Johnson MEDOC Travel Insurance Review 2024

Johnson Insurance offers exclusive travel, home, car and group insurance to affinity groups and professional associations, including healthcare and public sector workers, educators, alumni of select Canadian post-secondary institutions and more. MEDOC is a registered trademark of Johnson Insurance.

Johnson MEDOC Travel Insurance is underwritten by Royal & Sun Alliance Insurance Company of Canada. Travel assistance is provided by Global Excel Management Inc. MEDOC Travel Insurance is not offered in Nunavut.

In June 2021, Johnson Inc. was acquired by Intact Financial Corporation, the largest provider of property and casualty insurance in Canada.

Here are the key types of travel insurance coverage offered in typical Johnson Insurance plans:

• Emergency medical insurance: If you get ill or are injured on your trip, travel medical insurance can pay for emergency medical expenses, up to the coverage limits in your plan. These expenses can include doctor and hospital bills, medication and lab work.
• Trip cancellation insurance: If you cancel a trip for a reason listed in your travel policy, trip cancellation insurance can reimburse you for prepaid, non-refundable costs. Unexpected situations that may cause you to cancel your trip before departure include if you or your travelling companion gets sick, your airline goes on strike or you lose your job.
• Travel interruption or delay insurance: Trip interruption insurance can pay for a last-minute flight home in an emergency and money that you lose by cutting a trip short, such as non-refundable activities and hotel stays.
• Baggage insurance: Baggage travel insurance can compensate you up to your policy limits if your luggage is lost or stolen. It will reimburse the depreciated value of your suitcases and what you packed. If your bags are delayed, it can reimburse you for the cost of the necessities you’ll have to buy to tide you over. It also extends to your personal belongings, if lost, damaged or stolen.
• Travel accident insurance: This coverage offers compensation in the event of accidental death or catastrophic injury from an accident during your trip. Flight Accident Insurance covers injury while you’re on a commercial plane, during a connection or in an airport. Travel Accident Insurance covers death or dismemberment, including the loss of limbs or eyesight, while on your trip.

Johnson Insurance offers two base plans: A 17-day Plan and a 35-day Base Plan.

The 17-day Plan provides coverage for a full year for any number of trips outside of Canada that don’t exceed 17 days. Trips taken within Canada can be any number of days.

The 35-day Base Plan provides coverage for a full year for any number of trips outside of Canada that don’t exceed 35 days. Trips taken within Canada can be any number of days.

Should you wish to travel for longer than 35 days in one trip outside of Canada, you can purchase additional travel days with a Supplemental Plan. For example, say you wish to travel for 46 days, in that case you would purchase the Supplemental Plan that automatically includes the 35-day Base Plan and pay a pro-rated premium. Premiums are based on the total trip duration above 35 days in increments of:

• 36 to 45 days
• 46 to 60 days
• 76 to 90 days
• 91 to 105 days
• 106 to 120 days
• 121 to 135 days
• 136 to 150 days
• 151 to 165 days
• 166 to 182 days

A trip of 121 days, for example, would have the same premium as a trip of 135 days.

The total premium due for the policy year is payable through preauthorized monthly deductions or one lump sum.

Each plan offers the same coverage. This includes:

Emergency medical insurance: This coverage is for sudden and unforeseeable accidents, illness or injury, up to a maximum of $5 million, per insured person, per policy year for an unlimited number of trips.

Emergency medical coverage includes:

• Hospital accommodation up to a private room if medically necessary
• Other hospital services and supplies
• Medical, surgical or anesthetic treatment by a physician
• X-rays and other diagnostic tests
• Use of an operating room, anesthesia and surgical dressings
• Cost of ground or air (if pre-approved) ambulance services
• Outpatient emergency room charges
• Prescription drugs or medication (to 30-day supply)
• Rental cost of a wheelchair, or the rental/purchase of other minor medical appliances, such as crutches and braces
• Private duty nursing
• Treatment by a chiropodist, chiropractor, osteopath, physiotherapist or podiatrist while on your trip
• Emergency dental treatment due to a blow to the face
• Emergency dental treatment due to illness
• Hospital allowance for long distance calls, TV rental when hospitalized for at least 48 hours
• Additional hotel and meal expenses if your medical emergency causes you to delay your scheduled return
• Non-medical emergency evacuation

Trip Cancellation and Trip Interruption: This coverage provides reimbursement if you need to cancel your trip before departure, as well as expenses such as hotels, meals and taxi fares due to an unexpected trip delay.

We’ve highlighted the key benefits and maximum coverage of the Johnson MEDOC travel insurance plan to see if it’s right for you.

The price of Johnson MEDOC travel insurance depends on your age and the amount of coverage you choose, as well as one of three health options: Standard Health, Preferred Health and Optimum Health. The option you qualify for is based on your answers to a Health Option Questionnaire and affects your premium rate. Coverage is automatically offered at the Standard Health option. Should you wish to apply for a preferred rate, you need to do so within 60 days of the first premium deduction.

Here are some sample quotes for the Johnson MEDOC Insurance plan for healthy travellers in Ontario with the University of Toronto sponsored group plan.

It’s important to note that this quote from June 2023 is the monthly price and is pro-rated to the end of the policy year, which is August 31. This pro-ration is available to first-time applicants only. Your coverage will automatically renew at the end of your policy term at the Standard Health option level.

With your emergency medical coverage you can also add an optional deductible, or the amount you will pay out of pocket before your coverage kicks in, to lower the cost of your premium.

TD Insurance

• Emergency medical: $5 million
• Cancel For Any Reason: No
• Baggage insurance (maximum): $1,000

Related: TD Insurance Travel Insurance Review

Manulife

• Emergency medical: $10 million
• Cancel For Any Reason: No
• Baggage insurance (maximum): $1,000

Related: Manulife Financial CoverMe Travel Insurance Review

CAA Insurance

• Emergency medical: $5 million
• Cancel For Any Reason: Yes, 50% to 75%
• Baggage insurance (maximum): $1,500

Related: CAA Insurance Review

Johnson MEDOC Insurance does not offer any additional riders or add-ons.

If you bundle your travel insurance with your home insurance, you’ll get up to 5% off your home insurance.

Rather than offer a multi-trip plan option, Johnson MEDOC’s base travel insurance plans provide coverage for unlimited trips throughout the policy year. If you’d like to stay longer than the 17-day or 35-day coverage options, you can purchase a supplemental plan offering coverage for additional days.

The MEDOC Claims Assistance Centre is available 24/7, 365 days of the year and can help you when you’re faced with an emergency. MEDOC Claims Assistance will:

• Provide confirmation of coverage
• Pay your eligible expenses directly, wherever possible
• Consult with your physician to monitor your care
• Monitor the appropriateness, necessity and reasonableness of that care to ensure your expenses will be covered by your insurance
• Relay important messages to and from your family, business or physician
• Help replace lost or stolen travel documents
• Direct you to a local lawyer for legal assistance

If you (or someone acting on your behalf) don’t contact the MEDOC Claims Assistance Centre before receiving medical treatment, you may be limited to reimbursement of 70% of eligible medical expenses. MEDOC Claims Assistance must also approve benefits and expenses in advance to be eligible for reimbursement.

No.

No.

Johnson MEDOC insurance will not cover any expenses related to a medical condition that was not stable in the 90 days before your departure. For a medical condition to be considered stable, all of these statements must be true:

• There has been no new diagnosis, treatment or prescribed medication
• There has been no change in treatment or prescribed medication, including the dosage, frequency or type
• There have been no new symptoms, more frequent symptoms or more severe symptoms
• There have been not test results showing a deterioration
• There has been no hospitalization or referral to a specialist
• There is no further investigation for which results are pending

In addition, Johnson MEDOC travel insurance will not cover:

• A heart condition that has not been stable in the 90 days prior to your departure or day or booking, or, if you’ve taken nitroglycerin more than once per week for angina pain relief
• A lung condition that has not been stable in the 90 days before your departure or day or booking, or you’ve been treated with home oxygen or taken prednisone or prednisoline

There are a number of scenarios not covered by travel insurance and it’s critical to know what not to do before making a claim for medical expenses or trip expenses only to be told you’re on the hook for all associated costs. The following are some of the most common issues or scenarios not covered by travel insurance:

• A claim against an unstable pre-existing medical condition
• Any treatment that is not emergency treatment
• Routine prenatal care, or any medical treatment related to pregnancy or childbirth occurring nine weeks before or after your expected due date
• Any child born on the trip
• Any loss resulting from your participation as a professional in sports or underwater activities
• High-risk activities, including scuba diving (unless you hold a basic scuba certification), bungee jumping, parachuting, rock climbing, mountain climbing using ropes or specialized equipment, hang-gliding or skydiving
• You committing or attempting to commit a criminal offense
• Intentional self-inflicted injury, suicide or attempted suicide
• Medication, drugs or toxic substance abuse or overdose
• Voluntary exposure or active participation in war, riot, rebellion, or service in the armed forces
• Any medical condition suffered during a “Avoid all travel” or “Avoid non-essential travel” advisories before your departure
• Any emergency transplants, including organ and bone marrow transplants
• Any medical condition while travelling against medical advice
• Any loss arising from a common carrier (air, plane, bus) work stoppage or the bankruptcy or insolvency of a travel agent, agency, broker or travel supplier
• Loss of eye glasses, contact lenses or hearing aids

To be eligible for insurance under the Johnson MEDOC plan, you must:

• Be a member, or a spouse or dependent of a member
• Be a Canadian resident
• Be insured under your provincial or territorial health insurance plan

You can file a claim with claims partner Global Excel Management at any time by calling the applicable number noted on the website, your policy or your wallet card. Representatives are available 24/7. It’s worth noting you must submit a notice of your claim within 30 days after the covered loss or medical emergency.