Health insurance

If you arrive before the insurance start date, it is important that you purchase your own health insurance from the date of arrival in Canada up to the insurance start date. Please visit guard.me International Insurance to apply for insurance coverage for additional days. Please note that an Early Arrival policy can only be purchased up to 4 weeks prior to the semester start date. 

Dependents (spouses and children) of registered students are able to purchase health insurance through guard.me at a discounted rate. Visit the guard.me and click on “Dependents” to proceed. You’ll need your policy number to purchase insurance for dependents.

If you need to access medical facilities for your dependents while you’re waiting for your insurance card, you’re encouraged to do so. You’ll have to pay for the expense upfront, and make sure you keep the receipt and related notes of these visits.

Important: One you receive your policy number, you have until the end of the month to add your dependents to be able to back-date your insurance. Here are the deadlines to add your dependents to allow back-date:

• Fall: Sept. 30
• Winter: Jan. 31
• Summer: May 31

You’ll receive an email to your Georgian College email account after the add/drop period in your first semester at Georgian*. Be sure to check your spam or junk folder. The email will include a link to access your policy details and personalized Healthcare Access Card. You won’t receive a physical card, so you must print the card on your own.

Keep the ID card with you in your wallet for proof of health insurance coverage. You’ll also receive a temporary password you can use to log in your account at the guard.me website to allow you access to your ID card and view the status of any claims.

Once you’re registered into courses in an academic semester or you’re registered for a work term/co-op term in Banner, your coverage for health insurance will begin for that term. Even though you receive your card after the start of your first semester, you’re covered from the first day of your first month. If you need to seek medical care before you receive your card, make sure you’re familiar with what is covered. Keep all of your receipts so that you may submit your claim online once you receive your card.

If you still cannot find your policy information a week after add/drop, please email intlinsurance@georgiancollege.ca or visit your Segal International Centre on campus.

* EAP students will receive a new digital health card at the start of each semester.

In most cases, you’ll receive a digital health card in your student email after add/drop date. If you do not receive the insurance card by the end of the week after add/drop, please contact us at intlinsurance@georgiancollege.ca.

If you’re on a co-op term, the timing will be different.

Yes. All registered international students at Georgian College are required to have guard.me insurance. As long as you’re registered on Banner, you’ll be insured. This means although you do not pay tuition fee in co-op semester, you’ll have to pay for the insurance fee.

Expect a charge on your Banner account once you register for your co-op. This could mean that if you register late, even if it is after add/drop, you can have health insurance charge on your Banner account at that point. When you’re on co-op, you’ll have until the next course registration to pay off your balance.

If you do not receive an email from guard.me with your health insurance card, check to make sure you’re registered on Banner. If you’re registered in courses or co-op/work term and don’t have a health insurance card, please drop by the Segal International Centre (C279) and let us know. If you’re are not registered in courses or co-op/work term, please register on Banner or visit the Office of the Registrar. Don’t forget to check your spam or junk email folders for the email.

To find the clinic closest to your home, visit guard.me. Once you fill in your address, it will give you a list of the closest clinics. The clinics listed are all direct billing locations.

You can still visit a clinic that isn’t on the list, but you’ll have to pay for the service up front.

If you visit the doctor’s office without your guard.me card or visit a health facility that does not provide direct billing, you’ll be asked to pay up front for your medical expenses. Keep your receipt so you can make a claim with guard.me and be refunded.

You can make a claim online if the receipt is under $1,000 by visiting guard.me and clicking on My Claim, then Making a Claim. You’ll be asked to enter your policy number and date of birth. Click Submit and continue the steps through the claim process. On the last page, you’ll be asked to fill in your address. Please ensure your address details are accurate as this is where the cheque will be mailed. You’ll also be asked to scan and attach your receipt(s). If your receipt is over $1,000, you’ll have to submit your claim by mail.

guard.me health insurance is mandatory for all international students who are registered for courses or a co-op/work term in Banner. That means that if you’re currently in courses or on a co-op/work term, you can’t opt-out, and this includes students with OHIP coverage.

Get more information on GCSA insurance coverage. This coverage applies to postsecondary students in a full-time diploma, degree, or certificate program.

If the coverage date on your guard.me card is expiring and you’ll be coming back to study at Georgian College, you can purchase health insurance for the gap between programs. Visit guard.me and follow the steps for “gap student.”

Please refer to the coverage dates above to be sure that you don’t purchase health insurance for longer then you need.

• Dermatologist: To visit a dermatologist, you’ll likely have to be referred by a doctor which means you’ll need to visit the doctor’s office first. Remember, guard.me doesn’t cover any pre-existing conditions (including acne).
  If you’re unsure whether your dermatologist visit will be covered, email claims@guard.me.
• Dentist: guard.me International Insurance will only cover a visit to a dentist if it’s an emergency or immediate relief of pain or suffering. If you’re a postsecondary student, you may be eligible under mystudent plan.
• Eye doctor: You’ll be covered for one non-emergency eye exam per year up to a maximum of $120. There is no insurance coverage for contacts or glasses.
• Immunizations: You’ll be covered up to $150 for program/course required immunizations. Any immunizations that are not required for your program/course won’t be covered.
• If you’re unsure what us covered by guard.me, contact the guard.me claims department at 1.888.756.8428 or email claims@guard.me.

Your guard.me insurance is valid until the expiry date, even after your graduation.

It is strongly recommended to extend your guard.me insurance if you’re not going to have any other insurance coverage.

In order to be covered under Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP), you’ll need the physical copy of your Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP). Because of this, it may be a while before you’ll be eligible for OHIP coverage. For more information, check the OHIP eligibility and read the PGWP processing times.

You must extend your guard.me insurance within 30 days from the expiry of your current guard.me policy. You can purchase up to maximum of six months. Please visit guard.me and click on “Grad student” to purchase the insurance.

If you officially withdraw from the college (or transfer to another institution) after the add/drop deadline, your health insurance coverage won’t be terminated and fees won’t be refunded. Your health insurance will expire on the date indicated on your health card.

If you do not register into courses in an academic semester or do not register for a work-term/co-op term in Banner, you won’t be covered by health insurance. It is your responsibility to ensure you have health insurance while in Canada by checking with the International Centre. If you’re out of the normal program progression, it is your responsibility to ensure you have health insurance by checking with the International Centre. You may have to pay additional health insurance fees due to your irregular program progression.

Students can be charged insurance in more than one semester, in an academic year, due to program changes, progression changes/being out of sequence or co-op registration.

This additional charge will be removed from your account by the following dates;

• Winter 2021: Jan. 29
• Summer 2021: May 21

If the charge has not been removed, please contact intlinsurance@georgiancollege.ca