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Advisory: Travel insurers prioritizing calls of those abroad needing immediate assistance


News Release

Release Date: 03/17/2020
Staff Reference: Kevin Dorse

(Toronto, March 17, 2020) – Canada’s travel insurers are asking for the public’s help to prioritize those who need assistance immediately.

Travel insurers are receiving an unprecedented number of calls. The industry is working to respond to everyone as quickly as possible, while prioritizing calls from people abroad who need to get home, or who need assistance with a health emergency.

We are asking that you please do not contact your travel insurer's call centre at this time, unless:

    • You are currently outside of Canada and in need of travel medical assistance
    • You are currently outside of Canada and in need of travel assistance
    • You need travel cancellation assistance for travel that was to happen within a short period of today (e.g. within 7-14 days)

If you need to cancel a trip, please start by contacting your travel vendor (e.g. airline, travel agency, etc.). You should only submit your claim to your travel insurer within a short period (7 to 14 days) of your original departure date. Please be patient. Everyone’s claim will be processed.

Please check your insurer's website as some have on-line claim portals and FAQs to assist you.

We thank you for your patience, cooperation and understanding.

If you are abroad and in need of immediate travel or medical assistance from your insurer, you can find their contact information at www.olhi.ca/for-insurers/member-list/

If you need more information about COVID-19 and public health, visit https://www.canada.ca/COVID19

About the CLHIA

The CLHIA is a voluntary association whose member companies account for 99 per cent of Canada's life and health insurance business. The industry provides a wide range of financial security products such as life insurance, annuities (including RRSPs, RRIFs and pensions) and supplementary health insurance to almost 29 million Canadians. It also holds over $850 billion in assets in Canada and employs more than 156,000 Canadians.


For more information:

Kevin Dorse
Assistant Vice President, Strategic Communications and Public Affairs
(613) 691-6001 / kdorse@clhia.ca