Guard.me temporary medical insurance through BCIT
BCIT will plan to provide you with Guard.me medical insurance if you:
- submitted an International Flexible Learning Program Application form,
- do not provide proof of having your own medical insurance to cover you in Canada, and
- register for courses and pay (tuition deposit or course fees directly).
Coverage period
Guard.me insurance is intended only to cover your wait period for BC Medical Services Plan. This is generally your first 3 calendar months as a resident of BC (i.e. study permit holder). Note that time spent in BC as a visitor does not count towards towards your MSP coverage wait period.
The default Guard.me coverage period depends on which term you plan to begin your Flexible Learning program. Note that coverage is always done as 3 calendar months.
| Planned starting term | Months of Guard.me coverage |
| Winter | December, January & February |
| Spring/Summer | March, April & May |
| Fall | August, September & October |
Request to change coverage months
If you plan to arrive in BC during a different month than when your Guard.me coverage would normally begin (see table above), you should request to change your months of Guard.me coverage by sending an email to international_flex@bcit.ca with your:
- name,
- BCIT student number, and
- your planned date of arrival in BC.
Adding dependents
If you will be traveling with dependents such as your spouse or children it is possible to add them to your Guard.me private medical insurance policy. Dependents of current BCIT students are eligible for the discounted rate of $2 per day.
Option A: Do-it-yourself on Guard.me’s website
This option allows you to quickly add your dependents online 24/7 for your convenience, and to choose exact dates of coverage within your own coverage period. Note that you can only add dependents via this option AFTER your Guard.me medical insurance has been activated and and you have received your Policy #, which would typically happen at least one week before your planned arrival in Canada.
Follow the steps below:
- Check your myBCIT email inbox for your confirmation email from Guard.me, and make note of your Policy #.
- Visit the Guard.me portal for BCIT students and click the Dependents button, then enter your Policy # and date of birth.
- Enter the information required for each of your dependents and pay the fee online (by credit card) directly to Guard.me.
Option B: Request and pay to BCIT
If you have not yet traveled to Canada and your Guard.me policy has not been issued yet, then you may request for BCIT to charge you an additional fee for your dependents and to enrol your entire family in Guard.me at the same time. The fee and coverage dates are the same for each of your dependents as for yourself (normally $180 per person for 3 calendar months of coverage).
To request this option, email us at international_flex@bcit.ca with:
- your name & student number
- the full name, gender, date of birth, and relationship to you (spouse, child, or parent) for each family member that you wish to cover
- your planned date to arrive in BC
We will reply with further details and instruction about how to pay.