Is annual travel insurance a good fit for me?

Annual travel insurance, also called multi-trip insurance, can be an excellent option for a trip of a specific duration. It's an especially interesting choice if you make more than one trip within a 12-month period, even if it's just a few days at a time. This type of insurance not only covers your month-long stay in Florida but also a week-long vacation at an all-inclusive resort, a weekend escape just south of the border or to Quebec or New Brunswick, for example.

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What are the benefits of annual travel insurance?

It's often less expensive than buying two separate policies. You'll only have one contract to settle, so less paperwork and more time for everything else. Also, since you're covered for a full year, you can travel when and as you please, shuttle between your home in Ontario and your destination (perfect for students, overseas workers and snowbirds, especially during the holiday season).

What exactly does annual travel insurance cover?

Annual policies typically offer the usual travel protections like emergency medical care, trip cancellation, trip interruption, and lost or stolen baggage. The key difference here is that you must select a maximum duration for each of your trips. Several choices are available. Good to know: It's often cheaper to select a shorter duration for any long trip and buy an extension to cover any extra days for that particular stay. Even if you've given up any long-trip plans, it's an ideal option for you if:

• you travel to the United States one or two weekends a year to shop or attend a hockey or ball game;
• you never know when you'll travel or for how long;
• you go to Europe every summer and regularly visit your family outside Ontario.

But since each traveller is different, it's best to talk things over with your travel agent or insurance advisor.

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Who needs annual travel insurance?

Do you think annual travel insurance is only for people who travel a lot? Not true! It can be useful to almost anyone.

• Do you go to the States to shop once or twice a year and like to spend a week down South in the winter? It's for you!
• Do you go on a number of business trips outside Ontario every year? It's for you!
• Do you like to take three- or four-day trips outside the province to attend football or basketball games? It's for you!
• Do you go to Europe every summer and often visit family members in Ontario? It's for you!