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.
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
To receive the discounted U of G group rate for your Guard.Me travel health insurance, make sure you purchase your Guard.Me Travel Health Insurance from the Guelph portal.
- When you open the Guelph portal, click 'Students'
- Enter your personal information (e.g, student number and date of birth)
- Enter your travel information and coverage dates (dates you will be travelling)
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).
Yes. There are no exemptions from purchasing Guard Me 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.