7 Things to Consider Before Your Next Family Vacation in 2023

Travel insurance could help with unexpected travel or medical expenses that may arise during the trip and are covered by the travel insurance product you purchase. A recent 2023 TD Insurance Travel Insurance survey suggests that almost 64% of Canadians plan on taking a trip. But at the same time, the survey also found three in 10 Canadians feel they would not be able to handle out-of-pocket expenses beyond $300 in case something was to happen and disrupt their plans.

Following are some benefits of travel insurance based on the type of coverage.

If you're wondering why, you should consider a travel medical insurance plan, here are a few reasons:

• Medical care in foreign countries can be quite costly. If you're out of your province of residence, you may have little to no access to the medical coverage through your provincial health plan.
• In some cases, emergency medical evacuation or repatriation may be required, which may turn out to be expensive, but a travel insurance plan could provide coverage (if included in your policy).

A travel medical plan may help you pay for physician and hospital fees, ambulance services, diagnostic services, prescription drugs, medical appliances, and emergency dental care.

The details of the coverage vary for different travel insurance providers, so please check your policy for details.

You could also consider purchasing a trip cancellation and interruption insurance plan. This type of insurance can reimburse you for the eligible costs of your trip if you are required to cancel, interrupt, or delay the trip due to a covered reason.

You can get more information about the insured risks and covered costs from your insurer before applying.

The trip cancellation and interruption plan can also include coverage for baggage and personal effects. This can help you cover the cost to replace or fix your baggage and personal effects due to loss or damage by reason of theft, burglary, fire, or transportation hazards during your covered trip.

Baggage delay coverage can help you purchase necessary toiletries if your checked baggage is delayed by the common carrier for the time specified by the insurer.

With us, you can choose from  TD Insurance Single-Trip Medical Plan, or TD Insurance Multi-Trip Medical Plan, or you can even opt for the TD Insurance Multi-trip All-Inclusive Plan. 

Double check all the lodging confirmations to avoid last minute surprises. In case you have kids or seniors traveling with you, it would be good to check for things like accessibility and safety (for example, too many stairs might not be preferred for older travelers).  

A sunny day could quickly turn into a dripping wet affair. Wishing for an umbrella or something warm to wear would not be the most pleasant thing to experience while on your vacation. It's good to check the weather conditions and predictions for your destination in advance of your travels and pack accordingly. Downloading a well-reputed weather app might help in your preparation.

The last thing you'd want is to miss out on an attraction or activity that you've really been looking forward to. It can be helpful to do some research and create list of things you want to do or see rather than conduct impromptu tours. Also, it can be helpful to check the timings and status of the sites you want to visit to get the best experience (no one likes long lines especially with kids).

An important thing to consider taking care of before you travel is to set up a roaming plan for your trip with your network carrier if you plan on using your phone outside of Canada. If done beforehand and the right way, you could get a good deal on the plan that will help you stay connected throughout your trip. On the contrary, if you forget to get a plan, it is possible that you could face network coverage and data issues leaving you potentially without crucial connectivity in a foreign place.

That's quite a lot of prepping before heading out for a relaxing vacation! Now, before you head out to the airport, you may want to also consider the following:

• Turn off or optimize your AC units
• If you've got plants that might not survive the duration of the trip, consider giving them to a friend or neighbour or having them water the plants
• If you have a pet, make sure to arrange a pet sitter
• Empty out the fridge.  You don't want to return to a musty smelling fridge
• Grab some snacks for the family. In case there's a delay somewhere, you can still munch on something
• Secure your home including all doors and windows

And you're off! Now, you can focus on the trip and how much fun you're going to have with the family.

In case you're curious about Travel insurance plans with TD Insurance, you can take a look at the various plans available. These include plans like the Multi-Trip All-Inclusive Plan, Single-Trip Medical Plan, Multi- Trip Medical Plan and even a Trip Cancellation and Interruption Plan. Choose the plan that best suits you and your family.