TripCovered vs GMS: travel insurance compared

GMS and TripCovered both serve Canadian travellers, so the choice between them rests on which plan suits your trip and how each handles the details that matter at claim time. A disciplined comparison beats a quick price glance.

Match the coverage to your trip

First, make sure each provider offers what your trip calls for. Our shelf includes Emergency Medical in single-trip and multi-trip annual forms (Worldwide, Excluding USA and Within-Canada), Visitors to Canada including Super Visa, Student plans for international students in Canada and Canadians abroad, Trip Cancellation and Interruption (with Trip Interruption Only and Cancel for Any Reason), an All-Inclusive Holiday Package, Baggage, Rental Car Protection and AD&D, plus optional Sports & Activities. Identify the specific plan you need and confirm it is available before comparing anything else.

Compare coverage limits and deductibles

For travel abroad, the emergency medical coverage limit is central, because OHIP pays little or nothing outside Canada and never pays a hospital up front — most out-of-country coverage ended in 2020. You want a high limit so a serious emergency is fully handled. Check whether each plan carries a deductible and any sub-limits on specific benefits. Comparing the same coverage amount across both providers is what makes a price comparison meaningful.

Read the exclusions and stability period

Two plans with the same name can differ in the wording. Read the exclusions in full and, especially, how each plan defines and applies the stability period for pre-existing conditions. That window before departure — during which a condition must have been stable — is where many claims are decided. Comparing these definitions directly tells you more than any brochure.

Weigh the assistance and claims experience

When something goes wrong abroad, you rely on the assistance line and claims process. We offer 24/7 emergency assistance in multiple languages, has operated since 1964, settles claims through its own service, and provides support such as telemedicine via 1.800MD or Maple and MyFlyt flight-delay assistance. Compare how each provider delivers assistance and claims, since that experience is what you actually depend on in an emergency.

Check eligibility and underwriting

Eligibility rules shape price and terms, particularly for older travellers. With TripCovered there is no age limit, no medical questions under 60, and a Medical Questionnaire for travellers 60 and over that sets the premium, not eligibility. If that describes you, compare how each provider approaches eligibility and medical underwriting, as it affects both cost and coverage.

Fit and then price

The right plan depends on your destination (travel to or through the USA costs more), trip length, how often you travel, your age and your health. Once you have confirmed the coverage fits, compare price on equivalent coverage. Pricing varies with all those factors, so neither provider is simply cheaper — only for a specific trip. Get a quote from each for the same coverage and dates. When you compare, keep the coverage amount, deductible and trip dates identical across both, so any price difference reflects the plans themselves rather than mismatched inputs.

Confirm the coverage fits, weigh the service and underwriting, and compare equal quotes. Compare your options and get a quote to see how coverage and price line up for the trip you are planning.