Opt Out

As a new international student studying at Vancouver Community College (VCC), you will be enrolled in the GuardMe More Enhanced health insurance plan for 3 months. This plan is mandatory for all new international students studying in Canada, and is a condition of studying at VCC. Your coverage period is based on your program start date.

Opt-Out Option: I have valid BC MSP Coverage

If you already have valid coverage through the BC Medical Services Plan (MSP) you may be able to opt out of the GuardMe More Enhanced health insurance plan. For the opt-out request to be accepted, you must successfully complete the opt-out form, including the alternate insurance declaration and identify your start date and end date under the other plan at the time you apply to opt out. Your BC MSP coverage must include your GuardMe coverage period or your opt-out request will be declined. The deadline to submit your opt out request is within one month after your GuardMe coverage period begins.

GuardMe coverage is not the same as MSP coverage. Coverages provided by GuardMe include additional benefits that MSP does not cover, which you can access during the mandatory coverage period. If you still wish to opt out and you have BC MSP Coverage for the GuardMe coverage period, fill out the opt-out form before the deadline.

Opt-Out Form: Only if you have BC MSP Coverage

Who We Are

Canadian. Independent. Trusted.

GuardMe a proudly Canadian-owned and independent company, has been unwavering in its commitment to safeguarding international students, staff, and schools since 1998. For nearly three decades, we've poured ourselves into building strong partnerships with educational institutions to bolster student support and foster safe, nurturing learning environments that make a difference.

As a trailblazer in the industry, GuardMe was the first to introduce a Wellness Program, recognizing that mental health is just as vital as physical well-being. Our 24/7 multilingual mental health helpline, virtual counselling, and crisis intervention services provide immediate, culturally sensitive support, empowering students to navigate life abroad confidently.

GuardMe was also the first provider to achieve ISO and SOC 2 compliance in both security and privacy. Unlike our venture-capital-backed competitors, we store all student data exclusively in Canadian data centres, safeguarded by some of the world's strictest privacy laws. With advanced encryption and continuous investment in security innovations, we set the industry benchmark for data protection.

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Mental Wellness Student Support Program

keep.meSAFE’s innovative Student Support Program (SSP) helps students by promoting early intervention and 24/7 access to mental health support. We help students manage their mental health so they can fully participate in academic life and complete their studies. keep.meSAFE is the first support program to use linguistically and culturally matched licensed clinicians, providing your students a welcoming place where they are comfortable to seek help.

Program Features

Did you know?

50%

50% of students have felt overwhelming anxiety, making it hard to succeed academically

31%

31% of post-secondary students have felt so depressed that it was difficult to function

Want more information?

Contact our keep.meSAFE sales team,
[email protected]
www.keepmesafe.org
If this is an emergency, please call 911 immediately.

Get support when you need it most

Studying at college or university whether in another country or another city can be a wonderful and exciting life experience. But it can also be a time of tremendous stress and isolation as you learn to navigate a new landscape and begin campus life.

The GuardMe Student Support Program is a support service available to eligible students that can help them with challenges faced when studying or living abroad. You can contact SSP anytime – day or night – to speak with a counsellor who has experience supporting the unique challenges students face.

Access support from anywhere and anytime

Download the TELUS Student Support App from either the Apple App Store or Google Play

Call 1-844-451-9700

Outside North America 001-416-380-6578

Chat directly with a counsellor through the app.

Visit www.gmssp.org to learn more!

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Provides you with confidential support

SSP is completely confidential within the limits of the law, so no one – including your family, friends, or professors – will ever know you  used the program unless you choose to tell them

Talk to a an SSP counsellor who

• Is available 24/7 and at no cost to you
• Keeps your information confidential
• Understands your culture
• Speaks your language

Get help and advice about anything

• Being successful at school
• Relationships with friends and family
• Language and cultural barriers
• Anxiety and stress
• Balancing work and school
• Adapting to new cultures

mobileDOCTOR by guard.me allows you to connect with Canadian doctors on Maple, a telemedicine company, as a part of your health benefits. Maple provides access to doctors, Canada wide, on your phone, tablet or computer anytime, anywhere.

Seeing a doctor on Maple is safe and reliable, and can help prevent the need to go to a walk-in clinic or Emergency Room.

When outside of Canada the Mobile Doctor service connecting you to a Canadian doctor in real time remains available 24/7 for advice purposes only.

How It Works

1. Sign Up At guard.me/mobiledoctorOpens a new window

You will need your policy number and date of birth.

Click here to SIGN UPOpens a new window

2. Apply account coverage for family members

To add insured family members, click on “Patient Profiles” from the dashboard. In “Account Settings” under the “Coverage” tab, add the relevant guard.me policy numbers.

3. Chat With A Doctor

Click the “See The Doctor” button and a Maple doctor will respond to you in minutes. You can have your consultation by text, video, or audio chat.

4. Get a diagnosis, prescription, or lab requisition

Doctors can diagnose injuries and illnesses, write prescriptions, and provide lab requisitions, all within your consultation. Please note that only eligible prescriptions and lab requisitions are covered by guard.me and can only be provided if you are in Canada.

What Can Be Treated

Cold & Flu

Coughs

Earaches

Hives

Infections

Pink Eye

Sinus Infections

Sore Throat

Urinary Tract Infections

Vomiting / Diarrhea

Sign up today at guard.me/mobiledoctorOpens a new window

Mobile Doctor - How To Video

Limitation on Liability

The Insurer, the Plan Administrator and/or the Claim Administrator are not responsible for the availability, quality or results of any Medical Treatment, or Your failure to obtain Medical Treatment or transportation and shall not be held liable for any negligence, wrongful acts or omissions of any service providers.

Do you need more information?

Please write to us at:
[email protected]