Guard.me@SFU is a short term primary medical insurance coverage for your first term at SFU. The goal of guard.me@SFU is to help you transition while you are waiting for your BC MSP. If you plan to live in BC for more than 6 months, under the Medicare Protection Act, you must enrol with the mandatory BC Medical Services Plan.

You will receive a welcome email from guard.me@SFU at the beginning of semester. This email will include a link to log into your account to view your policy details. You can view and download your Healthcare Access Card (HAC) which is your proof of insurance and will have your name, student number, policy number, and policy start and end date. You can also log in via Guard.me@SFU website.

This card can be used for direct billing at some pharmacies, medical clinics, and dental offices. Make sure to keep this for future reference as you will need it for direct billing or to submit a claim.  If you have not received an email from guard.me@SFU, please contact them at customercare@guard.me.

You should opt out of guard.me@SFU once you have applied and received proof of your BC MSP enrolment (scan copy of your valid BC Services Card, a current invoice or a letter confirming coverage). If you are a TSSU member, you may contact tssubens@sfu.ca to request a confirmation letter.

 To opt out of guard.me@SFU, visit their website. Click the "graduate" category and follow the opt-out instructions. To see the opt out deadlines for guard.me@SFU click here.

In order to successfully opt-out from guard.me with BC MSP, you must submit proof of MSP which must include a photo of your MSP card plus one of the following additional documents:

• Letter that was issued with the MSP card showing the effective date of your MSP coverage: click here to see a sample letter
• Current MSP bill showing effective coverage
• Health Insurance BC confirmation of MSP enrolment letter

Please note the following:

• Your BC MSP card must be valid the day you opt-out from the guard.me plan. Expired BC MSP card will not be accepted as a proof of coverage
• A Collections Notice cannot be used to opt-out
• The name and date of birth on your BC MSP card must match SFU records.
• If your MSP card is issued more than 3 months prior to the start of the semester, no additional document is required. You only need to submit a photo of your MSP card to opt out. 

When visiting any of the SFU Health Clinics, print out a copy of your Healthcare Access Card (HAC) from guard.me@SFU website. The HAC is your proof of insurance containing your coverage information. They will collect a copy for each visit and will directly bill guard.me@SFU on your behalf. No additional claim is required. You can search Guard.me preferred clinics near your location here. These clinics will allow direct billing.

For clinics that do not allow direct billing, you will need to pay upfront for the visit. Keep copies of all your payment receipts. To submit a claim, please visit guard.me@SFU to create an online account and upload copies of your receipts.

You may be eligible for a refund of the unused portion of your insurance if you have not made a claim and there is more than 1 month of coverage remaining when you apply through guard.me@SFU. Your application for a partial reimbursement must be received by guard.me@SFU before the last month of the term (that is, before April 1, August 1 and December 1). If approved, your partial refund will be applied to your SFU account.

If you are a TSSU member, in addition to the above, SFU HR will reimburse you a portion of the Guard.me@SFU fees you paid for the months while you waited for your MSP to become effective. For example, if your BC MSP becomes effective on November 1, SFU HR will reimburse you for September and October. This is a separate process from the cancellation of your Guard.me@SFU coverage. Please contact tssubens@sfu.ca for further questions.

Students staying in BC for 6 months or longer are required to enrol in the British Columbia Medical Services Plan under the Medicare Protection Act. There is a wait period of 2-3 months for new residents. In order to be covered during the wait period you may purchase a private medical insurance plan or please contact International Services for Students to learn about medical insurance options.

If you are a new international student at SFU, you will be automatically enrolled in guard.me@sfu plan for your first term while you wait for your BC MSP.

BC MSP provides primary medical coverage such as:

• services provided by a doctor
• X-rays, lab tests (as required by a doctor) 
• emergency dental and oral surgery in hospital

You must apply to enrol yourself (and any dependent family members) in the group plan upon arrival through SFU Human Resources. You can start the application process as soon as you receive your TSSU appointment. Please follow the instruction here (page 2).

As a new resident of Canada, there is a three month waiting period before MSP coverage can begin (the balance of the month of arrival in BC plus two full calendar months). The guard.me@SFU plan is designed to provide medical coverage during the waiting period, until you obtain MSP coverage and opt out. Guard Me coverage is automatic for international students. Dependent family members (i.e. spouse and/or dependent children) can be added by applying online.

When visiting a health clinic or hospital, you will be asked to show your BC Services Card as proof of enrolment. You will not be required to pay for the visit, they will bill BC MSP directly for eligible expenses. 

Only members of TSSU and their dependents on study permits are entitled to have their International Student Health Fee (ISHF) covered by SFU.

If you are an eligible TSSU member, you can enroll your spouse/dependents onto SFU's Group BC MSP Plan. Please note that they are only being charged the international student health fee if they are on a study permit. If they are on a study permit, the member can apply to add them to SFU’s plan to receive the benefit coverage.

If they are not on a study permit, you do not need to join your group plan and no action needs to be taken as they are not being charged the ISHF. 

Contact Health Insurance BC for questions about your account including personal information, effective dates, cancellation dates.

Contact Revenue Services for questions regarding your billing including outstanding invoices or receipts.

The Graduate Student Society (GSS) health and dental plan is in place to complement primary medical coverage (ie. BC MSP). Services not included by primary coverage (ie. vision and dental care) are included in the GSS plan.

Eligible students are automatically covered by and billed for applicable portions of the student plan (except if entering in summer term). Note that plan benefits are only accessible within Canada.

You may opt out of the GSS extended health plan if you have existing secondary coverage in BC. To opt out, you will be required to upload proof of coverage on the GSS Health and Dental website during the Change-of-Coverage Period.  

Please visit their website for more information. 

You can claim online, through a mobile app, or by mail.

Please allow up to two weeks for claims to be processed. 

For claim forms and more information, please visit the GSS Health and Dental website. 

You can reach a representative by calling the Care Centre at 236-427-8123, Mon. - Fri. from 9 am to 5 pm. Or you can visit Studentcare Care Office in-person which is located at the Student Union Building (SUB) 2301 on SFU Burnaby campus, Mon. - Fri. from 9 am to 5 pm.

As a student at SFU, you are automatically enrolled into the GSS/SFSS plan for the entire academic year whereas the TSSU plan is not automatic and it is for the duration of your TSSU appointment only. 

Should you opt in for the TSSU benefits, you will have to be enrolled through SFU Human Resources.

Yes, you can have both. One benefit is that you can claim eligible medical and dental expenses to both plans and receive higher amount of reimbursement.

However, you will need to compare the two policies and all the information to make an informed decision that fits your individual needs. 

Yes, you can opt out of the GSS/SFSS plan if you have the TSSU plan. However, before you make this decision, please note the duration of these plans first.

Once you opt out of the GSS/SFSS health and dental plan, you cannot re-enroll in the plan for the entire academic year. Hence there is a risk of having no secondary medical insurance coverage if your TSSU appointment ends in the middle of the academic year. Also, there is a 3-month waiting period for the TSSU dental plan.