Travel during a pandemic: clarification

As summer gives way to autumn and winter shows the tip of its nose, some of you could be tempted, with the change of season, to migrate to other skies and seek warmer temperatures. Although very legitimate, this decision to extend the summer season and to leave the country for a long or short period must not be taken lightly in the context of a pandemic and deserves clarification.

First, until further notice, the Canadian government highly recommends avoiding any non essential travel outside the country in order to slow down the spread of COVID 19. Canadians should therefore stay in Canada unless they have an important reason to travel abroad. Moreover, the fact that some countries have reopened their borders should not be interpreted as an invitation to visit. The situation we are experiencing continues to call for caution.

For its part, iA Financial Group strongly encourages members to stay in Canada, just like the Canadian government. The reasons why we are making such a recommendation are the following:

• The significant risk involved in traveling outside the country without having an important reason to do so in the context of a global pandemic
• A potentially limited capacity for intervention and repatriation in case of a medical emergency
• A situation that could change rapidly in the next few days, weeks or months

In a nutshell, at this time, Canadian citizens should simply not travel abroad if they have no important reason to do so since it involves many risks: currently, the situation is still very uncertain in many countries and could change rapidly.

Finally, please note that iA Financial Group covers medical emergency expenses incurred abroad, based on your contract. For all details about eligible and ineligible expenses, please read our most recent FAQ. In addition, also note that some benefits mentioned in the FAQ are not offered in all contracts. Consequently, you might not be covered by these benefits.