I am a Canadian snowbird. We have always traveled by car (1200 miles). Airplane travel is now allowed. But we always bring a carload of stuff. As the border is closed, driving to The Villages is impossible.
The Canadian Government has issued a ‘level 3' travel advisory. What does this mean? We always buy private medical insurance when traveling in the U.S. Our ‘free’ medical coverage is for Canada only.
The ‘level 3' advisory makes it OK for all travel medical insurance providers to NOT COVER any expenses if Covid-19 is contracted.
About 6 years ago my wife spent a total of 12 hours in the emergency dept. of the Villages Hospital. The insurance we had at that time was pay out of your own pocket and then send in the bills to the insurance company. After 6 months we got paid the $8,000 (U.S. $) we handed over to at least 15 different companies, doctors and the TV hospital.
Can you imagine what the cost of hospitalization would be if one of us were in an ICU for a month? Probably in the millions.
We can't afford that.
So ... until the travel advisory is downgraded from a ‘level 3', my wife and I WILL NOT be returning to The Villages. And we have been snowbirds for over 11 years. I hope all Canadians know this predicament we are in. The exclusion is usually buried in the insurance policy in 4 pt. font.
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