International students receive mandatory 12-month health insurance while registered at Loyalist College. It is highly recommended that you purchase your own travel insurance while travelling and for time spent in Canada before the effective coverage dates listed below.
Your tuition payment as an international student includes the mandatory annual health insurance through Guard.me which is arranged automatically for registered students. Students who do not confirm with the International Centre that they are planning to arrive and begin classes will not be automatically registered for this insurance and therefore will not be covered. Medical attention can be extremely expensive in Canada, so it is very important to have this coverage.
Effective Coverage Dates:
September Intake September 1 – August 31
January Intake January 1 – December 31
May Intake May 1 – April 30
How to activate Guard.ME account and download Healthcare Access Card:
Students will receive a welcome email from Guard.ME in myLoyalist email the Day 10 after the beginning of your first semester. Please follow these steps to activate Guard.ME account:
- Go to Loyalist College | guard.me
- Click on My Account and login with your myLoyalist email address
- A link to set-up your password was emailed to you from guard.ME. If you cannot find the email, you can reset your account by clicking on “Forget your password”.
- Enter your myLoyalist email and a link will be sent to that email address. You must use your myLoyalist email for your guard.ME account.
- Click on the link in the email and follow the prompts.
- The email will direct you to set-up your guard.ME account.
- From the Dashboard, click on “Download Heathcare Access Card” and save it on your phone
Please note that even though you could download healthcare access card after Day 10 of program starts, your policy is still in effect at the first day of that month. If you need to seek medical help before you receive your policy, make sure you are familiar with what is covered. Keep all your receipts and invoices so that you may submit your claim online once you access your Guard.ME account.
What is NOT covered?
The Guard.me policy is considered accidental/emergency healthcare coverage in Canada and does not cover every medical expense. It is very important as an international student that you read all the information related to your policy to understand what is and is not covered. Chronic conditions, pre-existing conditions, pregnancy along with others expenses are NOT covered as outlined on page 3 of the Guard.me Policy under ‘Exclusions’. We encourage students to review the Guard.me Benefit Summary and Orientation for more information.
Tip: prior to receiving medical treatment, it is advisable to contact Guard.ME to ensure that your medical care will be covered.
Guard.me More Enhanced Presentation
MobileDOCTOR:
As part of your Guard.me policy you can access the services of mobileDOCTOR which is a healthcare app for fast, convenient 24/7 access to a Canadian Doctor online. The mobileDOCTOR service is available for FREE for students who have an active Guard.me policy, you can download the app here: mobileDOCTOR App
Be sure to enter your correct policy number and date of birth.
MobileDOCTOR regularly treats common medical conditions such as:
- Cold/Flu
- Eye/Ear Infections
- Allergic Reactions/Rashes
- Minor Injuries (such as sprains and burns)
- Vomiting/Diarrhea
- Headaches/Fevers
- Sore Throats
- and many other medical conditions
Guard.me Video Tutorials
How to create an account using the Guard.me website
How to find a doctor or a Canadian clinic using the Guard.me website
Frequently Asked Questions
Medical insurance in Canada is very different and can be very expensive in Canada then in other countries around the world. The policy purchase is an investment in your health and can save you money should you need unexpected medical care. Your annual Guard.me policy is considered accidental and emergency care only.
Examples of medical cost in Canada without insurance:
- Visit to a doctor or a specialist = $60 - $300
- Ambulance service = $250 - $900
- Emergency room visit = $500 - $1,500
- Overnight stay in hospital per night = $2,000 - $4,000
- Broken arm = $3,000+
- Appendix surgery = $16,000+
The annual health insurance arranged with tuition is not in effect until first day of the month for your semester intake (eg: September 1, January 1 or May 1). New students who filling out travel webform will automatically be arranged “Early Arrival Health Insurance” from school. The daily rate of $1.65 will be added to Loyalist College student account.
You need to download the “Healthcare Access Card” from Guard.ME account and present it to healthcare provider. Some providers do “direct billing” – which will not require you to pay them and they will charge Guard.ME directly. Some providers who do not do direct billing will require you to pay them; in this case, you must keep the original receipts and invoices, then submit a claim to Guard.ME to get reimburse for the eligible charges.
At every doctor visit, make sure to bring your:
- Guard.ME healthcare access card
- Photo identification
- Money to pay for the visit (if the clinic does not have “Direct Billing”)
Please find those clinics by following the steps below:
- Go to Loyalist College | guard.me
- Enter your address or postal code.
- The map will display the list if clinics near that address and some are marked as “Guard.ME Preferred Clinic”. These clinics are familiar with Guard.ME policies and they are able to bill the insurance provider directly.
If you end up going to a healthcare provider that does not do direct billing, you will need to pay them yourself. Be sure to keep all receipts and invoices. You will now need to submit a claim to Guard.ME in order to be reimbursed for the eligible charges.
You can submit a claim quickly and easily by logging into your account at My Account - Loyalist College | guard.me
- Please provide the documents:
- Your policy number as it appears on your Guard.ME healthcare access card
- Your date of birth
- Scanned receipts and invoices
- Scanned medical records (if applicable)
You can find their contact information on their website here: Contact - Loyalist College | guard.me
If you are a current Loyalist student and would like to purchase insurance for your spouse and/or children, you can do so through the Guard.ME website.
- Go to: Dependents - Loyalist College | guard.me
- Click on "Add Dependents" and follow the on-screen instructions
- The cost is $1.65 per day per person
Be sure to familiarize yourself with what is covered under the policy before purchasing. Please note that guard.ME requires students to purchase the same coverage period that matches theirs as the principal policy holder.
If you are graduating and you wish to be covered after your current policy expires, guard.ME offers insurance for recent graduates. It can be purchased through Graduates - Loyalist College | guard.me at the cost of $1.65 per day.
The coverage is different from what you received while you are a student, so it is recommended that you read the policy wording. Guard.ME requires recent graduates to purchase a minimum of 6 months and a maximum of 1 year for coverage. You must apply for the graduate insurance within 30 days of the expiry date of your current active guard.ME policy or you will no longer be eligible.
Health
Loyalist’s Health Centre is staffed by a full-time registered nurse, support specialist and part-time attending physician. It provides comprehensive, high-quality and responsive health care services and coordinates the immunization clearance for students attending placements. If you need to see a nurse or doctor, you should go to the College’s Health Centre located in Room 1H7, or call 613-969-1913, ext. 2374.
For medical treatment, you can also visit one of the following Belleville medical clinics:
| Belleville Medical Clinics |
|---|
| Loyalist Health Centre 1st Floor, 376 Wallbridge-Loyalist Road Belleville, ON K8N 4Z2 613-969-1913, ext. 2374 |
| Bayview Medical Clinic 274 Dundas Street East Belleville, ON K8N 1E6 613-968-5709 |
| Great Lakes Walk-In Clinic & Belleville Pharmacy 690 Sidney Street Belleville, ON K8P 4A8 613-967-9595 |
| Hastings and Prince Edward Counties Health Unit 179 North Park Street Belleville, ON K8P 4P1 613-966-5500 |
| Belleville General Hospital (Quinte Health Care) 265 Dundas Street East Belleville, ON K8N 5A9 613-969-7400 |