pre-existing medical conditions. That makes the fine print more important, not less.
U.S. medical costs are among the highest in the world. A hospital stay or air ambulance without proper coverage can turn into a bill that is very hard to recover from.
What “advisory-linked exclusions” mean
Many Canadian travel policies tie limits or exclusions to the Government of Canada’s travel advisories. The usual trigger is an advisory that says to avoid non-essential travel or to avoid all travel to a destination. The United States currently sits at the lowest level, “take normal security precautions.”
That does not make the advisory irrelevant. Canada updated its U.S. advisory on September 24, described as an editorial revision to the health section. The advisory also flags elevated drug-trafficking-related crime near the Mexican border in parts of California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. Depending on how a policy is worded, regional detail like this can matter.
Four things to check before you leave
- Trip length. Make sure your total time away fits inside the policy’s maximum trip duration. Longer winter stays often need a different plan.
- Stability period. If your medication or treatment changed recently, check how the policy defines “stable” and whether the change must be reported.
- The medical questionnaire. Answer it completely and accurately. A 2018 THIA survey found 19% of Canadians admitted to giving inaccurate information on one. Wrong answers can put a claim at risk when you need it most.
- Advisory changes while you are away. Ask what happens if the advisory for your destination changes mid-trip, and who to call if it does.
Questions to ask your broker
- Does this plan cover my pre-existing conditions, and under what conditions?
- Is medical evacuation included, and up to what amount?
- Which parts of my trip, if any, would be affected by a change to a government advisory?
- What must I do before departure, and what must I tell you if something changes?
Talk to a licensed advisor before you book
A short conversation now costs far less than a surprise later. The team at Think Insurance in Surrey, BC can walk through your trip and health history and explain, in plain language, what a plan does and does not cover.
Talk to an advisorThis article is general information, not insurance advice. Your policy wording governs what is covered. Speak with a licensed advisor about your own situation.
Source: Insurance Business Canada, snowbird season and advisory-linked exclusions, reporting on THIA and Harris Poll Canada survey data and the Government of Canada travel advisory for the United States.