illustration: Dan Parsons

How BounceBack Insurance Can Save a Long-Stay Vacay

By Bonnie Staring

You’re wintering in Florida and everything’s perfect—the weather, the golfing and the resort. Then you get a call from home. There’s been a winter storm followed by a flash thaw—and your roof has sprung a sizable leak.

You need to take care of your house, but you can’t simply cancel your trip: You still have six weeks of snowbirding left. Fortunately, there’s a travel insurance add-on that can help you to return home and then, when you’re able, return to your vacation.

GET HOME AND BACK
BounceBack insurance enables this double return by reimbursing you up to $2,000 for a round-trip airline ticket. “It’s a separate policy that can be purchased in conjunction with another AMA Travel insurance product*, such as travel medical or trip cancellation insurance,” says Pam Murray, travel insurance sales manager at AMA Travel.

Ideal for long-stay travellers to destinations like Australia and Europe, as well as snowbirds (even if you’ve driven south), it provides added peace of mind when you’ll be away for an extended period.

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Don’t get tripped up by a trip cancellation or interruption

It’s also coverage that isn’t typically available through credit cards or employee benefits programs. With AMA Travel, however, BounceBack insurance allows you to claim economy round-trip flights in the event of a disaster at your principal residence, or the unexpected hospitalization or death of a family member. Depending on the circumstances, you can use it to return somewhere that’s not your home city—to attend an out-of-town funeral of a family member, for example. And the price of coverage isn’t dependent on the length of your trip. “It’s less than $66 for AMA members, regardless of whether you’re away for one month or six months,” Murray says.

A WIDE EMBRACE
What if you’re halfway through a long-awaited art tour of France, but then receive word that your nephew has died suddenly. Your sister will need support during this tragic time. Would AMA Travel’s BounceBack insurance apply?

In a word, yes. AMA has long prided itself on treating its members as “practically family.” That pledge extends to your family too, with a definition of immediate relations that embraces a significant number of people. It includes your spouse, children (natural, adopted, foster, step, in-law), parents (natural, in-law and step), siblings (natural, step and in-law), grandparents, grandchildren, aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews—not to mention a legal guardian, legal ward or key person (such as a caregiver, business partner or key employee).

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All about AMA’s preexisting condition travel insurance rider

“Some other insurers, such as credit card companies, define immediate family more strictly—as family members who live in the same household,” Murray says.

However, if your family member received medical treatment within the three months prior to their hospitalization or death due to the same condition, BounceBack coverage would not apply.

As with any insurance policy, the hope is that you won’t have to make a claim. But the unexpected can happen, and there’s freedom in knowing you can return home without having to sacrifice the rest of your well-deserved vacation.

HOW TO SAVE
AMA members receive a 10% discount on Travel Medical Insurance. Visit AMATravel.ca to learn more.

*AMA Travel Insurance is underwritten by Orion Travel Insurance Company.  Certain exclusions, limitations and restrictions apply. Subject to certain terms, conditions and limitations.