What is a Top-Up Plan?
For snowbirds and other travellers who spend extended periods of time outside their home province, top-up plans can be a flexible, cost-effective part of your travel medical insurance coverage.
Top-up plans allow you to add extra coverage days to your travel medical insurance policy if you plan on being away for longer than the coverage period provided by your policy.
For example, if your original policy covers you for 30 days and you plan on being away for 45 days, you can “top up” your original policy by purchasing a 15-day top-up plan to cover the additional days, effectively providing you with coverage for the full 45-day duration of your trip.
We offer flexible top-up plans that let you choose the number of additional coverage days you require. This differs from some other policy providers who require you to purchase top-up plans with a pre-defined number of coverage days (i.e. 5, 10, 15, etc…) that may not meet your specific needs.
When Are Top-Up Plans Helpful?
Top-up plans can be useful for adding additional coverage days to the following types of travel medical insurance plans:
- Annual multi-trip travel insurance plans – These plans cover you for unlimited trips over a full year but limit the number of days per trip you can spend outside your province. Top-up plans can help if you want to spend more time away on a particular trip than your original plan allows.
- Single trip travel insurance plans – These plans cover you for a specific number of days with a defined start and end date. Most travellers who top up a single trip plan do so because their travel plans have changed after they purchased their original policy, requiring them to extend the length of their original trip.
- Credit card or group benefit plans – These plans limit the number of days you are covered for. A top-up plan can help extend your coverage period.
Be aware that some restrictions may apply when topping up (see below).
When Should You Purchase a Top-Up Plan?
Ideally, its best to purchase a top-up plan at the same time you purchase your travel medical insurance plan, as this will allow you to compare multiple coverage options and find the combination that provides the best coverage with the lowest premium.
However, we understand that this isn’t always practical, as you may not know your exact travel dates when purchasing your travel insurance policy, your travel plans may change after the fact, or you may be topping up coverage from a credit card or benefits plan.
Accordingly, you can purchase a top-up plan at any time, subject to the following requirements:
- The coverage from your original insurance policy is still active at the time you top-up
- There have been no changes to your medical condition since you purchased your original policy
- You have not submitted a claim under your original policy
How Do I Purchase a Top-Up Plan?
If you wish to purchase a top-up plan, please call one of our agents. They will be able to evaluate your current policy and determine which top-up plan would be most appropriate and cost effective for you.
Can I Purchase A Top-Up Plan for Travel Insurance Purchased Elsewhere?
In many cases, our top-up plans can be combined with travel medical insurance policies you have obtained from other sources, such as another broker, a credit card or a group benefits program.
However, in some cases, your travel insurance provider may not allow you to use third-party top-up plans.
If you are interested in one of our top-up plans for a policy you obtained elsewhere, please contact one of our insurance agents to help you determine if your policy is eligible.
How Much Do Top-Up Plans Cost?
Top-up plan pricing is determined based on a number of factors, including your age, health and the total combined number of consecutive days you intend to spend outside your home province.
