1What Your Health Card Pays in the US
Your provincial plan was built for care at home. Outside Canada it pays only a small, fixed amount. In Ontario, OHIP pays at most:
| Emergency care outside Canada | OHIP pays at most |
|---|---|
| Intensive or coronary care, operating room | $400 a day |
| Other hospital stays | $200 a day |
| Emergency room or outpatient visit | $50 a day |
Source: Government of Ontario, OHIP coverage while outside Canada, updated January 16, 2026. OHIP also does not pay to bring you back to an Ontario hospital.
A US hospital bills at its own prices, and whatever the provincial plan does not pay is your bill. That is the gap this coverage fills: it pays the reasonable and customary cost of emergency care above what your provincial plan pays, up to $5 million per person.
2Covered on Every Run, Up to 60 Days
There is no limit on how many trips you take. Each trip is covered as long as it lasts 60 consecutive days or less. The count starts the day you leave your province and ends the day you come back, so every time you come home, the next run starts a new count.
That fits how most drivers work: a run to the US and back, a week of loads across the Prairies, or a long stretch out of province are all inside the limit, trip after trip.
The one rule to remember: be home by day 60. A trip longer than 60 days is not covered at all, not even for the first 60 days. If a longer trip comes up, call us before you go.
3What It Covers
It pays after an emergency: an accident or a sudden, unexpected illness outside your province, in the US, in another province or abroad.
| Expense | What the wording covers |
|---|---|
| Hospital | Private or semi-private room, and out-patient care, above what your provincial plan covers |
| Doctors | The difference between the doctor’s fees and what your provincial plan covers |
| Tests and X-rays | Lab tests and X-rays the attending doctor prescribes |
| Prescription drugs | Drugs a doctor prescribes as part of the emergency treatment |
| Private nurse | During a hospital stay, when medically necessary: up to $5,000 per illness or accident |
| Medical devices | Crutches, canes, splints, a manual wheelchair and other devices the doctor prescribes |
| Dental after an accident | Care after a blow to healthy natural teeth or a broken jaw: up to $2,000 per accident |
| Ambulance | Land or air transport to the nearest appropriate medical facility |
| Getting you home | Repatriation to your province when the doctor and the assistance service authorize it |
| Family visit | Economy return transport for a family member if you are in hospital for at least 7 days |
| Return of your vehicle | A commercial agency to bring your own or a rental vehicle home: up to $5,000 |
| Children travelling with you | Their return home, with an escort if needed, if they are under 16 and left without supervision |
A summary of the policy wording. The wording decides every claim.
4If Something Happens on the Road
- Call the assistance number first. It is on your card. Call before you get treatment, unless you reasonably cannot: a claim can be refused if you do not. They tell you where to go and approve the care.
- Keep the card in your cab and save the number in your phone before every trip.
- Getting home is covered. When the doctor and the assistance service agree, they bring you back to your province, and a family member can come to you if you are in hospital for 7 days or more.
5Company Driver or Owner-Operator?
- Owner-operators and self-employed drivers have no employer plan behind them. This plan is built for you: monthly payments, and coverage that follows you on every trip.
- Company drivers: look in your benefits booklet for out-of-country emergency medical coverage and its limit. If it is not there, or the limit is low, this plan covers you on its own.
- Any job that takes you out of your province can qualify, not only trucking: tell us what you do and we check it for you.
6What It Costs
| Driver only | Driver and spouse | Family | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Every month | $30 | $45 | $45 |
Prices as of October 2026. Your quote shows your exact monthly price, which depends on your job and who is covered. Rates can change at renewal, with written notice first.
One flat monthly price, however many trips you take.
7Health Conditions: the 30-Day Rule
The coverage does not pay for an unstable medical condition. A condition counts as unstable if, in the 30 days before you leave, you:
- saw a doctor about it (a routine check-up does not count)
- were in hospital
- had a change in treatment, or started a new treatment or a new drug
- had a dose change for diabetes, blood-thinning, heart-rhythm or seizure medication (routine insulin or Coumadin adjustments excepted)
- used home oxygen, or took cortisone or a similar drug for a lung condition
- took nitroglycerin more than once in 7 days for a heart condition
A condition that stayed stable for those 30 days is not excluded by this rule. That is a short stability period for travel insurance.
8Trip Cancellation
If you pay for a trip ahead of time and a covered event stops it, the plan pays back the non-refundable part and the extra cost of getting home: up to $5,000 per person, per trip. Cancel with your travel suppliers within 48 hours of the event, and let the insurer know at the same time.
9What It Does Not Cover
- Pregnancy, childbirth or complications from the 29th week of pregnancy
- Driving a motor vehicle while impaired by alcohol or drugs, or over the legal alcohol limit
- Accidents during dangerous activities such as motor racing, skydiving or mountain climbing, or sport for pay
- Mental, nervous or psychological conditions
- Care that could safely wait until you are back in your province
- A trip taken mainly to get medical treatment
- Costs above reasonable and customary charges
This is a summary; the wording lists every exclusion.
10Payments, Cancelling and When It Ends
- Pay monthly or yearly. Each month by pre-authorized debit, or once a year
- 10 days to change your mind. Cancel within 10 days of receiving the contract (or 60 days after it starts, whichever comes first) and get your money back in full
- When it ends: when you retire, when you stop being covered by your provincial health plan, or at age 70, whichever comes first
11How to Get Your Quote
- Tell us about you. Who to cover, what you do for work and your income. It takes a few minutes on your phone.
- Get your price. A licensed advisor calls you with your quote, usually within one business day.
- Start your coverage. The advisor completes the application with you and sets up your monthly payments. Nothing is paid online, and we never ask for your SIN or banking on the form.
Looking for a single trip or a yearly plan instead? Compare travel insurance and buy online.
12Frequently Asked Questions
Does OHIP cover me when I drive into the United States?
Only a small part of an emergency. Outside Canada, OHIP pays at most $400 a day for intensive hospital care, $200 a day for other hospital stays and $50 a day for emergency outpatient care. The rest of the bill is yours. Ontario itself recommends buying private travel medical insurance before you leave.
Am I covered on every run across the border?
Yes. Every trip of up to 60 consecutive days is covered, as many times as you go. The count starts the day you leave your province and starts again after you come home.
What if a run keeps me away for more than 60 days?
A trip longer than 60 consecutive days is not covered at all, not even for the first 60 days. Be back in your province by day 60, or call us before a longer trip.
My company has benefits. Do I still need this?
Check your benefits booklet for out-of-country emergency medical coverage and its limit. Some group plans include it and many do not. Owner-operators and self-employed drivers have no employer plan behind them at all.
Does it cover me in other provinces too?
Yes. It covers emergencies anywhere outside your province of residence: other provinces, the United States and other countries.
How much does it cost?
$30 a month for the driver, or $45 a month with a spouse or family (prices as of October 2026). Your quote shows your exact monthly price before you decide.
Can I pay monthly?
Yes. You pay each month by pre-authorized debit, or once a year if you prefer.
Can my spouse and children be covered?
Yes. Your spouse and dependent children can be added to your travel coverage, as long as you are covered too.
How old do I have to be?
You must be 18 to 69 and working full time when the coverage starts. It ends at age 70, when you retire, or when you are no longer covered by your provincial health plan.
Heading Across the Border?
Get your quote before your next run. Tell us who to cover and what you do, and a licensed advisor calls you with your price. Or call (416) 477-1516, email cs@egeinsure.ca. Advisors available in 8 languages.