Does my home insurance cover me if I travel for more than 30 days?
You have booked your tickets. You have made your packing list. But have you checked your insurance coverage?
It is not the most exciting part of getting ready to leave. It is, however, one of the most important ones and the one people consistently push to the bottom of the list.
Here is what you need to know before you go.
Your unoccupied home: protected under conditions
Most Canadians are unaware that their home insurance policy includes a vacancy clause. The general rule: if your property is left unattended for more than 30 consecutive days, certain protections may be suspended or reduced, particularly for water damage or break-ins.
That 30 day limit is not universal. It varies by insurer and by contract. Some policies even require a third party to visit the property at regular intervals to keep coverage in effect.
Before you lock the door, call your broker. A 10 minute conversation can save you from a very unpleasant surprise when you get back.
What to verify: the maximum vacancy period your policy allows, the conditions for maintaining coverage during extended travel, and whether periodic property check-ins are required.
Your valuables while travelling: not automatically covered
You are bringing your camera, your jewellery, your laptop. Your home insurance follows you when you travel, but with important limits.
Most home insurance policies include sub-limits for valuables away from your property: often between $1,000 and $5,000 for jewellery, and similar caps for electronics. If your camera equipment is worth $8,000, you might only be reimbursed for a fraction of that amount in the event of theft or loss.
The solution exists: a rider can extend coverage to specifically listed items at their actual value, anywhere in the world. It is something you arrange before you leave. Never after.
Travel insurance: the gaps that get expensive
Travel insurance is the topic brokers receive the most questions about and the one that generates the most unpleasant surprises after the fact.
A few realities that many Canadian travellers discover too late.
Your credit card is not enough. Many cards offer travel coverage, but it is often limited in duration (10 to 21 days depending on the card), in amount, and in how it handles pre-existing medical conditions. If you are travelling for three weeks and managing a chronic condition, that coverage may not apply.
Medical costs abroad are real. A hospital stay in the United States can easily exceed $10,000 per day. Without adequate coverage, your wallet absorbs the impact.
Trip cancellation is a separate protection. Medical coverage and cancellation coverage are two distinct products. Many travellers assume they have both and only have one.
A broker can help you find the right combination of protections for your specific profile: age, health, destination, and length of travel, without selling you coverage you do not need or letting you leave with gaps you do not know about.
Your vehicle during vacation: in the garage or on the road
Two very different situations. Two verifications to make.
If you are leaving your car at home, your existing coverage continues to apply. But if you are leaving it with someone else, a friend or a family member, verify that person is listed on your policy or has their own valid coverage. In the event of an accident, the details matter.
If you are hitting the road outside your province, your auto insurance generally covers all of Canada and the United States. But certain protections may have different conditions depending on jurisdiction. And if you are renting a vehicle at your destination, check what your credit card covers and what your own policy excludes.
Rented cottage or vacation property: the blind spots to know about
Whether you are renting a cottage through a short term rental platform or staying at a friend or family member's property, your usual coverage does not apply the same way.
If you are renting your own property while you are away through a platform like Airbnb, your standard home insurance may be void for the duration of the rental. Some insurers explicitly exclude civil liability related to short term rentals.
If you are occupying a rented property as a temporary tenant, your personal belongings and your civil liability as an occupant are not automatically covered.
These are blind spots that can be addressed with a rider or supplemental coverage. What matters is knowing about them before something happens, not the day it does.
The real value of a broker: before anything goes wrong
What we have just covered is not a list of fears. It is a list of questions your broker has the answers to and that you deserve to know before you leave.
Your Covalen broker does not sell you a policy. They analyze your actual situation: your home, your belongings, your travel plans, your profile, and make sure nothing is left to chance. Before the claim, not after.
Before you zip up your suitcase, take 10 minutes. Talk to your broker. Ask the questions. Leave with the certainty that if something happens, you are covered.
That is what it means to travel with peace of mind.
Have a trip coming up this summer? Your Covalen broker is available to review your file and make sure your coverage is up to date. Book an appointment at covalen.ca
