Policy Maximum (Travel)

The policy maximum is the highest amount your travel medical insurance plan will pay for all eligible emergency medical expenses during a covered trip. This limit represents the maximum liability the insurer assumes and typically ranges from $1 million to $5 million per person, depending on the plan.

Covered expenses may include hospital stays, physician services, ambulance transport, and medical evacuation. Once the policy maximum is reached, any additional expenses are your responsibility.

Example:

If your plan’s policy maximum is $2 million and you incur $2.3 million in emergency medical costs abroad, the plan pays $2 million and you owe $300,000.

What to Watch For:

Some plans have different maximums based on age or coverage type. Always confirm currency (CAD or USD) and verify whether evacuation costs count toward the total.

Related Terms

Paramedical Disciplines

Paramedical disciplines refer to regulated health professionals who provide therapy or rehabilitation services outside of hospital settings. Common examples include physiotherapists, chiropractors, massage therapists, acupuncturists, naturopaths, osteopaths, psychologists, and speech-language pathologists.

Pay-Direct card / Drug card

A pay-direct card, also known as a drug card, is a plastic or digital card issued by your health insurance provider that allows pharmacies to bill your insurer directly for eligible prescription drugs. Instead of paying the full cost upfront and submitting a claim later, you pay only your portion - such as a deductible or coinsurance - at the point of sale.

Per Incident

Per incident refers to the way certain insurance benefits are calculated or limited based on each separate event, illness, or accident rather than by year or lifetime. When a benefit is paid “per incident,” it means you are eligible for reimbursement each time a new, distinct occurrence happens, up to the maximum amount specified for that type of claim.

Per Person / Per Family

Per person and per family describe how benefit limits, deductibles, or maximums are applied within a health or dental insurance plan. A per person limit means the specified amount applies individually to each insured member, while a per family limit represents the total combined coverage for all members under one policy.

Per-Practitioner Annual Maximum (Paramedical)

The per-practitioner annual maximum is the total amount your plan will reimburse for services from one specific type of provider in a single benefit year. For example, if your plan pays up to $500 for massage therapy annually, once that amount is reached, additional treatments from that provider type are no longer covered until the next year.

Have questions about your insurance coverage?

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