Tag: International Traveller

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How Long Can Canadians Stay Out of the Country?

One of the questions most frequently asked by Canadian travellers is, “How long can we stay out of the province or country?” There are a few things to consider on this one. For starters, it depends on your destination.

Here are the entry requirements and stay limits for the countries most visited by Canadians:

United States: Six months (about 182 days), whether all at once or over several cumulative trips, during a 12-month period.

Europe: 90 days, with no visa requirement however there are changes slated to take effect in May 2023.

The United Kingdom: Six months, or 180 days, with no visa requirement.

Cuba: Six months, however you must obtain an extension from immigration authorities for a stay beyond 90 days.

Mexico: Six months, or 180 days, however you must complete a Mexican tourist card, known as FMM (Forma Migratoria Múltiple).

Dominican Republic: 30 days, however you must obtain a tourist card for entry.

China: 30 days on a single-entry visa.

Australia: Three months on a mandatory Australian Electronic Travel Authority.

Now here comes the curveball: be sure to check the residency requirement in your home province. This is a set of rules that specifies the number of days that you must be physically present to qualify for provincial health benefits. While most provinces require that residents be present for six months to maintain their health coverage, it’s worth checking before planning a long-term vacation. Your residency requirement doesn’t affect your ability to leave Canada for vacation but it does impact your eligibility for provincial health benefits when you return.

No matter your destination country, it’s recommended that you always maintain at least six months of validity on your passport. Some countries may also require that your passport have a certain number of blank pages so be sure to do your research on entry requirements.

For peace of mind during your travels, take MSH coverage with you. Get a quote today!

Now, get packing!

 

Do you not see the answer to your question in the comments below? Feel free to get in touch with our experts for more assistance.

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New Alerts for EU-Bound Holiday Season Travellers

Reports of COVID infection rate spikes, growing objections to government lockdowns, and frustration with constantly changing vaccination passport rules are sparking recurring public protests throughout much of the European Union.

According to Schengen News, protestors in Austria, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, and Croatia are resisting enforced lockdowns of indoor restaurants, bars, ice cream shops, sporting events, museums, cinemas, and even private parties. Though most of the protests have been peaceful, some—particularly in the Netherlands—have led to material damage, violence, and arrests.

Consequently, Canadians planning holiday travel to Europe need to make doubly sure they have the proper documents, are thoroughly covered for COVID-related illnesses and trip cancellation expenses, and fully aware that individual countries in the EU can suddenly impose their own entry rules on travellers from other countries, as well as those within the EU.  

For example, effective November 22, Austria went into full lockdown on all non-essential activities through at least December 13. Until then, inbound travel has been halted. And in a move that may presage significant rule changes in other countries, Austria has cut down the validity period of vaccination certificates (passports) from 12 to nine months. This is Austria’s fourth lockdown since the start of the pandemic—a pattern seen in other EU countries.

Third booster shots may become mandatory

The European Union Commission has urged (though not mandated) all member states to heed the advice of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and impose nine-month limits on the validity of vaccine certificates and require WHO or ECDC–approved booster shots be made available to persons whose vaccination certificates approach the nine-month limit.  

The vaccines provided to Canadians and Americans fit within that requirement.

Here’s the takeaway for Canadians looking forward to European travel for the holiday season or beyond

The European Union, which encompasses 27 nations, is not a monolith. Member countries have ultimate control of their own borders, although they try to maintain some unanimity amongst themselves. They are, however, political entities, so differences of opinion and action are common.

Similarly, the 26 Schengen Area countries (which include non-EU members Iceland, Switzerland, Norway, and Lichtenstein) are also free to suspend common rules temporarily to deal with individual issues on the ground.

What that means for Canadian travellers is that you must know and comply with the entry-exit rules of the individual countries you’ll be visiting or through which you may be transiting, as well as the rules about current vaccine verifications required by those countries. And don’t forget to consult the travel advisories posted by Travel Canada.

Most important, you must know the benefits and the limitations of your travel insurance coverage in case of a medical emergency, whether or not you’re covered for COVID-related illness, whether your benefits meet the medical coverage requirements of the countries you’ll be visiting (many countries now require verification of adequate travel-medical insurance…your provincial coverage won’t do).

And, given the frequency of public unrest about changing government entry/exit rules, make sure you’re protected in case you have to cancel or rearrange your itinerary at the last moment. You want to get as much of your prepaid fees back as you can. Reliable advice from your travel insurance advisor is more important than ever.  

Don’t try to go it alone. This is not the time for heroics.

© Copyright 2021/2022 Milan Korcok.  All rights reserved.

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What Canadians Need for Safe Travel to Europe and US

With borders re-opening now that COVID transmissions are generally abating, you need to know the requirements of all individual nations on your planned itineraries. And most important, consult with your travel insurance broker or agent to make sure you know the coverage benefits and exclusions of your insurance policy before heading to the airport. The pandemic has changed they way we travel. Don’t try to do it alone.

Europe Bound?

Canadian travellers heading for Europe will generally find their vaccine passports widely accepted as the European Union recently recommended COVID restrictions be lifted for fully-vaccinated residents of Canada and 18 other 3rd countries (non EU): including those with proof of restored immunity after having recovered from COVID infection. Fortunately, for Canadians, the EU accepts all vaccines that were used in Canada, including those used in combination with Astra Zeneca as meeting its criterion.

However, though the UA has lifted its embargo on Canadians and others, individual EU nations remain free to lift or retain their border restrictions against other EU or “3rd countries”(outside the Union) which they consider high risk as surges continue. Just recently it raised temporary warnings against to travel

Germany, Finland, Ireland, Estoia Slovenia, Slovakia as “unsafe for trave” Such warnings are listed almost daily, as the Eu has a threshold for assessing safety levels in its block– the criterion being that mutual re-openings are best achieved between nations that report no more than 75 new COVID cases per 100,000 inhabitants per day on average over a two-week period.

But overall, EU countries have achieved vaccination rates over 75 percent among all adults, with some states moving well beyond that (France 85 percent, Spain 83 percent, and Germany 78 percent). Still, in the interest of safety, it’s important for Canadian travellers and their trained travel advisors to pay attention not only to the broader EU guidance, but to the documentation requirements of individual nations to which they’re heading or transiting

US Bound?

Now that US authorities have announced that proof of mixed-vaccine regimens will be acceptable for

entry, several million Canadians who have been vaccinated with combinations including the Astra Zeneca brand have one less barrier to overcome on their trip South. This is certainly good news for snowbirds.

Overall, the acceptance of a covid passport is not as universal in the US as it is Europe. As we have noted in earlier articles, Americans are split on the issue of mandatory vaccination and more than 20 state governments have legislated that private business, restaurants, sports venues, recreational areas, shopping malls, etc. are prohibited from demanding patrons show proof of vaccination on grounds that such demands intrude on individual health privacy issues. Florida, Arizona, Texas, and some border states are among those maintaining such prohibitions. Other major States, New York and California require their businesses to verify proofs. But given the lack of a national consensus any Canadian proof of vaccination will likely be taken at face value and not be challenged.

© Copyright 2021/2022 Milan Korcok. All rights reserved.

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Determined to Start Travelling Again? Learn the Landscape

When Canadians were surveyed in mid-summer about their future out-of-country travel intentions, it appeared that visits to the UK/Europe and Asia/Pacific were well down the list, with the United States, Mexico, and the Caribbean being the preferred choices, at least for the time being (according to data from the Conference Board of Canada).

A major reason for that imbalance is the confusion and inconsistency about COVID testing requirements, vaccine passports, and the almost daily rule changes about what documentation or immune status is required to enter any given country. Most confusing is the narrative out of Europe which used to be easy to navigate thanks to the borderless entry requirements of countries in the Schengen Area. Show your passport to enter one member country and travel throughout the others without further border checks. No longer.

The Schengen Area is a consortium of 26 mostly European countries dedicated to providing easier, border-free travel among its members. It is distinct from the EU.

With the advent of huge migration waves from the Middle East and North Africa in the decade before the pandemic, many European countries individually suspended the Schengen easements and reinstated border checks demanding passport/visa clearances. Then came COVID, and the border “windows” were being raised and lowered almost on a daily basis as member countries adopted colour-coded map references for countries that were relatively safe (green) to definitely unsafe (red).

Here is a sampling of advisories in Schengen’s daily report for September 6: “Malta recognizes vaccine passports of Egypt and Lebanon” … “Spain bans non-vaccinated travellers from US” … “Estonia adds Norway, Bulgaria, San Marino and Slovenia to her Red List” … “Denmark moves unvaccinated and unrecovered travellers from Croatia, regions of Austria, Italy, Norway, Sweden to its Orange List.” And that’s only one day’s advisories.

To explain: there are five colour-coded categories into which countries fall on the basis of daily testing and infection rate data as monitored by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC): Green (the best), orange (less so), red, and then dark red (the worst). There is also grey for areas where the ECDC doesn’t have substantial enough data for a rating. The UK is grey. And each of these colour codes represents specific metrics denoting the number of new cases reported, percentage of positives, and infection rates.

Planning European travel over the next few months?

Do your homework and stay on top of changes—they occur daily.

Here is a link you can use to keep up to date on European visa and COVID-related entry requirements to most countries in the EU.

In addition, keep up with the Travel Canada site which lists entry/exit rules and requirements for any nation you wish to visit or through which you must transit. And the Reopen EU site will give you a neatly packaged view of all European and neighbouring countries on their colour-coded status.

But regardless where you plan travel, assume there may be COVID-related, travel insurance, or medical coverage requirements for entry as more and more nations are making such coverage mandatory. 

You may also need proof of coverage (your provincial health coverage is not accepted—it’s too limited), and you may have to prove amounts of coverage as well as terms. Carry your policies with you. Wallet-sized cards indicating only your provider or broker are not enough for you to depend on in these dynamically changing times. Some countries, especially in the Caribbean and Asia/Pacific, are now requiring not only proof of your own coverage, but are levying mandatory travel insurance fees at the entry site to cover medical emergency costs (including those related to COVID) for the duration of your stay. Thailand, for example, will levy an insurance fee whether you have your own insurance or not, as will Jamaica which levies a $40 USD medical insurance coverage fee (to cover you up to $50,000 USD) while on the island. Cuba too has been requiring proof of private medical insurance for about 10 years—either that or buy Cuban insurance on arrival from a local company.

The US does not require travel insurance coverage, but if you’re familiar with the fees charged by US hospitals and doctors for even casual treatments you should need little convincing to get the kind of coverage offered in Canada: limits going to CAD $5 million or $10 million per trip.

What used to be relatively easy isn’t anymore. But then, living without the option to travel is no fun either.

© Copyright 2021 Milan Korcok. All rights reserved.

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Have a Pre-existing Condition? Don’t Give Up on Travelling

As travel insurance has evolved over the years, more and more people in less-than-perfect health have become eligible for coverage. That’s a good thing. But you still need to be mindful that travel insurance is supplemental to your government (provincial) health plan, not a substitute for it, and there are exclusions and limitations in all travel health plans you need to be aware of when selecting insurance.

The most basic plans are those offered within credit card benefits, but they are generally short term (10, 15, or 30 days), usually designed for persons younger than 65, and generally do not cover medical emergencies caused by pre-existing conditions—although there are exceptions in higher-end credit cards for which you pay a premium. But even then, coverage for pre-existing medical conditions is very limited.

Fortunately, having a pre-existing condition does not mean you can’t get excellent coverage in a dedicated travel insurance plan. But do your diligence well, and don’t wait until the last minute to buy your insurance. Treat it as a serious purchase.

Don’t skip over the limitations

Generally, if your pre-existing condition (say, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, gastric reflux, or other chronic condition) has been “stable” for a specified time (e.g., 30, 60, 180 days)—which means it hasn’t revealed new symptoms, hasn’t required a change in medication dosage or type, lab tests or procedures, and hasn’t been treated by a physician or referred to a specialist—it may be considered stable and you’ll be covered. But read and understand how “stable” is defined in the policy. It’s how the policy defines “stable,” not how you may define it, that counts in the end.

If you have a pre-existing condition that might not meet this stability standard and you still feel confident enough to travel, you might ask about a pre-existing condition “waiver” that allows you to be covered for all other medical emergencies unrelated to your pre-existing condition. That’s a good option, but make sure your policy specifies that you have such a waiver. Get it in writing.

Medical underwriting—a growing trend

As snowbirds and elderly travellers have become such a substantial force in the travel market, medically underwritten plans have grown exponentially. Their value lies in the insurer’s ability to fashion a plan of benefits for your specific health profile based the answers you provide to a detailed questionnaire or medical declaration. These generally require only “Yes” or “No” answers, but because some medical terminologies are used, make sure you look up the definitions provided. Don’t guess. And if you still are unsure about how to answer any questions, it’s always a good policy to ask your doctor for help. Accuracy is important. Once you complete your application, your responses will be graded for risk level and your premium set accordingly.

Also understand that failure to disclose any medical conditions, treatments, or diagnoses on your questionnaire can void your total application and lead to denial of your claim if you later have one.

For example, if while travelling you have a medical emergency—let’s say a gallbladder removal—and you subsequently file a claim and it’s discovered that you failed to confirm having been treated for atrial fibrillation at some earlier time, your gallbladder claim may be denied—even though your AF had nothing to do with your gall bladder emergency.

How can that be? It’s not a nasty trick. The premium and conditions of coverage in your medically underwritten plan are based solely on the information you provide. If the underwriters had known you’d had AF treatments in the past, you would have been given a different plan option, at a different premium level, with perhaps other conditions. In effect, you didn’t qualify for what you got. Your family physician’s advice may have helped.

Medically underwritten policies have opened up the world of travel to many people who otherwise would have been totally sidelined and forced to stay home. And as the world of travel opens up again, look to the new opportunities that exist. You may be pleasantly surprised.

© Copyright 2021 Milan Korcok. All rights reserved.

To find out more about how MSH Americas can help you, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

HelpLine@americas.msh-intl.com

 +1 416 730 8488 (or toll-free at +1 800 360 3234)

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How Travel Insurance Has Evolved—For Your Benefit

Since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, travel insurance providers have made policy changes to better protect you from unforeseen events and situations beyond your control. This is important, as sooner or later, you can be sure we’ll be revisited by regional epidemics, pandemics, volcanic eruptions, hurricanes, civil demonstrations, or terrorist attacks—perhaps even wars. History has taught us that much.

Over the next few weeks, we’re going to explore what’s new in travel insurance, what’s essential for you to know in fashioning the best coverage for you and your family as we return to normalcy, how to get the most value for your money, and how to earn peace of mind.

When to cancel a trip—and how

Let’s start with the issue that generated so much concern this past year: coverage for trips that were cancelled, interrupted, or delayed beyond endurance.

Traditionally, Canadian travel insurance has primarily focused on emergency medical benefits: high hospital costs and medical fees in foreign countries (especially the United States) that are only marginally covered (often less than 5 per cent) by government health insurance plans. It has been more than 30 years that private health insurers have been picking up the burden of foreign medical bills for Canadian travellers—bills often soaring to six figures. 

During this time, cancellation/interruption benefits have been incorporated into many travel insurance plans. But it took mass cancellations of cruise and airline itineraries as well as border closures during the pandemic to focus on the details and limitations of trip cancellation coverage.

Traditionally, the allowable reasons for claiming trip cancellation benefits have been individually listed in policy contracts. They were specific. They included an onset of sickness or injury in the traveller or the traveller’s companion; death in the traveller’s or companion’s family; a call to jury duty; sudden job loss; catastrophic damage to the traveller’s or companion’s home; unexpected weather event such as hurricane or flood at the trip destination; the failure of the traveller or companion to obtain required travel documents; cancellation or rescheduling of a destination business meeting; a default or suspension of a travel supplier such as a cruise, airline, or tour operator; and other similar scenarios—all spelled out in the contract.

But what the benefits didn’t cover were cancellations for other, unspecified reasons, such as changing one’s mind about travelling to a certain destination, or fear of catching disease, or bad weather at the chosen destination, or simply dealing with uncertainties during troubling times.

Prior to the pandemic’s readjustment of world travel, Cancel for Any Reason (CFAR) plans were gradually beginning to catch on, even though they cost some 40 per cent more. But since then they have grown in popularity because of the flexibility they offer travellers to plan with more incentive and imagination. With a conventional trip interruption policy, if you cancelled to avoid a hurricane only to see the storm do a sharp turn and head back out to sea, that would void your cancellation claim. No damage, no reason to cancel. But with a CFAR option, the trip cost is protected.

But remember the caveat

What is protected is only what has been prepaid and is non-refundable. If the trip supplier—resort, hotel, cruise, airline, or tour operator—returns your cash, rebates to your credit card, or offers a voucher for a future time, the insurer is not liable to make good. No double dipping. And there is no reimbursement for the lost enjoyment of a long-planned dream trip.

Also understand that what you’re buying with trip cancellation is protection OVER TIME, and you’re expected to buy that protection when you buy your trip—or within a few days of your purchase. And then expect diminishing returns as time goes by. The closer you get to your scheduled departure, the smaller the payout you can expect. And if you get to a certain threshold—like 14 days before your cruise—the benefit will have expired. You can’t expect a cruise ship or hotel, operating in high season, to take a loss for your “no-show.”

Trip cancellation benefits can give you great peace of mind. But you need to understand the rules.  

In the next article, we’ll get into understanding how pre-existing medical conditions may be covered in your travel insurance policy.

© Copyright 2021 Milan Korcok. All rights reserved.

To find out more about how MSH Americas can help you, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

HelpLine@americas.msh-intl.com

 +1 416 730 8488 (or toll-free at +1 800 360 3234)

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A COVID-19 Success Story. We Need One

Let’s look on the bright side—at a post-COVID success story—and realize that a new dawn is possible.

Israel, a country of 9.3 million people, has freed itself of most pandemic restrictions after its daily new case rate dropped to less than 20, and more than 80 per cent of its citizens have been fully vaccinated in perhaps the most efficiently run vaccination program of all nations.

At one point, as recently as this past January, Israel’s daily new COVID case numbers were peaking at 10,000 per day, proportionately the same as rates in the United States, which was among the hardest hit of all nations. And overall, this small nation, less than half the size of Nova Scotia in square kilometres, sustained close to 840,000 cases and over 6,400 COVID-related deaths (a rate of 71 deaths per 100,000 population—slightly more than Canada’s current death rate of 68 per 100,00).

But by June 1, Israel’s health ministry could declare a stunning victory against the pandemic, releasing most distancing and closure sanctions, requiring only limited indoor masking at close quarters, and—most dramatic of all—dispensing with its vaunted Green Pass program which it began only three months ago.

The Green Pass allowed fully vaccinated (primarily with Pfizer BioNTech) and fully recovered citizens virtual freedom to any activities that in most other nations remained either closed or tightly restricted—gyms, theatres, concerts, restaurants, shopping centres, even synagogues. In fact, the response to the Green Pass was so enthusiastic, these same venues quickly required it for entry. It became, in effect, a pass to normalcy—and created some antagonism from the shrinking non-vaccinated holdouts.

But you can’t argue with success. The Green Pass had done its job. It was time to be retired—happily.

In announcing cessation of the Green Pass, Israeli authorities have emphasized that vigilance against COVID will remain and that Israel’s borders will stay closed to countries where variants are troublesome. Returning citizens will be given priority, and there may be certain quarantine requirements, but quarantine hotels will not be among them. Such a suggestion was firmly nixed by several sources as impractical, unworkable, and punitive.

In getting to this better place, Israel placed its bets on its high-tech workforce and environment, highly organized medical triage, a digitized medical record-keeping that allowed vaccinations to be channelled to the most vulnerable populations first, a national network of vaccine clinics, clear and unified messaging from the top down, and efficient, proactive negotiating and procurement of vaccines from multiple sources even while they were being developed.

In fact, vaccine procurement was so effective that Israel’s health ministry and several non-governmental organizations are now sending vaccines to COVID-embattled India, along with medical equipment and supplies, respirators, technological logistical support, and medical personnel.

“We can’t just stand by,” an Israeli spokesman on his way to India told media.

© Copyright 2021 Milan Korcok. All rights reserved.

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Post-COVID: Summer Travel Is Not Impossible

As economies begin to open up—some timorously, others robustly—summer vacation travel is no longer an impossible dream… so long as you stay flexible, able to moderate your plans even up to the last minute if need be, and are prepared to compromise.

Many travel insurers as well as suppliers such as air and cruise lines, hotels, and tour operators have modified their rules to allow for late-term cancellations, cash-back rebates in lieu of travel credits, and      other pandemic-related disruptions. This bodes well for travel-deprived Canadians who have learned the value of preparing for the unknown, balancing risks and rewards, and daring to make choices. As Forrest Gump wisely said: “You never know what you’re gonna get.”

Because of variations in COVID prevalence internationally, it’s unlikely that all borders will open synchronously. Even among European countries there is little harmony about inviting summer tourism. Nonetheless, we may well see more travel “corridors” between countries with similar confidence levels; more “favoured nations” travel allowances, and certainly more requirements for proof of health status and medical coverage—i.e., Spain’s health ministry has announced that it hopes to introduce vaccine or test result certificate allowances to citizens of certain countries for inbound travel this summer. So have some countries in the Caribbean.

There are also hopeful signs that the UK, which suffered especially heavy COVID losses throughout 2020, has rebounded as it has vaccinated 15 million adults in its highest-risk groups as of mid-February. It expects to have all over-50s fully vaccinated by May 2021.

In the US, Canada’s most favoured leisure travel destination, the signs of achieving immunity from COVID are also encouraging. As of February 17, 2021, Bloomberg Vaccine Tracking reports 57.4 million Americans (mostly in the higher-risk groups) have been vaccinated (in Florida at least 11.6 per cent of the population has received at least one dose and 5.5 per cent, both). With the expansion of administration sites to pharmacies, clinics, and even supermarkets, Bloomberg projects that the Moderna and Pfizer companies are on track to deliver enough doses to fully vaccinate 110 million Americans by the end of March 2021.

Given the concurrent decline in daily rates of COVID infections and deaths, there is increasing hope of soon achieving acceptable rates of immunity, and perhaps with it, a gradual freeing-up of travel restraints—at least between countries that achieve certain criteria. But that is a matter for individual nations to decide.

It’s a start—or, more precisely, a restart—of travel, a freedom Canadians dearly cherish. But that freedom does not abide negligence. Travel for the foreseeable future will require more diligence and greater attention to detail (such as that in your travel reservations’ conditions); knowledge of customs and border requirements of the countries you’re visiting or transiting through, as well as travel advisories (and restrictions) from your own government; and knowledge of the travel insurance policy you’re purchasing and how those conditions apply to your trip or destination of choice.

We also have to be realistic about our expectations. Achieving 100 per cent immunity from COVID or any other communicable disease or aiming for zero transmission is an unreasonable and unreachable goal. We have to settle for less, and we have to live in the meantime. And for many Canadians, travel is a part of living.

© Copyright 2021 Milan Korcok. All rights reserved.

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Pulling Back the Curtain on Lesser-Known Black Trailblazers

“When we’re talking about diversity, it’s not a box to check. It is a reality that should be deeply felt and held and valued by all of us.”

—Ava DuVernay

At MSH, we take pride in doing our part to help you travel and live with confidence. For Black History Month, we honour some of the more unheralded Black trailblazers who did just that, and as a result, shaped history. Their contributions transcended limits and norms, representing the best of all of us.

Anton Wilhelm Amo (c. 1703–c. 1759)

As the first African to earn a doctorate degree at a European university and the first to practice philosophy in Europe since Roman times, Anton Wilhelm Amo was an academic pioneer. His pride in his African heritage formed the basis of his philosophical work, challenging the legal basis of European slavery and contesting social norms.

Mathieu da Costa (1589–1619)

While the exact details of his life continue to be debated, one thing is certain – Mathieu da Costa is considered by historians to be the first Black person to visit Canada. Working as a free man, he played the role of interpreter for Dutch and French explorers, including Samuel de Champlain, in the early 17th century.

Matthew Alexander Henson (1866–1955)

Despite being the first human to set foot on the North Pole in 1909, Matthew Alexander Henson received little to no recognition for his feat or his contributions to the expedition’s success. He received belated honours with admittance as the first African-American member of the Explorers Club (1937) and the Peary Polar Expedition Medal (1944).

Rosemary Brown (1930–2003)

At a time when racism and sexism were fashionable, Rosemary Brown became Canada’s first Black female member of a provincial legislature and the first woman to run for leadership of a federal political party. Her lifelong fight against gender, racial and social norms garnered her 15 honorary doctorates, the Order of Canada and the United Nations Human Rights Fellowship.

Wangari Maathai (1940–2011)

A fierce proponent of human rights and environmental conservation, Wangari Maathai became the first woman in East and Central Africa to earn a doctorate degree, the first female professor in Kenya and the first Black woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize (2004). She developed the Green Belt Movement, responsible for the planting of over 51 million trees in Kenya since 1977.

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There May Be a Cruise in Your Future. Be Patient

If you feel the need to lift your spirits, plan ahead, “break free,” you could do worse than start scouring the Internet for deeply discounted cruise packages now being offered by the world’s leading cruise lines in anticipation of a post-COVID pent-up demand for leisure travel.

You may have to wait until late 2021 to board—that appears to be the most realistic projection anticipated by cruise professionals at this point—but there aren’t that many travel options in the meantime. And cruise companies have loaded up their packages with plenty of safeguards to protect your investment should it be delayed further or should your plans change, for whatever reason—and you may not even have to give a reason. Full cash refunds on-demand are now standard throughout the industry. If not, 125 or 150 per cent credits for changes, cruise delays, or cancellations remain an option. It’s a buyers’ market as it’s never been.

And Canadians are big cruise buyers. According to the Conference Board of Canada, they were projected to have taken more than one million cruises in 2019, and had accounted for 3.4 per cent of all global cruise activity every year since 2016 

Even dry-docked, cruise ships sell

While much of the world’s fleet of almost 300 ships has been moored in ports around the world, some cruise agents report that they have taken in more reservations for future cruises than they have processed cancellations. 

However, until the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) drops or seriously modifies its No Sail Order, there won’t be any cruises out of US ports of vessels carrying more than 250 passengers. The CDC has jurisdiction for all cruise ships sailing in US waters or docking at US ports. Though most ships sail under foreign flags, they are not exempted from that jurisdiction. Moreover, the world’s three biggest cruise lines, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Line, and Carnival Corporation (which also controls Princess, Holland America, Costa, Cunard, and several other major lines), are all headquartered in South Florida.

The CDC has imposed tough standards that ships will have to meet when they return to sea, but so have the cruise lines themselves. The cruise industry concurs with most of CDC’s standards, and a Health Standards Panel convened by Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line (including third-party scientists and other disease prevention and health specialists) has published a 64-page guide of specific actions and standards they recommend for all cruise carriers. What they presage is a far leaner style of cruising: fewer passengers per vessel to allow for appropriate distancing; shorter cruises (maximum 7 nights); tighter controls on port stop visits; on-board testing capabilities for passengers showing symptoms, including daily temperature checks for all passengers and crew; more medical staffing and resources; and on-board quarantining cabins or isolation units should an outbreak occur.

The standards also rule out self-serve buffets (reason enough for gourmands to book and rebook), and retain routine masking in situations where distancing is not feasible, while allowing maskless indoor or outdoor dining where distancing is sufficient. But no more poolside dance parties—not in the immediate future anyway.

One special caution we must highlight

At present, Travel Canada still advises against all cruise travel and warns that anyone returning to Canada from a cruise is subject to quarantine. If that advisory is still in force by your embarkation date and you choose to follow it, make sure you understand your cruise line cancellation options. Many now offer cancellation benefits up to 48 hours prior to travel, but you need to read the fine print.

Also, before you make any final arrangements for your cruise, consult with your travel insurance advisor to make sure your plan covers COVID-related disruptions (which many in Canada do), and that it provides coverage for trip cancellations or interruptions (which may be necessary if your cruise vessel is forced to change or shorten its itinerary). Insurance sold by cruise lines does not have the extensive medical/repatriation benefits that Canadian travel insurance provides.

© Copyright 2021 Milan Korcok. All rights reserved.

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Getting Worse Before It Gets Better: Why This May Be the Toughest Time of the Pandemic

Here we are at the end of January 2021, and it will soon be a year that we have been living through the pandemic. It’s been a difficult year with ups and downs, but I would consider right now to be the toughest time in the pandemic.

When it all started in March 2020, we were in a state of shock. Suddenly, it became apparent how widespread the infection had penetrated in North America and around the world. We saw a serious situation unfold in Italy and New York City. We quickly shut everything down, hoping to gain some understanding of what exactly was going on and what we needed to do to contain the outbreaks. Then we slowly relaxed the stay-at-home measures and instituted newer ones, like wearing masks and physically distancing. In short, we learned how to be able to move around the world more safely: what to do and what not to do.

Our new “freedom” helped our collective moods. In the summer, camps for children were cancelled and indoor dining in restaurants remained a risk, but at least we could be outside and gather socially with friends in small, physically distanced groups. We could visit an outdoor patio at a restaurant, or swim at a pool or beach. We could play sports like tennis, golf, or baseball. It wasn’t in any way completely normal but at least it was something.

With the arrival of fall, we have seen a gradual restriction of our activities. The virus has surged again. This is understandable given the change in climate which restricts outdoor activities. People are congregating more inside, and viruses really like that, because that makes it easier to spread. Viruses also tend to spread more easily in colder climates as warmer weather makes it harder for them to survive. We knew it was likely for things to unravel again in the fall and winter, and we were right. We have lived through and are now in the midst of the second wave and it isn’t proving to be easy.

But we have a big reason to have hope now. The COVID-19 vaccine is here. It’s the durable solution that we had all hoped for and it came much more quickly than we expected, thanks to the wealth of resources devoted to its development. It has a strong safety profile and most importantly has been shown to be very effective. As a front-line emergency physician, I have had both of my doses. Being vaccinated has allowed me to go to work with some peace of mind, with the ability to better focus on helping the many people in need of assistance at this most difficult time.

Unfortunately, this good news is tempered by the reality of some recent developments. There are new variants of the virus circulating. These new variants are more infectious, meaning that the virus is passed more easily from person to person. It remains unclear, but there are also some concerns that these variants can make you more sick and more likely to have complications.

This development is a bit of a setback. It means that we need to be even more careful now. The public health restrictions need to be intensified. The fact that we are in the thick of winter when this situation has changed doesn’t make it very easy. Most of us are stuck inside our homes all day, working from home, some of us with children doing virtual school, with all the inevitable technological glitches and challenges that complicate our days. Many people are even more isolated than before, as even sitting outside or going for small walks can be hampered by the weather. The impromptu small social interactions are fewer and fewer. At least in the summer we could go and sit on a park bench or on a beach and feel somewhat normal. Most of us are feeling far from normal right now, and that is hard.

But then there is the reality of the vaccine which is the light in the distance. It will be there eventually for all of us, just like the spring and warmer weather… if we can just get there. The vaccine is still effective against the new variants, thankfully. The next few months will be tough, but we must hunker down and get through them and do our part to keep the virus at bay. Especially now with the variants in our midst, we must double down on our efforts to avoid close contact with others outside of our household. No social gatherings. No travel. Keep shopping trips to a minimum, as we know indoor spaces are the riskiest places. We should wear good quality, 3-ply masks whenever we are in those locations and limit our time there.

Most importantly, we all need a specific strategy to address our mental health. If we are able, trying to get outside daily and go for a walk for at least half an hour is a great simple rule to institute for ourselves. Even seeing other neighbours at a distance and saying “hi” can do wonders. Other safe activities include hiking, skating, or tobogganing. We must be mindful, however, that getting too close to others, even while outside, can be a risk. With the new variants, transmission occurs more easily. We must distance ourselves when outside and even wear masks when needed. This is not the time to take chances. We are so close to the end of this pandemic and I can just feel it. Better days are within our grasp.

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StudyInsured™ kicks off 2021 with newly streamlined, student-focused phone line, StudyInsured™ Assistance

PRESS RELEASE, TORONTO, February 1, 2021 – StudyInsured™ announced today the launch of StudyInsured™ Assistance, a single phone line providing all-encompassing medical assistance and mental health support for its students. The in-house line features centralized resources for students, via a single phone number, for all their assistance needs, including:

• A crisis line for mental health support via the Stay Healthy at School program

• Medical assistance and health care guidance

• Insurance coverage queries and claim support.

“It’s all about making sure the resources we provide to students are easily identifiable – the simpler, the better,” said Susanne Hendrickson, Director, Sales. With in-house assistance previously named Intrepid 24/7, the new branding of StudyInsured™ Assistance reflects the company’s commitment to simplifying and streamlining student products and support. Intrepid 24/7 will remain the company’s assistance line for white label services and various non-student clientele.

StudyInsured™ has provided student insurance services for over 70 years. The organization continues to raise the bar to provide products and services that evolve with the needs of the thousands of international students it serves across Canada and beyond.

About MSH

MSH International (Americas) comprises MSH International, StudyInsured™ and Intrepid 24/7. These are all subsidiaries of SIACI SAINT HONORE, a world leader in the design & management of international health care and life and disability insurance solutions for globally mobile individuals. Its services are designed for employees of multinationals, micro-businesses, small and medium-sized enterprises, workers in international organizations, individual expatriates and local high net worth individuals in need of international insurance coverage. Thanks to its decentralized structure, 4 regional head offices in Toronto, Paris, Dubai and Shanghai and 18 service offices worldwide, MSH International (Americas) provides round-the-clock assistance to 2,000 corporate clients and over 400,000 insured members in nearly 200 countries.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

Pamela Kwiatkowski, Senior VP Distribution and Client Experience

Direct +1.416.640.7868 email: Pamela.kwiatkowski@americas.msh-intl.com

Susanne Hendrickson Director of Sales

Direct: +1.604-561-0381 email: Shendrickson@americas.msh-intl.com.

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New US Rules Require COVID Test Results—Even if You Have Been Vaccinated

Effective January 26, 2021, all international travellers (including Canadians) flying to the US are required to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken within three days of departure, or validation from their physician that they have sufficiently recovered from infection by the coronavirus.

The rule, issued by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in effect reciprocates a similar one effective January 7, issued by the Canadian government for international travellers flying into Canada. But an important adjunct to the CDC rule that is causing some confusion among seniors already vaccinated against the coronavirus insists that their vaccination doesn’t exempt them from the negative test requirement.

It’s a head-scratcher, but it’s true. Even though you may have recently received your two jabs—either of the Pfizer/ BioNTech or the Moderna vaccine—you will still have to show proof of a negative test taken within three days of boarding your flight.

Says the CDC: “Before departure to the United States, a required test, combined with the CDC recommendations to get tested again 3–5 days after arrival and stay home for 7 days post-travel, will help slow the spread of COVID-19 within US communities from travel-related infections. Pre-departure testing with results known and acted upon before travel begins will help identify infected travellers before they board airplanes.

“Air passengers are required to get a viral test (a test for current infection) within the 3 days before their flight to the U.S. departs, and provide written documentation of their laboratory test result (paper or electronic copy) to the airline or provide documentation of having recovered from COVID-19. Airlines must confirm the negative test result for all passengers or documentation of recovery before they board. If a passenger does not provide documentation of a negative test or recovery, or chooses not to take a test, the airline must deny boarding to the passenger.”

Why no exemption for proof of vaccination?

The CDC explains that though the vaccines are expected to offer 90 to 95 per cent protection against getting symptoms of COVID or becoming ill, it is not yet totally clear that vaccinated persons are incapable of transmitting the virus to others. Trials to establish such proof are underway or planned, but their outcome still needs to be determined.

Dr. Tal Zaks, Moderna’s chief medical officer, stated in a recent TV interview, “I think we need to be careful, as we get vaccinated, not to over-interpret the results… Do I believe that it reduces transmission? Absolutely yes, and I say this because of the science… But absent proof, I think it’s important that we don’t change behaviors solely on the basis of vaccination.”

In the meantime, those are the rules. And don’t expect masking and social distancing protocols to become redundant any time soon, although there are enough variations in the rules from place to place that no matter where you intend to travel, you need to do your homework. The rules as they apply to a trip to Arizona or the UK may vary considerably from those for Jamaica, Mexico, or Costa Rica. Each location has its own variation of such rules. That’s where you need to focus your attention.

And above all, don’t forget the rules for coming back home.

© Copyright 2021 Milan Korcok. All rights reserved.

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Update on European Travel Authorizations: Deferred to 2022

Early in 2019 we alerted you to the European Union’s forthcoming travel authorization scheme requiring Canadians and Americans (as well as citizens of 60 other nations who do not normally require visas for European travel) to file for pre-authorization to visit any of its member countries as of January 2021. 

The scheme, the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS), has been deferred to late 2022 to allow all member countries to better coordinate and come into compliance with each other. Nothing comes easily or without glitches in the EU’s multinational operations. That start date is also tentative as there is likely to be an official launch toward the end of 2022 but it will not be mandatory until 2023. Additionally, a 6-month grace period is planned to allow eligible travellers to become familiarized with the new regulations. So all we can say today is “for now you can relax,” but “stay tuned and be prepared,” because the ease of international travel to which you have become accustomed is a thing of the past. This is especially so as individual countries impose varying border rules to protect themselves from COVID-19, and growing numbers require incoming visitors to have supplemental travel insurance to cover any emergency medical costs during their visits.

The quality of European health care is high. So are its costs. And though European citizens have some reciprocal agreements to cover medical emergencies while visiting neighbouring countries, they extend only to EU citizens—not to Canadians or Americans. As well, until the COVID-19 threat is over, individual countries in Europe have the power to unilaterally impose their own border controls to guard against spread of the pandemic. So before you anticipate travel to Europe, make sure you know the rules for your final destination as well as any countries through which you’ll be transiting. And make sure your travel insurance conforms to those rules.

Let’s review ETIAS

In effect, Europe’s ETIAS is similar to Canada’s eTA (electronic Travel Authorization) or the ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization) in the US. Its purpose is to tighten the management of EU- country borders, decrease crime and terrorism, and control undocumented migration—all the while reducing procedures and application times for travellers.

The applications, designed to take about 10 minutes, must be done online and will cost €7, payable by debit or credit card. They will ask the applicant’s name, date and place of birth, education and work experience, prior travel, medical status, and other background questions such as records of deportations, rejected visa applications, or criminal records. Applicants under 18 will not be charged fees.

Applications that are completed correctly and don’t ring any alarms on ETIAS’s watch list (which is connected to other international databases and Interpol) will likely be approved in a few minutes. An “Alert” may require a more complete manual application and take from four days to two weeks to pass muster. Successfully completed authorizations will be valid for three years and will allow an unlimited number of entries to Schengen Area countries. Once in the area, travel to other Schengen countries will be “borderless.”

What is the Schengen Area?

In 1985, five member states of the European Union signed an agreement in the town of Schengen, Luxembourg, to abolish internal border checks between their countries. Since then, the Schengen Area has expanded to include most EU countries except Ireland and a few others soon expected to be part of the Area—Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia, and Cyprus. Although Norway, Iceland, Switzerland, and Lichtenstein are not EU members, they are part of the Schengen zone. The UK, which withdrew from the EU in January 2020, has never been a member of Schengen and so far is exempt from the ETIAS requirement.

The key thing to remember is that Schengen and the EU are two separate entities even though their interests are often intertwined. And the EU is simply appropriating the Schengen structure to craft ETIAS for its own protection.

If you really need more on this moving target you can keep up with Schengen rules on this website.

© Copyright 2020, 2021 Milan Korcok. All rights reserved.

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It’s Your Policy. Take Responsibility. Take Your Time

More than ever, travel insurance products are giving customers in less-than-perfect health opportunities to leave home, visit friends and relatives in distant countries, and even indulge themselves in leisure activities that would have been unthinkable a decade or two ago.

Even for the elderly, given their normal range of chronic conditions (e.g., high blood pressure, heart flutters, diabetes, artery or vein disorders), coverage may be available so long as their health has remained stable for specified periods (three months, perhaps six) and they have completed their medical questionnaires accurately and haven’t “shaded” the truth to gain a slight reduction in premiums.

Such attempts at “savings” can turn into financial catastrophes if the insurer is forced to deny a claim for emergency medical services because you failed to fully or accurately disclose that you had been “checked out” for a respiratory condition within the past three months, or that your medication for diabetes was recently changed, or that you were referred for a heart murmur that your cardiologist said was OK for now but should be rechecked when you returned from Florida.

Such “minor imperfections” may seem routine and unworthy of mention on a questionnaire, but they can be vital signs to medical underwriters that further information about your health is needed. Underwriters have no information available to them when gauging a patient’s health but what they see on the questionnaire. And they have no other way to determine the risk of offering coverage, or if you are ineligible for the plan level you are seeking but might be better placed in a different level.

Claim denials are rare, but take your application seriously

Though claim denials for Canadian travellers are extremely rare, when they do occur they can be devastating to a family’s finances. And non-disclosure of pertinent information on one’s medical questionnaire is one of the most frequent reasons for claim denials.

It’s one thing to say you answered the questions as best you knew how and “in good faith.” It’s quite another to say your answers were accurate. And though questionnaires tend to be loaded up with medical terminology, you should take the time to look up the definitions of terms used. If they’re not included with the questionnaire or in your policy—demand them. Example: the definition of “Internal condition” may include gallbladder disease, kidney disorders (including stones), liver or pancreatic disorders, prostate or urinary disease, and so on. If you’re being asked if you have been diagnosed or treated for an internal condition in the past 24 months, you need to know what the insurer considers an internal condition.

And if you’re completing an application with the assistance of an agent, perhaps over the phone, have the agent read the questions one by one as they are printed on the questionnaire, and have any pertinent definitions explained to you. Take your time… it’s your policy and it’s your money. And when you receive your Confirmation of Coverage (which explains the details of coverage, the price paid, the dates and conditions of coverage)—read it all, especially the completed questionnaire, to make sure your Yes or No answers are correctly recorded and consistent with your medical record.

If there’s any doubt in your mind about your medical record, or why you underwent certain tests a few months ago, or why you’re taking certain drugs, ask you physician for help—perhaps even to look over your application.

Remember: The agent is there only to assist. If there are any losses resulting from faulty information, they will be yours. Not the agent’s—“good faith” notwithstanding.

Insurers want your business. They don’t want to deny a claim any more than you want to see it denied. They are constantly looking for ways to design products for their varying markets in all age groups and with all health profiles. But it requires some effort from you.

Do not consider travel insurance a casual, routine purchase. And though you have seen many entreaties to “sign up… it just takes 30 seconds,” unless you are in perfect health and can leap tall buildings in a single bound, take your time. Don’t wait for the day before your departure. And if your application is medically underwritten, allow for any additional time it may take for your physician to review it.

It’s your application. It’s your time. And it’s your money.

© Copyright 2020, 2021 Milan Korcok. All rights reserved.

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Winter is Coming: How to Best Protect Ourselves from COVID-19

We are still learning about transmission of the virus, SARS-CoV-2, that causes COVID-19. We have come to learn that the way this virus spreads is a bit more complicated than what we initially understood. Thankfully, the main mode of transmission is still felt to be through direct exposure to respiratory droplets that carry the infectious virus. These types of respiratory droplets are larger and heavier in size and rarely travel farther than six feet. They fall quickly to the ground or land on surfaces.  If you are around someone who is infectious, your highest likelihood of catching the virus is if you inhale respiratory droplets that they have exhaled while you are in close contact with them. Hence the importance of masks, particularly in situations when you cannot adequately physically distance. 

The comfort in knowing that this is the main mode of transmission is that it offers us a mode of control. If we keep at least six feet away from others or wear a mask if we cannot always do this, then we can substantially lower our risk. 

We can also be exposed by touching surfaces that are contaminated with the virus and then touching our eyes, nose, or mouth. However, what is interesting is that we have come to understand through careful study that this mode of transmission is a less common route. We should still be careful about it, though. Regular hand-washing and avoiding touching our face help to minimize the risk of exposure through this route.

However, it is unfortunately not so simple. There have been some rare case reports of people getting infected when they have kept to these rules. There have been outbreaks of cases when people were far away from infectious individuals, in indoor settings. How could this happen?

The CDC has recently amended its guidelines on transmission to reflect our new understanding. This link explains the new understanding in detail. Basically, the new guidelines state that there are rare circumstances where you can become infected when you are far apart from others, beyond the six-foot distance. This can occur especially if you are in an enclosed space, with inadequate ventilation. Infectious people in such a location who are breathing heavily, such as when singing, shouting, or exercising, can produce significant amounts of smaller respiratory droplets that are light and can stay suspended in the air for longer periods, sometimes for hours.  These suspended droplets have the capability of travelling longer distances and, if there are enough of them, can lead to infections in those who are far away. When we are outdoors or in an indoor area with good air circulation, such small droplets are blown away and don’t have the ability to stay suspended in air and become concentrated. But given the right circumstances, they can. It’s vitally important that we are aware of this in order to fully protect ourselves.

The new and improved guidance is simply to avoid crowded indoor settings, especially enclosed spaces with inadequate ventilation. Stay away from people shouting, singing, or breathing heavily. There is a small chance of becoming infected in these situations, even when physically distanced.  Of course, the wearing of masks helps to reduce these risks, and in that regard, there is now an update on that subject as well.

The Public Health Agency of Canada has now revised its mask guidelines in anticipation of most of us spending more time indoors over the winter. The use of 3-layer masks has now been recommended as additional protection.  This link provides more details on the ideal mask. An optimal mask contains two layers of a tightly woven material fabric, such as cotton or linen. The third (middle) layer should be ideally a filter-type fabric, such as a non-woven polypropylene fabric. You can use a craft fabric, or even a folded paper towel or coffee filter.  But be sure to not use plastic as this will make it difficult to breathe. A more robust mask such as this is felt to be much better protection now that we will be spending more time indoors. 

The changing of guidelines and recommendations can be quite confusing for many of us.  It can sometimes make us question the validity of what we are being told. Ultimately, it should serve to increase our trust in the experts issuing the guidance. The science is changing, and our understanding is always growing. Public health recommendations must also change to reflect this situation. We don’t want to keep to rigid rules and regulations when it comes to keeping ourselves and our loved ones safe. As we move into winter, we need to adapt to the new knowledge about the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 and tweak our approach. Stay safe, everyone!

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COMPLAINT EXAMINATION AND DISPUTE RESOLUTION POLICY

This policy is in compliance with the provisions set out in the Act Respecting the Distribution of Financial Products and Services (Quebec) pertaining to complaint examination and dispute resolution.

1.           Purpose of the policy

1.1         The purpose of this policy is to set up a free and fair procedure for examining all complaints received by us (the “firm”). It is intended, in particular, to govern the receipt of complaints, the delivery of the acknowledgement of receipt to the complainant, the creation of the complaint file, the transfer of the file to the Autorité des marchés financiers (the “AMF”) and the compilation of complaints for the purpose of preparing and filing a semi-annual report with the AMF.

2.           Person in charge

2.1         The person in charge of the application of the policy for the Province of Quebec is Ghada Darwish.

2.2         As the person in charge of the application of the policy for Quebec, this person shall also act as the representative with respect to the AMF. She shall train the personnel and, in particular, provide the personnel with the necessary information for compliance with this policy.

2.3         As well, the person in charge shall have the following duties:

(a)         send an acknowledgement of receipt;

(b)         send the file to the AMF, at the complainant’s request;

(c)          keep a complaint register up to date;

(d)         file a semi-annual report with the AMF.

3.           Complaint

3.1         For the purposes of the policy, a complaint is the expression of at least one of the following three elements:

(a)         a reproach against the firm, one of its brokers or one of its employees;

(b)         the identification of real or potential harm to a consumer;

(c)          a request for remedial action.

3.2         Any first consumer communication or informal step aimed at correcting a particular problem is not a complaint, insofar as the problem is dealt with by one of the firm’s operational divisions.

4.           Receipt of the complaint

4.1         A consumer who wishes to file a complaint must do so in writing to the following email address resolution_canada@msh-intl-com.

4.2         A broker or an employee who receives a complaint shall immediately forward it to his immediate supervisor or to the person in charge of the application of this policy.

4.3         The person in charge shall acknowledge receipt of the complaint within 5 business days. The acknowledgement of receipt shall contain the following information:

(a)         a copy of this policy;

(b)         a description of the complaint;

(c)          the name and contact information of the person in charge of examining the complaint;

(d)         in the case of an incomplete complaint, a notice requesting additional information to which the complainant must respond within five business days, failing which the complaint will be considered to have been abandoned;

(e)         a notice informing the complainant of his right to request, upon the expiry of the period of 15 business days set for obtaining all necessary information, but no later than one year following the answer to the complaint, the transfer of his file to the AMF if he is dissatisfied with the outcome of the examination of his complaint or the examination itself. The notice shall also indicate that the AMF may offer mediation if the parties agree;

(f)          a notice reminding the complainant that mediation is an amicable settlement process in which a third party intercedes with the parties to assist them in reaching a satisfactory agreement.

5.           Creation of the complaint file

5.1         A separate file shall be created for each complaint.

5.2         The file shall contain the following:

(a)         the complainant’s written complaint, including one of three elements of a complaint (reproach against the firm, its broker or employee; real or potential harm; and remedial action request);

(b)         the outcome of the complaint examination process (analysis and supporting documents);

(c)          a copy of the firm’s final written answer, containing reasons for the answer, as sent to the complainant.

6.           Complaint examination

6.1         Upon receipt of a complaint, the person identified under paragraph 4.2, his superior and the person in charge of complaints shall conduct an investigation.

6.2         The complaint shall be examined within 15 business days following receipt of all required information.

6.3         After the investigation, the person in charge shall send the complainant a final answer in writing, containing reasons for the decision.

7.           Transfer of the file to the AMF

7.1         If the complainant is not satisfied with the result of the examination of his complaint or with the examination itself, he may ask the firm to transfer his file to the AMF.

7.2         The complainant may exercise this right only upon the expiry of the maximum time limit of 15 business days allowed for obtaining a final answer, but without exceeding a period of one year following this answer.

7.3         The file transferred to the AMF shall include all the documents regarding the complaint.

8.           Creating and updating a register

8.1         A complaint register shall be established by the firm for purposes of the application of the policy. The person in charge shall be responsible for keeping the register up to date.

8.2         Any complaint that falls within the definition found in section 3 shall be recorded in the register.

9.           Semi-annual report

No later than one month after December 31 and June 30 of each year, the person in charge shall file a report with the AMF indicating the number and nature of complaints received in the last six months, according to categories set forth in the register.

10.         Notice to brokers and other employees of the firm

The person in charge shall ensure that brokers and other employees of the firm are made aware and have a copy of this policy.

11.         Effective date

This policy is effective as of September 22, 2020.

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Can’t Wait to Get Back to Cruising? Expect Changes

In 2019, Canadians took almost one million cruises, sailing oceans, lakes, and rivers around the world.

And a large majority of them say they would do it again. Cruisers are a committed lot—all surveys confirm it.

Then came COVID, and though it took some time, cruisers returned home, wondering when or if they would get another chance to sail. Now, almost nine months later, the question remains. When will cruising resume? And how will the experience be changed?

Since the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) first issued its “no sail” order for ships in US waters (March 14, 2020), there have been a few isolated attempts at cruise resumptions—primarily in the Mediterranean and other parts of Europe. But outbreaks of COVID on some of these voyages have cut them short as well. Since then, extensions of the “no sail” order have been continued through to the end of October. Actually, the CDC proposed extending the order through to February 2021, but the Trump White House nixed that order and compromised on ending the ban November 1—with the proviso that it could be extended if conditions warranted. (Cruising is a worldwide industry extending far beyond US ports, but the world’s three biggest lines* are headquartered in Florida, and their vessels at some time or other sail in US-controlled waters patrolled by the US Coast Guard. Thus, CDC jurisdiction is quite clear. *Carnival Cruises, Royal Caribbean, and Norwegian Cruise Holdings account for 60 per cent of all cruise traffic).

Where does that leave potential cruisers who would like to nail down reservations for winter Caribbean sailings—the most popular cruise destination among Canadians?

Make an exit plan

At this point, we can only urge caution. Keep your options open. Don’t lock yourself into a distant commitment without an exit plan. If you’re about to make a substantial investment in a cruise booking, how long are you prepared to keep your deposits or payments locked in? What if the cruise line changes the itinerary you booked? What if it substitutes a vessel you particularly wanted to one less attractive to you? What if your health or economic situation changes and you need to back out?

And if you do want to change or cancel, will you be offered future cruise credits or the cash you have put in minus any “non-refundable” charges? 

At present, there are still many thousands of cruise hopefuls waiting for cash rebates from cruise lines that are burning through millions of dollars per day as their ships sail in circles, empty except for skeleton crews—like modern-day Flying Dutchmen.

Cruise lines have very aggressively marketed fare upgrades of up to 150 per cent as well as on-board cash credits just to keep passengers booked. And the majority of them originally accepted those “bargains” in lieu of cash. But as time wears on and the uncertainty of cruise resumption continues, the future cruise credits are losing their lure. Cash is still king.

Private travel insurance can help

Can travel insurance from the brokers you normally buy your out-of-country coverage from protect you from the future-cruise-credit dilemma? Yes, to a degree, but you need to understand what trip cancellation offers and what its limitations are. There are limits on coverage. We’ve written about this widely in past articles and will again. Know the terms.

Also, check with your insurer if your coverage will be restricted if Canada still maintains its blanket warning to “avoid all travel on cruise ships.” That restriction is a reminder only that insurers may limit your benefits related to cruise travel. That decision remains up to the insurer.

Expect a different cruise lifestyle

You should be prepared for a very difference cruise experience once the “no sail” orders are lifted.

According to new CDC rules (accepted by the Cruise Lines International Association—the organization representing the interests of 90 per cent of the world’s cruise lines), for the foreseeable future you will have to be tested for COVID before embarking and have your temperature checked frequently while on board, perhaps daily. You’ll also have to wear your mask while in public areas, keep to distancing requirements, and there will be limitations on port stops. It’s going to be a stripped-down regimen. 

Still, cruise lines are betting that their alumni passengers will understand and be prepared to put up with the restraints. Many will, as virtually all customer satisfaction surveys show that those who have taken cruises have enjoyed their experience enough to want to do it again, and again. As we said, this is a committed lot.

If that’s your “cuppa,” great. But before you put any money down, ask a lot of questions and make sure to have an exit plan if you change your mind anywhere along the process. You’ll want to keep your investment safe—in one form or another.

© Copyright 2020 Milan Korcok. All rights reserved.

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Travel Demands Determination—Don’t Give Up

Though the Canadian government continues to warn against all international travel because of ongoing COVID-19 prevalence, the US State Department has begun easing its warnings for most countries down to Level 3 (Reconsider travel) from the highest Level 4 (Do not travel). Canada is now listed in the Level 3 range even though the border with the US remains shut to non-essential travel. Still on the US “Do Not Travel” list are such major destinations as Mexico, Russia, China, Brazil, India, Egypt, and several countries in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia.

However, despite the warning level easing for outbound travel, there are still some European countries that do not allow Americans entry for leisure purposes, or that at least demand certain health checks or other clearance conditions. Canadians, however, are welcome in more countries—even though your government would prefer you to stay home.

How do you plan ahead?

So how do you plan your winter break? In effect, it’s a crapshoot. You can fly from Calgary to Las Vegas without incident, but getting into your car and driving down to Nevada may be a little more intimidating. If you’re looking for a simple, easy-to-follow formula as to who can travel, where and when, you won’t find it. So if you really are determined to get to your niece’s wedding in Italy or California this fall or winter—don’t give up. Do your research first by checking the host country’s official travel website and see how the details apply to you as a Canadian citizen traveller. In most cases, Canadians will be welcome, but you may have to jump through a few hoops first.

See what documentation you need—evidence of a recent COVID test? Proof of travel insurance? More and more countries are demanding such evidence. Make sure your other travel documents are also in order  (e.g., passport, visa if necessary, planned itinerary, and evidence of ability to pay your travel expenses). 

The Canadian government can’t keep you from travelling out of the country. But it doesn’t have to help you get back if you run into problems it warned you against. So be prepared and make sure your credit card has plenty of “room” on it in case you run into delays or detours. Canadian consulates are not ATMs.

Lower your expectations

And once you’re at your destination, don’t expect the same environment you experienced last time you were there. For Canadians and Americans, the Caribbean is a very welcoming place. But expect some unpleasant restrictions. For example, the Jamaican government has just re-imposed a “stay in place” rule that requires hotel guests to remain on their specified property while in the country. No moving from place to place, no sightseeing, no dining out. It lifted such a rule just a few weeks ago but clamped back down as its COVID numbers started to surge here and there—much to the dismay of the hotel industry.

You can expect similar day-to-day exigencies throughout the fall, maybe longer, anywhere in the Caribbean.

Whatever your travel plans this winter, remain agile. Keep your reservations as restriction-free as possible. Keep your deposits as low as you can. Insist on full refunds with no—or very few—restrictions: from your airline, your host resort, your cruise ship, any entity you have paid with cash or credit card. And if you’re counting on your travel insurance to protect you in case you change your mind at the last minute and decide to cancel, read the fine print and talk to your travel advisor so you know the coverage exclusions as well as the benefits. Even though you might buy a “Cancel for any Reason” plan, don’t expect to get 100 per cent of your deposits back if you do cancel. And the closer your cancellation is to your date of departure, the lower your rebate. Know what you’re buying.

Don’t stifle your dreams of travel. Just put more effort into preparations.

© Copyright 2020 Milan Korcok. All rights reserved.

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MSH Americas and StudyInsured™ are proud to announce the launch of the International Student Wellness Hub

Our mission at MSH Americas will always be the same: to respond to the needs of today’s globally-mobile individuals and organizations with innovated products and industry leading duty of care solutions.

We have been protecting international students and supporting schools to improve the study aboard experience in Canada and around the world. Being able to anticipate the changing landscape of the international education industry and responding to the needs of students and schools is what sets StudyInsured™ apart from the competition.

To continue this legacy, we are proud to bring the International Student Wellness Hub to our students, schools, and partners here at home and around the world.

The Hub is the ultimate resources for international students and schools, to find useful and practical information during this uncertain time due to COVID-19. The Hub includes information on:

1. Mental Health Tip Sheets for students: Information and tips for your mental health, and learning From the Front Lines with our Medical Director, Dr. Michael Szabo

2. COVID-19 Useful Links for students: To guide our students regarding Government updates

3. Provincial Resources for students: International Student programs and COVID-19 information by province

4. Finance & Job Opportunities for students: How students can manage their finances, plus job searching tips

5. Information & Resources for Schools: Tips for educators and administrators to assist students with well-being

Visit The International Student Wellness Hub

We hope the Hub helps international students, schools and administrators through this difficult time! We would love to hear from you, feel free to share your feedback and suggestions to marketing@americas.msh-intl.com

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Canadian Travel Insurers Prepared to Offer COVID Coverage

Media announcements that major insurers are prepared to start covering COVID-related medical emergencies for Canadian out-of-country travelers will clearly put pressure on the federal government to ease its restrictions on international travel.

At present, Travel Canada maintains its “Avoid all non-essential “ warning for all foreign travel, even though European nations have opened up their borders to several countries—among them Canada—which they consider has adequately controlled the spread of COVID. The advisory warns that if travelers choose to defy the advisory “your insurance may not cover your travel or medical expenses.”

That of course, is a decision to be made by individual insurers not by government, and Manulife, Allianz and TUGO, Canada’s largest travel insurers have confirmed that as soon as the feds drop their advisory, they are prepared to offer COVID cover in most of their policies, under the existing limitations in their policies.

And Medipac International, the designated insurer for the Canadian Snowbird Association has gone one step further offering to provide COVID cover effective immediately, whether the government maintains its advisory or not. A spokesman for Medipac was quoted in the media as saying that snowbirds who own residences in the US are able to physically-distance just as effectively abroad as they can in Canada, and they are very “aware of the virus and the preventative measures that should be taken while travelling.”

The move by Canada’s insurers come several months after they announced that as COVID had become a widely-known event, they would not cover it in their medical policies and they gave Canadians out of the country at the time, several days to return to Canada before expiration of their benefits.

Since that time, insurance premium sales (estimated by the Conference Board of Canada as surpassing $990 million in 2018) have been stalled as the federal government maintained its blanket embargo on all out-of-country travel. It has also proven a serious impediment to Canadians making winter warm-weather travel plans as they are very committed to travel insurance. According to the CBoC, 76.6 percent of Canadians surveyed in 2018 had some form of travel insurance on their last trip out of the country.

The move by Canadian insurers follows similar steps by several of the larger American travel insurers to offer COVID cover for both medical and trip cancellation interruption cover for residents of the US.

© Copyright 2020 Milan Korcok. All rights reserved.

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Is Florida In Your Sights This Winter? A Ground Level Report.

As the Canadian/US border shutdown moves towards autumn, snowbirds and short- term winter vacationers are being left with little time to plan their next moves or commit to travel plans that many have considered their God-given right during inconsiderate winter weather.

Though many Caribbean countries and Mexico have sent a hearty welcome to their northern neighbours, (see our previous  article on this issue) there are some caveats that go with the invitation—masks, distancing, virus test verifications, stripped-down luxuries, even beach and surf patrols to ensure proper behaviour. Not great, but perhaps tolerable considering the alternative.

Florida at ground level.

Despite these offerings by other warm weather destinations, Florida remains Canada’s pre-eminent winter vacation destination, and given the recent reports of COVID surges throughout the state, many of them somewhat overblown, let’s take a ground level look everyday life in the Sunshine State today and what Canadians might expect to see and experience, should the border be freed of its current restraints.

Normalcy has not returned to Florida, but it has begun and is gaining momentum day by day.

Traffic is heavy and annoying. But that’s normal. Publix, Walmart and Costco are fully-stocked and doing big business—but masks and six-foot distancing are mandatory indoors. Most restaurants are open with spacing limitations. Open air venues are especially popular, and most are allowed to serve alcohol in its various formats.  Malls are humming, and barbers, nail salons, gyms are for the most part open and operating quite well with mask and distancing requirements.

Hotels and resorts are open and doing a fair business from local travelers, with all of the health precautions in place—masks and distancing required until further notice. Generally, the rules are set locally, more stringent application in high density areas.

Most public beaches are being regulated and patrolled. The sand and sea is where it used to be, although the scenes of rowdy, alcohol-lubricated 20 and 30 year-old “students” and hangers-on cavorting mask-less throughout the July 4th weekend  have precipitated tighter beach access—particularly in urban areas like Miami Beach.

As for the continuing presence of COVID, troublesome surges have generated unwelcome headlines for local businesses although Governor Ron DeSantis has vowed to keep the opening going and to have schools operational on schedule in mid-August.

COVID data as of July 21, 2020.

Florida’s Department of Health, which issues detailed daily reports from all counties and all testing sites

throughout the state has confirmed spiking of COVID transmissions,  primarily in metropolitan areas: Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties accounting for about 48 percent of Florida’s new cases—and Miami Dade for more than half of all cases in this three county area. These data refer to individuals newly testing “positive” with the COVID virus, as opposed to those testing “negative.”

Since last weekend ending July 19, when as many as 156 deaths were reported over the previous 24- hour period, the daily death count has dropped to 90. But I note that COVID daily death counts are not necessarily accurate indicators of the spread or severity of infections at any given time as deaths may occur long after the initial diagnosis or infection—weeks or even months.

With well over 100,000 tests being conducted per day throughout Florida it was expected the detection of positives would rise, and it was until July 19. Perhaps a moderation is now setting in.

Hospitalizations have consequently risen, particularly iin Miami Dade, but Florida health authorities claim that statewide, there is sufficient hospital capacity to deal with the current numbers of new cases.

How do these rates compare to Canada’s experience with COVID? According to the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center,  Florida’s COVID- related death rate is 23 per 100,000 population, which compares very nearly to Canada’s COVID mortality rate of 24 deaths per 100,000 population. And despite the high media profile, Florida’s Covid -related death rate is at the mid-point of all other states, 24th out of 50.

We can all hope that deeper into the fall and certainly into the winter season, these data will be less intimidating and more normal travel conditions (with many fewer imposed restrictions) will prevail.

Regardless, you’ll have to be especially diligent in choosing your health insurance—both for cancellation as well as for medical benefits. Forget about the way you have buying insurance in the past. Looking for “cheap” insurance or waiting until the day before departure to make this important purchase is not healthy. Ask questions, read your policy thoroughly, consult with your doctor if you have the slightest questions about your health status, and demand clear and straightforward answers from your broker or travel advisor. Know what you’re buying.

© Copyright 2020 Milan Korcok.  All rights reserved.

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Battling COVID-19 Episode 8: Staying The Course by Dr. Michael Szabo

Summer is officially in full gear now.  Isn’t it great?  Warm weather is here! Backyard barbeques, long walks outside, swimming and picnics.  But we all know it isn’t completely like old times, there’s still a little something different, right?  COVID-19, the pesky little virus we’ve come to know all too well, is still around.

In Canada, we’ve done very well to minimize the spread of this virus. The majority of us have done an excellent job at following the public health guidelines to physically distance, wash our hands, avoid others if we are unwell and to wear a mask when appropriate. We look to our neighbours in the south and can see what occurs when the guidelines aren’t followed, and we don’t want that to happen to us. However, it’s tough to believe that we need to be vigilant when most of us don’t know people who are getting infected and we hear that only around 200 new cases a day are occurring across the entire country. 

One of the truths about human nature is that it’s very hard to believe something is real unless we see it. 

One of the truths about human nature is that it’s very hard to believe something is real unless we see it. I often think that what is even more powerful than seeing something bad happen, is to feel something bad happen, as experienced when a loved one or even, we, ourselves, endure a health-related crisis. We rarely can look at life in the same manner after that.  Emotions are powerful.

As health care workers, we never lose sight of this. We all see and feel the reality of this virus and what it can do. We look at the chest x-rays, review the blood work, monitor the oxygen levels and experience the anxiety and fear of a patient who cannot breathe due to this infection. We place people on life support when they require it.  We see the blood clots, strokes and heart attacks that COVID-19 causes. We see the kidney damage. We see the patients who have recovered from the virus but months later, are still unwell, struggling with debilitating fatigue, joint swelling and breathing problems. We also see that the vast majority of patients recover completely and are well again. This makes it easier to deal with because we know it’s certainly not all doom and gloom. But we know bad outcomes still can, and will, happen.

We need to remain vigilant about this highly infectious virus.  It hasn’t disappeared and is still very much among us.  We must accept some uncomfortable realities here. This virus doesn’t care about us – it just wants to spread.  It doesn’t care about our economy or our mental health.  As long as we give it the opportunity to jump from one of us to another, that is exactly what it will do. This isn’t “fair”, but whoever said the universe was always a fair place? At this time, it’s extremely important that we focus on what we CAN do to combat the spread of this virus, because we now know plenty on how to do that. And the good news is that much of it is pretty simple.

The simple things are the most powerful right now. Avoid close contact with others, especially indoors. This is one of the most important facts that has come to light recently. The virus seems to spread best indoors where people are in prolonged close contact. It also spreads outdoors where large numbers of people are close to one another, particularly when close talking, shouting or singing is involved, such as sports events or bar patios.  Avoid those situations ideally. If you can’t, then wear a face mask, as scientific evidence shows that it reduces the likelihood of spread in those environments. One of the most common situations for all of us is visiting a store. We should all wear a mask when we go inside any building open to the public. 

We need to wash our hands repeatedly and avoid touching our face and continue to develop that habit. Stay six feet away from others as much as possible and avoid being around anyone if you feel unwell, even if you just feel tired and have muscle aches, as these could be early or mild COVID-19 symptoms. We are still trying to understand it, but it does appear that the virus can be transmitted from asymptomatic people. At this time, it remains prudent to assume anyone you come into contact with could transmit the virus to you. 

Fortunately, the measures we can take to protect ourselves don’t mean we need to be socially isolated. We can get out into the world and interact with family, friends and loved ones. We just need to be cautious about it and do it under the correct conditions. The public health measures we take can actually help us open up society. It’s incorrect to say that these measures keep us locked down, they’re our toolkit for getting out into the world. We’re in a good position in Canada right now. Let’s stay the course. 

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EU Welcomes “Safe” Canadian Travellers. But Are You Ready?

Now that Canadians have earned a spot on the European Union’s safe travellers list, does that mean you are free and clear to book summer vacations or family visits wherever you like throughout the EU?

The short answer is Maybe, and there are many contingencies to consider before you set your sights on spending part of the summer in Britain, France, Germany, Finland, Italy or any of the other EU member countries.

The UK, for example has taken the biggest step forward in welcoming foreign visitors by dropping the 14-day quarantine requirement for those from “safe” countries (US is not included) as well for returning Brits.

Ironically, the biggest problem for Canadians planning overseas travel is not their destination country, but Ottawa, which requires (as of this date) that Canadians returning from abroad may still be subject to 14-day self-quarantines. Sort of “Welcome Home. But…”

Specifically, Travel Canada warns: “While some countries are partially opening their borders, we continue to advise against non-essential travel outside of Canada. We also continue to advise that you avoid all cruise ship travel until further notice.

“The governments of those destinations that have opened their borders to tourists could impose strict travel restrictions suddenly, should they experience an increase in cases of COVID-19. International transportation options could be reduced significantly, making it difficult for you to return to Canada. There are no plans to offer additional repatriation flights. Should you decide to travel despite our advisories, know that you might have to remain abroad longer than you expected.”

The government also notes that if you choose to travel despite these advisories: “your travel insurance may not cover your travel or medical expenses,” which is a huge risk factor in these uncertain times.

Travel policies vary: Know what you’re buying

At present, Canadian travel insurers do not have a unified policy re coverage of medical emergencies to countries affected by the pandemic. So if you’re contemplating foreign travel you need to do your due diligence (homework).

Some policies may cover non-COVID-related medical expenses in areas the government has warned against “non-essential” travel if you’re stricken with a sudden medical emergency such as, for example, appendicitis or gallbladder attack. Other policies may exclude coverage for any medical expenses (related or not to COVID) in “non-essential” travel zones. But none, at this point, will cover COVID-related medical services, as the coronavirus pandemic is a known event against which global travel warnings have been issued.

Clearly, you need to have a very clear understanding of what your policy covers or does not cover.

This is not a “fine print” issue. This is fundamental to your understanding of your own health coverage.

Your provincial health care will not bail you out on this point.

Canada’s exposure more modest than most.

What makes this situation so ironic is that Canada’s exposure to COVID-19, when measured by diagnosed positive cases and death rates, has been far more modest than many of the countries now opening up for tourism.

Example: as of July 5, 2020, Belgium has recorded 855 COVID-related deaths per/million inhabitants; UK 666; Spain 607; Italy 578; France 446 per million; while Canada has recorded a modest 236 COVID-related deaths per million inhabitants. Germany has shown the best record among European nations at 108 deaths per million, and the US has recorded 396 per million—considerably less than most European countries.

Again. The Canadian government is not forbidding you to travel abroad—or even to your second home in Florida or Arizona. But know the conditions, and when it comes to travel insurance, don’t rely on your long history of cross-border experiences. The world has changed and you need to discuss your travel insurance options with travel advisors you can trust to be up-to-date and knowledgeable.

© Copyright 2020 Milan Korcok. All rights reserved. Mkorcok@aol.com

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Happy Birthday, Canada! How Old Are You Now?

You might hear people say that Canada is turning 153 years old this year. What this really means is that we’re celebrating the 153rd anniversary of the Constitution Act of 1867, which established Canada as a country. In actuality, this place is a whole lot older than 150 years!

Long before European settlers showed up, this land was inhabited by Canada’s First Nations. In fact, they’ve been living in the place we now call Canada for at least 12,000 years. (Learn more about the first peoples of Canada.)

Of course, having lived here for such a long time, our various First Nations groups have their own unique explanations as to how our country came to be. Read some of those creation stories here—and find out why some know North America better as “Turtle Island.”

For the key events in Canadian history since Europeans came to our shores, see this summary of Canada’s history from the Canadian government (also available in French). It has an audio version, too!

How Big is Canada?

Canada is huge! It spans 9.9 million square kilometres—and it’s second in land mass only to Russia. It also has the world’s longest coastline at 243,000 km.

Despite being so big, when it comes to population size, Canada is only number 35 on this list. In other words, we have plenty of open space to discover!

Check out this collection of maps to help you explore Canada further.

More to Discover

Every Canadian who had a television in the ’90s will have many memories of Canadian Heritage Minutes—short films about important moments in Canadian history. Good news for newcomers: You can still get up to speed on your Canadian nostalgia, as all of the Heritage Minutes are available online! (Watch now.)

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Canada Accommodates International Students: Even Through the Pandemic

As America prepares to pare down its recruitment of international students—citing tighter immigration controls, job protection for homegrown graduates, concerns about China’s infiltration of intellectual properties, and the lingering consequences of COVID —Canada’s colleges and universities are polishing the welcome mat, beefing up online alternatives, extending post-graduate work guarantees, and ultimately strengthening Canada’s position as the world’s third most favoured destination for international students.

According to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), international students to Canada have more than trebled their numbers since 2009, peaking at 642,000 in 2019—behind only the US and Australia. Of these, 48 percent have chosen to study in Ontario, 23 percent in British Columbia, 14 percent in Quebec and the remainder have spread across all of Canada’s other provinces.

Clearly, the onset of COVID will impact those numbers going into 2020/2021. But in May, IRCC announced accommodations to shield international students from major disruptions by expanding their options for distance learning, allowing them to complete up to 50 percent of their programs abroad while waiting for clearances and documentation to fly to Canada, easing other entry requirements for those who have already been approved for study permits, and also allowing them to retain their eligibility for the highly-sought Post-Graduation Work Permit Program (PGWP) even if they were absent from Canada for some of their allotted time.

The PGWP program allows eligible international graduates to work in Canada after their studies for a period of up to three years as part of the government’s efforts to retain them as skilled workers, and ultimately tax-paying citizens.

The following links provide detailed updates from the Canadian government and the Canadian Bureau for International Education for international students already enrolled, as well as those interested in applying to post-secondary educational institutions.

Different provinces, different rules

Navigating the Canadian post-secondary educational landscape can be challenging as the individual provinces have their own rules, admissions requirements, fee structures, and not to be overlooked–health insurance options that can’t be ignored. Though the quality of Canada’s health care is regarded highly, it’s not a single unitary system, but a consortium of individual provincially-administered plans—only some of which are available to foreign students.

In the western provinces–British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan and Yukon territory, as well as Prince Edward island and Newfoundland and Labrador on the east coast, international students may be eligible for or buy into the publicly-funded provincial health insurance available to Canadian residents. These plans provide comprehensive medical and hospital coverage and doctors’ services. But even in some of these provinces, students might need private insurance to cover initial residency requirements—perhaps 90 days—before the provincial coverage kick in. Again, it differs from province to province.

In Quebec, international students are not eligible for publicly-funded provincial insurance unless they normally reside in one of 10 countries* that have reciprocal social security agreements with Quebec. If they do, their health coverage is free. *Belgium, France, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Greece, Portugal, Finland Luxembourg, Romania. If they don’t, they will have to enroll in the private group health plans offered by their chosen schools.

In the remaining provinces, including Ontario, international students must sign up for private group plans available through their schools of choice and pay the designated fees.

Out of country travel coverage is a priority.

Though the publicly–funded provincial plans are quite comprehensive, many Canadians buy supplementary plans to cover dental, vision, drugs and ancillary services not covered by their basic provincial coverage. The great majority of Canadians in all age groups also buy private travel health insurance for out-of-country trips as provincial plans cover less than five percent of hospital or medical bills generated in other countries, including the United States, where bills of five to ten thousand dollars per day or more are routine. The province of Ontario, in fact, pays zero dollars for any foreign medical bill, so even a short half-day shopping trip across the border needs to be covered.

Fortunately, private travel insurance is widely available from brokers, banks, credit unions, travel agencies, even organizations catering to students—foreign or domestic.

International students have a broad range of choice in selecting health insurance to fit their educational and social needs in Canada. But it takes planning at the earliest stages and possibly with the assistance of Canada’s health insurance vendors to make sure they get it right. The securing of health insurance should not be considered a last-minute item or add-on.

© Copyright 2020. Milan Korcok.  All rights reserved.

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Travel Insurance is Not “Optional” in Navigating the Pandemic

If ever there was ever a time for Canadians to consider travel insurance mandatory—this is it.

With much of the western world inching toward re-opening leisure (non-essential) travel, the prospects for mandatory temperature checks, health status certificates, quarantine requirements, and unexpected cancellations are expected to last for the remainder of 2020 and perhaps into 2021.

And if an illness, or even a high temperature reading, can force you into a 14-day quarantine (imposed either by your host country or your own government) consider the cost.

To date, most governments (Canada’s included) have strongly urged travellers leaving their country to get the best medical and trip cancellation/interruption insurance possible. Their travel advisory websites have gone to great lengths describing the types of insurance available and the situations that can trigger the need for cover. The need for this was clearly illustrated when the Canadian government sent chartered airliners across the Pacific to rescue hundreds of its citizens “stranded” on COVID–infected cruise ships.

Do the math yourself—three or four days in a foreign hospital at several thousand dollars per day, then add the possibility of an air ambulance repatriation at say $25,000 from Florida; $35,000 from deep into the Caribbean, or $70,000 from central Europe. And supplement this with the prospect of a mandatory quarantine at your host destination while air ambulance operators work to get government-required health clearances to allow you to leave your island destination and another round of clearances to allow you back into Canada. Sound like drummed up horror stories?

Here’s a real scenario for one of the Caribbean’s most highly favoured locations, St. Lucia, which expects to open for tourism this summer or fall, but with the following conditions:  

  • Visitors will be required to present certified proof of a negative COVID-19 test within 48 hours of boarding their flight. 
  • Upon arrival in Saint Lucia, all travelers must continue the use of face masks and physical distancing.
  • Travelers will be subject to screening and temperature checks by port health authorities. (MK) Let’s remember that high temps can be caused by conditions other than COVID. So even your emergency hospitalization is caused by something other than COVID, you can still be restrained by regulations designed for it.
  • Protocols are being established for taxis to provide safety precautions and separate the driver from guests as an added security measure.
  • Hotels must meet a dozen or more specific criteria for sanitization, social distancing and other COVID-19 protocols before they will be permitted to open to guests.

This is just a sample. Many other Caribbean governments are using similar tactics to protect their citizens. Go to http://www.caribbeanhotelandtourism.com/ and click on Travel Advisories for individual Caribbean locations as they are updated.

Europe too is proceeding with caution.

Many countries in the European Union (still including the UK) are opening up to tourism from other EU partners, but on a selective basis. US President Trump has also signalled a willingness to begin allowing travellers from certain EU countries (starting with the lower risk nations) to enter the US subject to the restrictions imposed by the states and counties they are visiting.

This easing would apply to Canadian travellers as well, pending changes to the current lockdown of the Canadian/US border for non-essential travel. Certainly many of Canada’s snowbirds would challenge the “non-essential” characterization of their winter sojourn in a more equitable climate. But then, snowbirds don’t have to be sold on the “mandatory” nature of their travel insurance. They don’t need a ruling from Ottawa telling them how essential their coverage is: younger groups—not so much.

Canadian travel insurers are  working to update policies to account for the new restrictions, so when purchasing your travel insurance, make sure you are thoroughly updated about any changes, new health disclosure requirements, and understand the limitations of trip cancellation clauses. Trip cancellation coverage has not been as high a priority as medical coverage in the Canadian travel insurance marketplace. That must change and you need to become much more conversant about what cancellation policies cover, to what extent, and what they don’t cover. Read your policy. Every page.

© Copyright 2020 Milan Korcok. All rights reserved.

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Battling COVID-19 Episode 7: Being Patient in a Challenging Time by Dr. Michael Szabo

Remember back in early to mid-March when the reality of COVID-19 was sinking in?  Before that point, we knew it was an issue of concern, but we didn’t think it was much to stress over.  However, we slowly began to realize that the virus was spreading in the community in North America.  We heard horror stories from hospitals in Italy, where health care staff were overwhelmed.  We began to see the same thing happening in New York City.  All of a sudden, it changed, and our lives were altered dramatically.

We immediately went into lockdown. We didn’t leave the house unless absolutely necessary.  March Break vacations were cancelled.  Restaurants and stores were shut down.  Schools were closed.  We started working from home. We carefully wiped down our groceries and washed our hands obsessively.

I listened to a podcast recently where one of the speakers likened it to what happens when someone drops a glass on the floor of a crowded house party. I really like that analogy. The glass shatters everywhere, all among everyone’s feet on the floor. The first instinct in these situations is for someone to shout, “Nobody move!”  We say this because everyone knows that the shards of glass can go everywhere in these situations, in places you would least predict; places so far away that you are dumbfounded at how they got there. It’s also amazing how so many tiny pieces of glass are produced from such a smash, some so small you can barely even see them.  But those small ones can often prove to be the most damaging as they can become embedded in the bottom of your feet and be almost impossible to get out later. With everyone standing still, someone then gets a dustbin and a brush and tries like the dickens to clean up all the pieces of glass, looking in all possible places they think they may be hiding.  Then, people slowly and carefully start moving around again, realizing that surprises can still happen, and they may end up standing on a piece of glass.  So, we take our time.  Eventually, people start moving around normally with more confidence.  But we all know what can happen: a few hours, days or even weeks later, another small piece of glass is discovered in the strangest of places. We can never be truly confident that we are out of the woods for quite some time. However, at the same time, we cannot be paralyzed forever.  Life and the party must go on.

We are coming out of that initial phase right now. We are much more aware of what is happening. We have a better grasp of where the virus is in the community and how it spreads. We know how to prevent ourselves from being exposed, with face masks and hand washing now a part of everyday life. Staying six feet away from others is common practice whenever we walk down a sidewalk or take a trip to the grocery store.

The challenge right now is deciding how confident we feel in resuming our regular lives. Should we start having friends over who we feel are “safe”? Should we allow our kids to play with the neighborhood kids in small groups? Should we send our kids to day camps this summer? Can we visit our elderly parents? These are some of the questions many of us have.

I think what is required from us is patience. Patience with an imperfect process that must take time and be dictated by science, data and expert opinion. We need to trust our expert decision makers, who are tasked with the impossible job of devising a plan to optimally protect us. The process cannot be rushed because we are in the midst of a complex and new situation. As we all have noticed, experts haven’t always gotten it right.  First, they said no face masks, then they reversed their opinion. First, they said not to worry about asymptomatic spread, then they said to be concerned about it. First, they said not to worry about children because they are only rarely adversely affected. Now we are discovering that may not be true. These things happened because we learned more. The virus has affected more and more people, so with that increase in the number of infections comes more and more understanding. We are so early in the process of comprehending every nuance about this new virus. In three months, we have come a long way, but at the end of the day, it is still just three months. Our ability to be confident in making big decisions like allowing all children to go to overnight camp for the summer has to be tempered with the humility of what we actually know to be true right now.  We may overcall some things in this process but understand that we may undercall some things and live to regret them dearly. It’s a tough position to be in. When do we walk around freely after a glass has been shattered on the ground? When do we risk getting pierced by a wayward tiny shard of glass? No one has all the answers. Let’s not be paralyzed by fear, but let’s not be overconfident. A tough line to walk, but here we are. Let’s be patient, trust the process and we will overcome this.

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Are Snowbirds Ready to Plan for Life After Covid?

Any other year, Canadian snowbirds would be anticipating the release of early-bird travel insurance deals for the coming winter season in the US sunbelt or other warm subtropical location. June, July, August—that’s when insurers normally begin rolling out their products for the coming season.

But this is not just any other year. The attack of Covid-19 coronavirus has seen to that.

As we know, many of you got back north of the border by the skin of your teeth in late March and April before the border shut down. A few others didn’t quite make it and had to pay the price of quarantine.

And now the quandary: what to do about winter 20/21? A lot of questions to deal with.

When will the US/Canada border restrictions end? Will you feel safe travelling to your winter home?  Will you have to wear a face mask all winter? How do you know who to believe? Is it time to look beyond the fear?

Let’s start with some facts–as provided by John Hopkins University Coronavirus Resource Centre, official data monitor for coronavirus Infections and deaths worldwide.

The US, which is the winter home to most of Canada’s snowbirds, has attracted much attention for its  COVID-related death toll—now exceeding 80,000. That amounts to 242 deaths per one million inhabitants. (The US has a population of 330 million). Actually, that’s quite modest when compared to other major developed nations: 757 deaths per million inhabitants of Belgium; 569 per million for Spain, 505 for Italy; 479 for UK, and 393 for France. As for Canada, Covid-related deaths stand at 134 per million population, and for Germany, only 92 per million. These figures are current for May 11.

But in looking more closely at the US figures, we note that the states of New York and adjacent New Jersey account for almost one half of US COVID-related deaths while there remain huge swaths of America where the infection and death rates vary dramatically. Of special interest to snowbirds,

their home-away-from home states generally record considerably lower COVID death rates than many less populated ones. California, Texas and Florida are the top three most populous of US states, in that order. Arizona has a far smaller population but is second only to Florida in hosting Canadian snowbirds.

Florida, with a population of about 22 million, has recorded 1771 COVID-related deaths as of May 11. That’s slightly better than Ontario, which with a population of just over 15 million has recorded 1669 deaths. (The population figures are rounded to 2020 estimates). 

California, with a population of close to 40 million has recorded 2717 COVID-related deaths; Texas, with a population of about 29 million has recorded 1088 COVID-related deaths, and Arizona, with a population of about 7 million has recorded 536 such deaths.

A personal note from MK. Recording numbers of deaths is a grim business. No death from COVID or any other such plague is acceptable. But if we are to deal with our fears, we must take a step beyond, and deal with the facts that underlie those fears.

The re-opening—so far, gradual and measured.

All of these states are now gradually reopening small businesses such as restaurants, small retail outlets,  and generally inhabitants are adhering to physical distancing and face mask rules. Florida has opened up most of its beaches to small groups, properly spaced. The spring break outbursts that made headlines around the world in March and April were quickly quashed by Florida’s governor. The exception to Florida’s beach re-opening so far are the highly-populated southeast counties of Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade. But central Florida, the Gulf coast, northeastern Florida and the panhandle are well into re-opening. 

In Arizona too, the lights are being turned back on. To quote a report from the Washington Examiner:

“At OSO Brewery in Gilbert, customers lined up at the bar Monday afternoon (May 11) and sat in every other dining room table. In North Scottsdale, Cien Agaves had new clear plastic dividers between booths as mask-clad staff offered digital menus to customers.”

In Texas, restaurants and retail stores have been allowed to re-open (with 25 percent occupancy), so have some malls and golf courses (one person per cart and a four-player maximum groups).  In the Rio Grande Valley, ground zero for Canadian snowbirds, barbershops and nail salons have also opened up—six feet minimum between stations and all other social distancing rules in effect.

In California, the “stay at home order” was lifted for most of the state on May 8, and hardly a week later was reinstated for Los Angeles county for a projected three months.  Nonetheless, businesses in less- populated areas were allowed to move into phase two of four phase statewide re-opening.

It’s a beginning. How long will it take? Will it be successful or turn out to be a mistake? It’s only May. But Canadian snowbirds like to do their planning well ahead of time. To be a successful snowbird, planning is the rule.

We’ll be following up on the re-opening efforts, not only in areas of interest to snowbirds, but for other leisure travellers as well.  Stay with us.

© Copyright 2020 Milan Korcok. All rights reserved.

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Time to Think About Travel Strategies—After Covid-19

That Air Canada expects the pandemic hangover to last at least three years, exposing the airline industry  to endure its “darkest period ever,” portends deep instability for all aspiring travellers for the foreseeable future.

Canadians and Americans have a lot of places to go and activities to enjoy within a day’s drive—anticipating that the border shutdown between our countries doesn’t last indefinitely.

But without the sustenance of air travellers, the tourism infrastructure—hotels, entertainment venues, theme parks, all-inclusive resorts, and mom and pop roadside operations, can’t operate at full capacity and with complete menus for long. A winnowing of destination choices and services becomes inevitable.

As Air Canada Chief Executive Calin Rovinescu said in a statement dated May 4,  “We expect that both the overall industry and our airlines will be considerably smaller for some time, which will unfortunately result in significant reductions in  both fleet and employee levels.”

What you can extrapolate from that prediction is that other smaller airlines will suffer the same fate, perhaps even more acutely. And what this represents for your summer, fall and perhaps even winter 2021 travel plans, is that you prioritize your choices, get the most you can for your dollar, perhaps stay with what you know, scrutinize those “too good to be true” deals carefully and above all make sure you are protected should your plans change through no fault of your own.

Hold on to your money

Don’t commit to large deposits unless you have an assurance you can get all or most of your money back if you cancel. In these days of uncertainty there are plenty of hotels or resorts that are willing to cancel at the last minute (or at least within 48 hours of your scheduled arrival). But make sure you have those terms in writing and you can get your deposit or full prepayment back in cash. A refund in the form of a voucher or credit for future travel is no good to you unless you’re prepared to be an interest-free lender to your venue of choice for an unspecified amount of time.

This is particularly true if your choice of vacation is a cruise, as cruise lines don’t normally offer cash refunds—except when really pressed—as they are now that their ships are empty and idle. Today it is possible to get some guarantees of cash-back refunds from some lines, but that won’t last once the worldwide embargoes on cruise travel are lifted. And even if you have private travel insurance from an independent broker, unless you have a Cancel for any reason upgrade, don’t expect the insurer to provide a cash refund if your cruise line offers you a voucher or credit for future travel. That’s seen as payment in kind, and your insurer looks askance at double dipping.

The same is true for many airlines that continue to refuse cash refunds –even despite federal government orders that they do so. Both Canadian and US airlines are still resisting paying cash refunds for trips canceled due to Covid—despite government orders and class action court suits. In Europe, the governments of 12 countries are challenging the European Union to revoke a law requiring air carriers to offer cancelled-out passenger cash refunds instead of credits.

You don’t want to be stuck in the middle of these disputes. Read your travel documents carefully—every word. Don’t get locked into a situation where your money is tied up indefinitely even if the deal you’re offered  “is too good to be true.”

And if you’re using a travel advisor—travel agent or travel insurance broker– make sure you understand the deal you’re making. And as a bottom line-put out as little cash as possible, and only at at the last possible minute.

© Copyright 2020 Milan Korcok. All rights reserved.

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Battling COVID-19 Episode 6: Wearing masks properly by Dr. Michael Szabo

The decision by public health authorities on whether or not to recommend the use of face masks was a difficult one.  One of the biggest reasons was that educating the public on how to safely wear a face mask is challenging, because of the many details involved.

During my recent forays into the public, here are the top 5 issues I have seen with people wearing masks:

  1.  Pulling the face mask down over your chin.  This is probably the number one mistake.  After wearing a mask while outside for a walk or going to the grocery store, you may need to talk to someone more clearly, eat or just “want a break” from it – so you pull it down over your chin. By doing this, you effectively contaminate yourself with any virus particles that were on your mask prior to that. The rule is once you put your mask on, don’t pull it down.  It’s either on or it’s off and there is no in between.  Minor adjustments to its position can be made but only if done safely (see below).
  2. Not covering your nose.  We breathe through our mouths and our noses.  Many people cover only their mouth with their face mask, which means they can easily breathe in the virus through their nose. They can also transmit the virus to others through their nose.  Always cover both your nose and your mouth.
  3. Touching the mask.  Never touch the mask once it’s on your face. You can transmit the virus that was on your hands onto your mask that way. Before putting on your mask, wash or sanitize your hands.  After putting the mask on, you will need to wash or sanitize your hands again.  Do not touch the mask again, unless you just need to make a minor adjustment to its position.  If an adjustment is needed, wash or sanitize your hands, adjust your mask slightly, and then wash or sanitize your hands once more. 
  4. Wearing the mask upside down.  If you are wearing a medical grade mask, the metal piece on the mask is to be worn around the bridge of your nose and adjusted to fit. The folded edge of the pleats on the mask itself should be on the bottom. 
  5. Wearing a moist mask. Once a mask is worn for a period of time, it can become moist.  A moist mask no longer acts as a protective barrier and is dangerous to wear. While running the other day, I observed a lady doing heavy gardening and lawn work with a face mask on, which had obviously become sweaty and moist. For the same reason, jogging with a mask can be problematic. It would be best to practice physical distancing measures when participating in such activities rather than wear an essentially ineffective mask. 

Wearing a face mask is a public health measure that is likely to be helpful at this time of the pandemic.  However, doing so requires a careful understanding of how to wear one properly.  Remember, once you arrive home, wash or sanitize your hands, then remove your face mask. Immediately place it in the wash or dispose of it, and wash or sanitize your hands again right after.  Please stay safe, everyone!

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[Battling COVID-19 Episode 5] A Vaccine for Coronavirus: Are We There Yet? By Dr. Michael Szabo

The current COVID-19 pandemic has led to an unprecedented effort by scientists around the world to develop a vaccine. Vaccines are important to protect us where the risks of natural infection are significant.

COVID-19 is a more deadly and dangerous virus than the flu. While we still do not have definitive data on the true risks of infection with COVID-19, one can safely say that places like New York City or Italy have never seen a flu season similar to what they are currently going through. Since mid-March, more than 60,000 people have lost their lives in the United States due to COVID-19.

It is important to note that this has happened despite the institution of public health measures like physical distancing, quarantines and self-isolation. If not for these, thousands more would have died. 

Is Allowing Natural Infection a Good Option?

One way to protect the population is to allow the infection to spread so that most of us successfully fight it off and become immune. Once that happens in a significant percentage, the virus has a reduced ability to spread and we can better contain it. Scientists currently estimate that around 60% of the population needs to be immune to COVID-19 in order to considerably reduce its ability to spread. We call this herd immunity.

The problem is that if we allow COVID-19 to infect that many of us, the loss of life and the impact on the health of many individuals would be too great, even if we allow only “low risk” individuals to become infected.

Experts have estimated that the COVID-19 infection fatality rate (the ratio of deaths divided by the number of actual infections) is approximately 0.5%. That’s lower than the case fatality rate (the ratio of the number of deaths divided by the number of confirmed cases) of 5 to 8%. Why is this? Because it considers all infections, including those that are asymptomatic or with minimal symptoms where individuals did not see a doctor to get tested. 

If we allow 60% of the population to get infected, the estimated deaths could run as high as 1 million in the United States and 111,000 in Canada.

That’s unacceptable. We must find another way.

The Safest Route

Vaccination is a way for most of us to become immune, while not placing our lives and health at risk.

But developing a vaccine is not easy. We must be able to prove that we can create a significant immune response with it. That immune response then needs to be shown to be protective when exposed to the virus.

We must also demonstrate that the immune response lasts for a considerable length of time; it wouldn’t be useful to have a response that only lasts for a few months. It should last for at least a year, and longer, to be helpful. More importantly, it must also be shown to be safe. 

Patience is the Key

Vaccine development requires following a very careful and sound scientific process that takes time. It is estimated that it will be at least 12 to 18 months before we can develop a vaccine that is acceptable for use in the mass population.

The World Health Organization (WHO) currently reports that there are five candidate vaccines being studied in 71 preclinical studies. From here, there will be clinical studies where they will be tested in small groups and then larger groups of patients.

We must be patient with this process. The last thing we need is for it to be rushed. A good example is what happened in 1976 when a vaccine for swine flu was fast-tracked for development. When rolled out to the mass population, it was found to cause a significant number of cases of a serious neurological outcome called Guillain-Barré syndrome. 

What to Do While We Wait

In the meantime, public health measures like physical distancing can lessen the spread of infection. Many clinical trials are also looking at the use of different medications to improve outcomes in those who have been infected. It goes without saying that optimizing our health with good diet, exercise and sleep as well as reducing stress likely helps the ability of our own immune system to fight off an infection.

All these interventions act as a bridge until we are able to develop a safe and effective vaccine that will hopefully protect all of us and allow us to return to a more normal life.

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Five Self-Isolating Tips From A Nuclear Submarine Captain

The evolution of the brain is the most obvious example of how we evolve to adapt.

Rick Potts, Director of the Human Origins program at the Smithsonian Institution National Museum of Natural History

We’re all living in a new world, and the self-isolation that comes with it. As social beings, we’re used to living our lives by connecting and empathizing with others. Read on for some survival tips on how to cope with our new reality, as told by a nuclear submarine captain about his experience on a U-boat.

1.           Ask questions: “How are you feeling today?” has become our new greeting – and that’s fine. We need to reach out to friends and family and check in every day. It instills empathy and reminds us to feel that we’re not alone.

2.           Think first, act later: When living through stressful situations, we tend to act on instinct. Let’s slow down the decision-making process and implement a ‘think, then do’ action plan.

3.           Focus on one thing: As with days, it’s important to take one task at a time. Multi-tasking during this time may compromise the quality of what you’re trying to do.

4.           Discipline: Create a ‘downtime routine’ in a quiet space. By this point, you know what routine works best for you, so stick with it, at your own pace.

5.           Maintain a clean environment: Your external world reflects your inner world. Keeping everything in order helps to maintain levels of calm and boost your creativity

The most important thing is to focus on what you can control, one day at a time. No matter how challenging our new world may be, we have the capacity to think creatively to get us through it.

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Cruise Bargains Sound Tempting. Can You Afford to Bite?

Despite the lingering images of cruise ships stranded at sea with passengers begging to be freed, the world’s cruise lines continue to drum up business for 2021 and even 2022. And bookings are said to be brisk–thanks to deep price-cuts and on-board cash value incentives.

When US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) lifts its “No Sail” order depends on when it considers the COVID-19 plague under control. And though cruising is a worldwide industry extending far beyond US ports, the world’s three biggest lines*are headquartered in Florida, and their vessels at some time or other sail in US-controlled waters patrolled by the US Coast Guard. Thus, CDC jurisdiction is quite clear. (*Carnival Cruises, Royal Caribbean, and Norwegian Cruise Holdings account for 60 percent of all cruise traffic).

However, none of these lines, and very few others, are flagged in the US, thus they have not been included in US congressional economic stimulus programs and while sitting idle and empty they’re generating no revenue. Fortunately, according to cruise ship analysts, all of the big three have sufficient liquid and credit reserves to take them into 2021 and so cruise fanatics have a bountiful choice of bargains to choose, even though they may have to wait six, twelve, even 18 months to get the goods.

Is cruising in your future?  Here are some things to consider.

Cruise patrons whose trips scheduled into early summer 2020 have already been cancelled are being offered some generous future cruise credits (FCCs)—some exceeding the initial cruise value (i.e, 125 percent). A few are even offering cash rebates of fees already paid to those whose enthusiasm for cruising may have waned. Cash rebates are a rarity in the cruise industry. But for future cruises, the cash rebates may well disappear, leaving FCCs the only means of recouping your travel investment should you wish to cancel.

All cruise lines offer trip cancellation policies and promote them heavily, but cancellations must be based on specified circumstances such as job loss, illness, family death, call too jury duty, etc. You can’t just change your mind, although virtually all lines now also offer Cancel for any Reason (CFAR) policies which cost about 40 percent more than basic plans and which expand the range of cancellation options. However, even these are not without restrictions and need to be thoroughly examined before purchase.

Most decrease the cancellation payout the closer you are to departure.

And even the CFAR cancellation plans offered by cruise lines, for the most part provide only for future cruise credits, not cashbacks to you or your credit card.

For Canadian cruise enthusiasts, out-of-country emergency medical plans (most of which provide some limited cancellation/interruption benefits), or stand-alone trip cancellation plans allow cancellation for specified situations already explained. But they too will pay cash rebates only for non-refundable costs, so if a cruise line offers vouchers for future travel, that obviates your chances of getting your money back (or some portion of it).

And most important, if there should be a resurgence of COVID later on, that will disqualify any  claims for cancellation rebates as it is a known event and you will have been warned about its possible consequences and also warned that its effects would not be covered by travel insurance.

What does this boil down to? Trip cancellation/interruption coverage has a lot of contingencies attached. You need to discuss it well with your travel advisor and you need to read the policy—all of it.

If planning and pre-paying a cruise six months or more in advance sounds attractive because of the 25 percent reduction in fare, weigh all of the possibilities. The belief that “We can always cancel” is not necessarily so. Know your policy.

© Copyright 2020 Milan Korcok. All rights reserved.

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Battling COVID-19 Episode 4: Why we need to keep physical distancing By Dr Michael Szabo

In Canada, our efforts to flatten the curve are going well. Thankfully, we haven’t seen the same surge of cases that hit New York City, Italy and Spain.  Don’t get me wrong, those of us on the front lines here have seen a lot of cases, but so far, our health care system hasn’t been overwhelmed. While our good fortune has much to do with our heeding of public health guidelines, collective uptake of physical distancing rules and staying home as much as possible, I’m still a little worried. There is something about our human nature that concerns me.

At times, public health strategies can become the victims of their own success. Vaccines are a great example. The incidence of diseases that were once part and parcel of everyday life has been greatly reduced, and in some cases, eradicated completely with the advent of vaccination. As we don’t see these diseases much anymore, we don’t learn to fully appreciate their potential severity. With time, we begin to think that the diseases are nothing to worry about. Some may begin to think that it would be acceptable, and perhaps even beneficial, to get these diseases naturally in order to build “natural immunity”, which can sometimes be more robust and lifelong. With time, some people begin to fear vaccinations themselves, focusing on the associated tiny risks, rather than the risks of contracting the diseases they prevent. This loss of perspective plays a large part of the anti-vaccine movement.

We must stay the course right now.  Physical distancing has reduced the impact of the infection we are seeing in Canada, but this does not mean that we can breathe a sigh of relief and head back to a normal life anytime soon.  Our success with public health measures should only harden our resolve to keep it up even more.  We need to look at hugely impacted areas of the world for a harsh reminder of the truth as to what this virus can do – a good place to start is hearing stories from front line emergency doctors and nurses in New York City. 

There is a good reason why doctors and nurses who treat critical illnesses on the front lines believe whole-heartedly in public health measures like vaccines and physical distancing. It’s because we are immersed in the reality of what can happen in life and we never lose that perspective.

Committing ourselves to continue physical distancing is even more important than ever. We have seen success and that should spur us all on to continue. Our success should not lead us to think that it was unnecessary to institute preventive measures in the first place, or that we don’t need to follow them anymore.  The outcome we have seen is a result of the actions we have taken thus far – let’s not forget that. If a house were on fire, and the fire department was called to extinguish it, would we then argue that the fire department wasn’t needed after the fire was put out?  Or similarly, if someone with a serious blood infection were admitted to intensive care and put on intravenous antibiotics, would we look back and declare that the antibiotics weren’t needed because the patient recovered?

Physical distancing is working.  We should all be proud of our collective efforts that have saved thousands of lives and eased the burden on our health care system.  Success should breed more of the same, and not be used to deny the seriousness of the situation.  With time and a better understanding of this virus, we will be able to slowly and safely return to a more normal life.  One thing is for sure:  we will get through this together!