Machka 

I use travel insurance ... never leave the country without it. Most of the time I got my travel insurance through CAA (Canadian Automobile Association) with whom I had a membership and from whom I also picked up a lot of travel information (maps, accommodations booklets, etc.) Insurance through CAA was relatively inexpensive (I'd have to dig out the paperwork, but it seems to me it was something like $250 for 3 months).

When I travelled to Australia in 2009, I came here on a visitor's visa first so I got travel insurance as usual. But this time I went through one of the Canadian banks which had a marginally better rate than CAA.

Now I can't really compare the two when it comes to invoking the insurance because I did not have to invoke the CAA insurance ever on any of my trips. However, in 2009, I did have to invoke the bank travel insurance because I developed DVT on my flight here, and eventually ended up in hospital for 2 weeks, plus ongoing treatment after. What a pain!! It took months to settle everything! I had applied for, and received my Temporary Spouse Visa and was working here more than 6 months later before everything was finally paid. But ... the entire hospital stay, all the tests I had, and the treatment while I was in hospital and for about a week after, etc. etc. were all covered. I paid about $250 or so for the 3 months of insurance, and they paid thousands of dollars for my medical treatment.

We are with the RACV here in Australia (sort of similar to CAA in Canada) so when we travel, we'll look into their travel insurance plans.