A very special gift from "Grama"

Things don't always go as planned, especially when you're away from home. No matter where you choose to go, CAA Travel Insurance is with you every step of the way, so you can plan with confidence. 

Illness, emergencies and unexpected mishaps—life happens. Make sure your travel is protected. Here's a heartwarming story from a CAA Member* who shared her personal experience with CAA Travel Insurance.

Travel with confidence

My husband and I have three adult children. We live a modest lifestyle, and travel is not a luxury we’ve been able to experience frequently. Other than camping, which is rather economical, we have never taken a trip as a family of five.

My grandmother, whom I called Grama, was a world traveller. She often recounted the tales of her journeys and the wonderful memories she had from those trips. Those stories were always followed by, “When I die, I want you to use the money I leave you for a family trip to Europe.” She was made of strong stuff, and we thought perhaps she might outlive us, but she always said she would only live until she was 90, and then she wanted to be done.

We had a big 90th birthday celebration for her in April 2019. Two months later, while my daughter and I were on an amazing kayaking trip in Vancouver that Grama had sent us on, she passed away.

Christmas that year was the best we’d ever had. I made a huge scavenger hunt that lasted all day and culminated in my kids finding their gift: a family trip to Portugal and the Canary Islands in June 2020. We were all over the moon. (Thanks, Grama.)

Book with confidence

I think you can surmise the rest of the story. In March, the world turned upside down. As our trip approached, it became sadly obvious that we weren’t going anywhere.

Because we had purchased and used travel insurance coverage after our kayaking trip, I once again purchased trip interruption/cancellation insurance for this holiday. With the wonderful service we previously received, we knew how important it was, so our claim went in.

As the many months rolled by, we really did begin to lose faith. There had probably been thousands of claims. Could we really trust ours would end in a positive outcome? I felt heartbroken that I could lose what Grama had left us.

Today, a cheque arrived that completely covered our loss. I don’t mind saying I couldn’t help the tears that came when I opened that letter. You will never know how much it has meant to our family to know that we didn’t lose that precious gift.

I can’t honestly say when or if we will feel comfortable replacing that trip, what with the topsy-turvy way things are going. If we do, please know that purchasing travel insurance from CAA will most certainly follow. Thank you from our family—and from Grama.

Planning to travel soon?

Get a free CAA Travel Insurance quote today. Visit us online, or call 1-800-267-8713 to speak to a CAA Travel Insurance Agent today. 

*Personal details have been removed to protect the privacy of the CAA Member. Letter has been edited for clarity and length.

CAA Travel Insurance is underwritten by Orion Travel Insurance Company, a CAA Company. Certain exclusions, limitations and restrictions apply. A medical questionnaire is required if you are 60 years of age and older. Quotes are valid for 30 days.