GuardMe Travel Health Insurance | Study Abroad

Students participating in a University of Guelph related international experience are required to purchase GuardMe travel health insurance. This includes students participating in a study abroad program (exchange, field school, etc.), or are travelling through an academic field trip, conference, research, co-op, etc.

Purchase your GuardMe Travel Insurance

Policy Documents

About GuardMe Travel Insurance Plans

When purchasing Guard.Me travel health insurance, students have a choice between Plan A and Plan B. Plan B is the minimum requirement, but students can choose which plan best suits their needs and budget.

Please Note: While Guard Me offers comprehensive travel health coverage, it does not cover everything. Read the policy carefully to understand what exclusions there may be, including, high-risk activities (think bungie jumping, sky-diving, mountain climbing), pre-existing conditions, and health care costs due to inebriation; these are standard exclusions listed by most insurance companies. Know your policy and behave accordingly. Furthermore, policy details, coverages and availability can change at any time and you should always verify your policy details on the GuardMe website at the time of purchase.

Policy Summary

Benefits Section	Plan A	Plan B
Travel Assistance	Included	Included
Trip Cancellation & Trip Interruption
Trip Cancellation	Trip cost up to $5,000	-
Trip Interruption-Unused Land	Trip cost up to $5,000	-
Trip Interruption-Return Flight	Trip cost up to $5,000	-
Act of Terrorism	See page 9	-
Accommodation & Meals	$300	-
Trip Delay
Trip Delay	$1,500	-
Accommodation & Meals	$200	-
Emergency Medical
Hospital & Medical	$2,000,000	$2,000,000
Accidental Dental	$1,500	$1,500
Emergency Medical Evacuation/Return Home	$2,000,000	$2,000,000
Accommodation & Meals	$450	$450
Incidental Expenses	$250	$250
Repatriation of Remains	$2,000,000	$2,000,000
Cremation/Burial at Destination	$5,000	$5,000
Baggage & Personal Effects
Baggage & Personal Effects	$800	$800
Baggage Delay	$100	$100
Maximum Per Item	$300	$300
Personal Money	$100	$100
Accidental Death and Dismemberment
Accidental Death and Dismemberment	$25,000	$25,000

GuardMe Travel Insurance FAQ

How do I purchase the Guard.Me Travel Health Insurance?

How do I know if I should purchase policy A or B?

Plan B is the minimum requirement for all U of G students pursuing an international learning experience. Plan B offers comprehensive coverage of emergency medical, baggage and personal effects, and accidental death and dismemberment for approximately $1.65 per day.

Plan A covers everything that Plan B covers, plus trip cancellation, interruption, and delay. The additional sections covered in Plan A can help when an unexpected event causes a delay, cancellation, or interruption of your scheduled travel date. The full details of what is covered can be found in the Plan A Policy document. Plan A costs approximately $2.05/day for 4 months of coverage but has an initial up-front fee for the cancellation and interruption coverage which can make it significantly more expensive than plan B for shorter trips.

*Please note, the trip cancellation coverage included in Plan A does not cover trips that are cancelled due to a change in the Government of Canada travel advisory. Should the advisory change from a level 1 or 2 to a level 3 or 4 before your departure, which causes your trip to be cancelled, you will not receive the trip cancellation insurance (exemption listed on page 21 of policy A under exemption number 21).

If I am covered under another insurance policy, do I still need to purchase the Guard.Me travel health insurance?

If I am required to purchase health insurance from my host university/country, am I still required to purchase the Guard.Me travel health insurance?

Yes. There are no exemptions from purchasing Guard Me insurance. For example, even if your exchange host university or country requires you to buy a mandatory health insurance plan (such as OSCH in Australia) you must still purchase Guard Me insurance. While other plans may cover you for basic medical care in your host country, they often do not cover students for such things as travel to other countries, emergency evacuation, repatriation, or flying a loved one to be with you if you are hospitalized. Therefore, having the Guard Me insurance is necessary.

Pre-Departure Study Abroad Resources

Prepare for your study abroad experience with essential checklists, timelines, and mandatory orientation requirements. Once you accept your placement, you’ll be enrolled in DepartSmart and invited to our pre-departure conference to help you travel with confidence. If you haven't applied yet, Step 1 is attending a mandatory Study Abroad Information Session.

Pre-Departure Resources

Attend a Study Abroad Info Session