Who do I contact in case of an emergency while travelling?
24-Hours Emergency Assistance
Canada/U.S.: 1-800-936-6226
Outside Canada and the U.S.: 519-742-3556. If calling collect, please note you must use a landline.
IMPORTANT: If you are travelling and in need of medical treatment, please contact OTIP Travel Assistance (CanAssistance) before seeking treatment if possible.
You must provide your OTIP ID and your Provincial Health Plan number. You can find your OTIP ID on your OTIP identification Card or RTIP plan member site.
How does OTIP Travel Assistance (CanAssistance) help? OTIP Travel Assistance (CanAssistance) provides multilingual communication to providers and/or medical facilities to ensure you receive the appropriate treatment. Your dedicated multilingual assistance specialist will also confirm to the provider that you have the required OTIP travel coverage (subject to the exclusions and limits of your RTIP Contract), confirm reasonable services fees, and provide updates to your family and personal physician, when applicable.
How do I make a claim for emergency travel expense?
Travel claims are coordinated directly with the provider by OTIP Travel Assistance (CanAssistance). OTIP Travel Assistance (CanAssistance) must be notified before obtaining emergency Treatment in order for OTIP Travel Assistance (CanAssistance) to confirm coverage, reasonable services fees, and provide pre-approval of treatment.
If it is medically impossible for the Covered Person to call prior to obtaining emergency Treatment, OTIP Travel Assistance (CanAssistance) requires either the Covered Person or someone on behalf of the Covered Person to call OTIP Travel Assistance (CanAssistance) within 48 hours of commencement of Treatment.
What happens if I can’t reach OTIP Travel Assistance within 48 hours before commencing treatment?
If it is medically impossible for the covered person to call prior to obtaining emergency treatment, it is important to have someone (family member, caregiver, friend, etc.) call OTIP Travel Assistance (CanAssistance) on the covered person’s behalf within 48 hours and alert them of the treatment. If possible, please ensure the individual calling has your OTIP ID handy.
You can find your OTIP ID on your OTIP identification Card or RTIP plan member site.
What if I paid upfront for my emergency travel claim out of Canada?
If you need to pay up front, be sure to ask for an itemized bill from the service provider and detailed physician’s notes including an assessment of your medical condition. Travel claims must be received by OTIP Travel Assistance (CanAssistance) no later than 12 months from the date the eligible expense was incurred, or within 90 days for terminated benefit plans.
All travel-related claims must be submitted through OTIP Travel Assistance (CanAssistance), not through the RTIP plan member site. If you have incurred out of pocket expenses, please submit your claims to OTIP Travel Assistance (CanAssistance) in one of two ways:
Note: Make sure you tell OTIP Travel Assistance (CanAssistance) about all the travel coverage you have when submitting claims. Claims must be submitted together with supporting original receipts to OTIP Travel Assistance (CanAssistance).
What pre-trip support can OTIP Travel Assistance (CanAssistance) provide?
If you have questions regarding certain benefits before you travel, OTIP Travel Assistance (CanAssistance) can help. The pre-travel inquiries team is ready to provide the following optional services:
What is considered a medical emergency?
When travelling Out-of-Province/Out-of-Country, a medical emergency is defined as an acute, unexpected or unforeseen sickness or injury that requires immediate, non-discretionary medical attention.
What is “medically stable”?
A Medical Condition is considered Stable when all of the following statements are true during the 90-day period immediately preceding the date of departure:
The following are not considered changes to existing prescribed Drug Treatment:
Note: All conditions above must be met during the 90-day period before departure to be considered medically stable.
Am I covered if my trip gets cancelled or interrupted?
You or your dependant may have trip cancellation/interruption coverage in the cases of:
Please note:OTIP Travel Assistance (CanAssistance) (CanAssistance) may request proof of non-refundable travel arrangements (i.e., unused tickets, receipts/coupons for transport, etc.), a Physician's statement, and/or documentary evidence of emergency which has caused the cancellation/interruption.
What if I am out of the country for more than 100 days and need coverage for emergency medical situations?
You can purchase extra coverage if you want to increase the number of days out-of-province/out-of-country over the 100-day limit. For more information, call Allianz at 1-866-520-8823 or 519-742-9013.
To purchase extra coverage, you need:
What happens if I get sick while travelling abroad?
In the event of an illness or medical emergency, you or your covered family members must call OTIP Travel Assistance as soon as possible. RTIP members have access to 24-hour emergency assistance while travelling. Emergency travel numbers can be found here.
I have a chronic illness, am I still covered? Or, what are pre-existing conditions?
A pre-existing condition refers to any medical condition that exists prior to the date of the covered person’s departure. Emergency travel insurance excludes treatment of a pre-existing condition that was not medically stable (see above for medically stable definition) for the 90-day period before the covered person’s departure.
If you are medically stable when travelling and experience a medical emergency, you will be covered as per the terms of your RTIP contract. We recommend you discuss your medical conditions with your physician before travelling to ensure you’re considered stable.
Please note: We cannot guarantee coverage as claims are reviewed on a case-by-case basis. However, we can offer pre-trip assistance. OTIP Travel Assistance (CanAssistance) can establish over the phone if your known medical condition is eligible for coverage during an upcoming trip and, if need be, recommend that your treating physician complete a medical questionnaire prior to departure.
What is a travel advisory? If I am stranded abroad but left Canada before the travel advisory changed, do I still have coverage?
Travel Advisory Level One and Two:
Travel Advisory Level Three and Four:
Before travelling, we recommend that members:
Will my plan cover me if I am placed in a medical quarantine or government imposed lockdown while travelling, but not having a medical emergency?
If you or a covered dependant are placed in a medical quarantine or government-imposed lockdown while travelling, but are not having a medical emergency, your policy does not provide any coverage for trip interruption costs (e.g. accommodations, food or transportation). This is because the plan is intended to protect you if you have a medical emergency.
Subject to the terms of your contract, if you or a covered family member experiences a medical emergency while travelling and are quarantined/locked down, you may be eligible for coverage under your emergency Out-of-province/Out-of-Canada benefit. In addition, Trip Interruption coverage (part of your Emergency Travel Assistance plan) may cover your costs for food, accommodations and return transportation home (e.g., if you miss your originally scheduled flight). This is also subject to the terms of your policy.
Do I need to return to Canada for my 100-travel day limitation to reset?
Eligible travel benefits are limited to 100 days per trip. The 100-day limit will reset once the Covered Person(s) returns to their province or territory of residence for a minimum of 24 hours. You must also maintain Canadian residency requirements, which include:
Coverage begins on the date of departure from the Covered Person’s province/territory of residence. Coverage ends the earlier of the date the Covered Person returns home, or the date the Covered Person reaches the maximum number of days permitted for each trip. Exceptions for hospitalizations and emergencies apply, please refer to your RTIP contract for more information on the 100-day limit.
What is third-party liability auto coverage and do I need to increase my coverage to drive in the U.S?
Third-party liability coverage can protect you in cases where you may be held legally liable (or responsible) for injuries or damage to someone else's property in a collision. It is important that if you’re driving outside of Canada, you have enough liability coverage to cover potential lawsuits due to an accident as lawsuit rewards in the U.S tend to be higher than Canada.
For current OTIP insurance policyholders: Before leaving Canada, contact our Broker Service team at 1-800-267-6847 to ensure you have the right level of coverage for your trip.
Looking for Auto Insurance? Call us at 1-833-536-2184 to speak with an OTIP Broker or get a fast online quote!
How long am I able to keep my car insured outside of Canada?
Most insurance companies will insure your Canadian car in the U.S. for up to six months, but this period can vary depending on your insurer’s limits and your specific policy.
For current OTIP insurance policyholders: It’s important to contact our Broker Service team at 1-800-267-6847 to ensure you understand your policy’s restrictions and period of coverage outside of Canada.
Looking for Auto Insurance? Call us at 1-833-536-2184 to speak with an OTIP Broker or get a fast online quote!
Disclaimer: If there is discrepancy between the information above and your RTIP contract, the terms and conditions included in your RTIP contract apply. Please refer to your RTIP contract for full plan terms and details or call the RTIP Contact Centre at 1-833-318-2811 for support.