Most Canadians assume that if they bought travel insurance, they are covered. Every year, though, travellers come home to a nasty surprise: a claim denied because of fine print they never knew existed. Here is why it happens — and how to make sure it does not happen to you.
A real case: a $147,502 claim denied over a walk-in clinic visit
As reported by CTV News, Bahoz Ali of Oshawa suffered a medical emergency while travelling. He was flown home to Canada by air ambulance, and his bills were initially paid. Then, about a year later, he was told his claim had been denied — leaving him responsible for $147,502.
The reason? His insurer found that he had visited a walk-in clinic in the days before his trip. Under his policy, travellers had to be “stable” for 90 days before departure — no new symptoms, no new care for a pre-existing condition. That one visit put him inside the stability window. His family appealed the decision twice, without success. The insurer’s position was that the records showed he had sought care for a pre-existing condition before travelling, which changed how coverage applied.
The top reasons travel insurance claims get denied in Canada
1. A pre-existing condition that was not “stable.” This is the number one reason. Most policies only cover pre-existing conditions if they have been stable for a set period — often 90 or 180 days — before you travel. “Stable” usually means no new or worsening symptoms, no change in medication, no new treatment, and no tests, referrals, or doctor visits for that condition. Even a routine clinic visit can restart the clock.
2. Medical history not fully disclosed when you bought the policy. If the medical questionnaire was answered incorrectly or incompletely — even by accident — the insurer can deny the claim or void the policy.
3. Your health changed after you bought the policy. A new diagnosis, a medication change, or an emergency-room visit between buying your insurance and leaving on your trip can affect your coverage. If you do not tell the insurer, you may be travelling uninsured without knowing it.
4. The plan never covered it. Exclusions vary by policy: certain activities, travelling against a doctor’s advice, or treatment that is not a medical emergency may not be covered at all.
5. Paperwork problems. Missing medical records, missing receipts, or filing after the deadline can stall or sink an otherwise valid claim.
How to protect your claim before you travel
- Disclose everything on the medical questionnaire — when in doubt, say it.
- Ask one specific question: “What stability period applies to my conditions, and do I meet it today?”
- Report any health change — a new symptom, prescription, test, or clinic visit — before your departure date.
- Buy through an advisor who checks the fine print with you. A policy bought in two minutes online will never warn you about a stability clause. This is exactly the check I do for every client before they buy.
- Keep your documents — policy, receipts, and medical records — somewhere your family can reach them.
If your claim is denied
Ask for the denial in writing, with the exact policy clause the insurer is relying on. You have the right to appeal, and new medical records can matter. In Ontario, the Ombudsman for Life and Health Insurance (OLHI) offers a free, independent review of denied insurance claims — you can reach them at 1-888-295-8112.
The lesson from the Ali family’s story is not “don’t buy travel insurance.” It is “buy it with your eyes open.” A ten-minute conversation about your medical history before you travel can be the difference between a claim that gets paid and a $147,502 bill.
Call or text Sohil Rayani at 647-567-6786 for a free quote — I will check the stability fine print against your health history before you buy.
With 540+ five-star Google reviews, I’m always with my clients from sales to claims.
— Sohil Rayani, Licensed Insurance Advisor, Jubilee Financials Limited