Share the destination, duration, and coverage type you are exploring — without a passport, diagnosis, or medication. An authorized representative calls you back.
What RAMQ covers abroad
Very little. Outside Quebec, the public plan reimburses a fraction of hospital and medical costs, calculated on Quebec rates. A hospital stay abroad can cost many times that amount. The gap is yours.
Emergency medical care: the central coverage
This is the coverage that matters. It covers hospitalization, emergency care, and, depending on the contract, repatriation. The other coverages — cancellation, baggage, delay — are useful but of another order of magnitude.
The health declaration changes everything
Most denied travel claims come from a pre-existing condition that was poorly declared or unstable before departure. Answering the questionnaire exactly is what makes the coverage reliable, and a representative explains what each question targets.
The stability clause
A condition is generally covered if it remained stable for a defined period before departure: no change in medication, treatment, or symptoms. The required period varies by contract and it is the clause to read first.
Cancellation and interruption
Two distinct coverages: one before departure, the other during the trip. They cover only reasons listed in the contract, and are generally purchased shortly after booking to be fully valid.
Single trip or annual coverage
If you travel several times a year, annual multi-trip coverage can be simpler. It does carry a maximum duration per trip, however: beyond that, additional coverage is required.
Extended stays
A stay of several months raises two separate questions: the maximum duration in the insurance contract, and the public plan’s rules on absence from Quebec. Both are checked before departure, not on return.
A credit card is generally not enough
Coverage included with a card carries ceilings, age limits, and maximum durations that are often more restrictive than assumed. It can supplement coverage, rarely replace it.
Why no price is shown here
A premium depends on age, destination, duration, and declared health. A figure without those would be misleading.
What happens after you submit
An authorized representative calls you back, and timing matters: coverage must be in force before you leave. The health questionnaire, which determines how existing conditions are covered, is completed with them and not here.
Frequently asked questions
What if I am leaving soon?
Submit the request now and mention your departure date. Coverage must be in force before departure: subscribing once you have left is generally not possible.
Does RAMQ cover me abroad?
Very little. Reimbursement is calculated on the rates in force in Quebec, which bear no relation to what a hospital bills elsewhere. The difference is yours, and it can be considerable.
Isn’t my credit card enough?
Coverage included with a card carries ceilings, age limits, and maximum durations that are often more restrictive than assumed. Read the clause before you leave: people usually discover it did not apply once they are back.
Are my existing health conditions covered?
Generally yes, if they remained stable for the period defined in the contract before departure: no change in medication, treatment, or symptoms. The required period varies by contract.
What exactly does cancellation insurance cover?
Only the reasons listed in the contract, and it is generally purchased shortly after booking to be fully valid. It is distinct from interruption insurance, which applies during the trip.
Single trip or annual coverage?
If you travel several times a year, annual multi-trip coverage can be simpler. It does carry a maximum duration per trip; beyond that, additional coverage is required.
I am leaving for several months. What changes?
Two things: the maximum duration in the insurance contract, and the public plan’s rules on absence from Quebec. Both are checked before departure.
Do I declare medical information here?
No, and you must not. The public form requests no medical information. The health questionnaire is completed later, with the authorized person.