The water may be contaminated, the streets full of crime and the city a Zika hotspot – but despite growing health and security risks, travel premiums won’t be affected for those traveling to Rio de Janeiro this summer, says a travel insurance expert.
John Salmond, vice president of sales and marketing at Group Medical Services, says that while there is currently a Government of Canada travel advisory against travelling to Rio, its absence on any banned travel list means insurers won’t be hiking the cost of coverage.
“In reality, we look at travel at a grander, global scale, so there are risks that appear all over the world,” he says. “Rio does present a risk to the traveler, but it is not on a banned list from the Canadian government, and hopefully there’s enough media coverage that people will prepare themselves accordingly.”
A number of recent incidents have heightened concerns for those vacationing in the area, especially as spectators are expected to arrive in the thousands for the Olympic Games, to kick off August 5. Fears visitors will contract and spread the Zika virus remain a top concern, along with contaminated water conditions; a ‘super bacteria’ has been recently discovered on Rio’s beaches due to waste run-off from local hospitals. The government also advises travelers to be aware of heightened crime in the region; a, Australian gold medalist Paralympian was mugged at gunpoint on Tuesday, prompting Olympic authorities to demand greater security for athletes in the area immediately.
Salmond says brokers with clients traveling to Rio must ensure they’re aware of the extent of their policies, especially given the heightened health concerns. “Make sure they understand what their policy covers them for, and the risks they think they’re going to take – understand that it’s still emergency medical insurance. It’s not Canadian healthcare in your backpack, it is for when something goes wrong, unforeseen medical emergencies,” he says. “Are they eligible to buy the policy in the first place, and part of that is making sure their existing health conditions are stable enough to travel in the first place.”
He also suggests brokers advise clients from simply taking the cheapest route. “Like many things in life, you get what you pay for, so research it properly, work with a great broker, and really understand the policy purchased – what’s included and what’s excluded,” he says.
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