The GSU is located at 16 Bancroft Avenue.
*** WINTER 2013 OPT-IN & OPT-OUT PERIOD IS CLOSED ***
Opt-out cheques will be mailed out by the end of March
Our Health and Dental Insurance Office
GSU Building
16 Bancroft Ave, Toronto, M5S 1C1
Regular Hours
Monday – Friday: 10am – 4pm
Special Hours Feb 11-15, 2013: 10am – 3pm
Family premium receipts for Teaching Assistants can be picked up on Mondays & Thursdays (ONLY), between Noon-2pm
General Information
The health insurance brochure and all coverage details are now only available through the Green Shield Website.
The Graduate Students Health Plan provides students with unique health benefits. The plan, administered by Green Shield, was designed to provide many important services and cover expenses not covered by a basic health-care plan (i.e. OHIP), or the equivalent (such as UHIP for international students) such as prescription drugs, health practitioners, medical equipment, travel health coverage, and more.
Most Plan benefits are effective across Canada and anywhere in the world for the duration of the coverage. Reimbursements are in Canadian funds and are calculated at the exchange rate of the day the claim is processed. Reimbursement is limited to what the service would have cost if done in Canada. See the Green Shield Website. for full benefit details.
Health and Dental Coverage: Who is covered?
Full and part-time graduate students are automatically covered by the GSU Dental Plan (except Toronto School of Theology, see “Who is not covered” below), but only full-time graduate students are automatically covered by the Health Plan. Please visit the Green Shield Canada Student Centre for important benefit plan information and to view the detailed Benefit Booklet.
Coverage for students that begin in the fall semester will start September 1. However, Green shield is unable to process your claims or confirm your eligibility until they receive your enrolment information in late early November from the University. Please keep your receipts for any claims that you incur until your coverage is activated (approximately November 15th), and then submit them to Green Shield Canada for processing. Claiming instructions are included under FAQ: Submitting a Claim on the Green Shield website. The cost of the plan for an individual student is covered by the GSU Fee.
Students starting in the summer session (May to August) – are charged the upcoming academic year fees. Coverage begins in September.
Health and Dental Exceptions: Who is not Covered?
1) Students who are not Graduate Students (such as post-degree students, students on leave of absence, incoming exchange students from another university).
2) Toronto School of Theology graduate students are covered by UTSU’s insurance plan. If you are one of these students, go to UTSU’s website here or call 416-978-4911 X 227 for more information.
Health and Dental Coverage: Who else can get coverage?
Your spouse, partner, and/or children may be eligible to join your plan. Please see the Family Coverage page for more information.
Opting-Out: Is coverage mandatory?
If you are a student that already has equivalent insurance, you may opt-out of the GSU’s health and dental plans. OHIP and UHIP alone are not equivalent plans. You must opt-out annually, at the beginning of the term you are first registered in. Students who missed the deadline in the Fall can not opt out again until the following year. You cannot rejoin the plan after you have opted-out, so check the expiry date on your insurance. For more information, please see the Opting-Out page.
Travel Insurance: Emergency Medical Coverage
The Travel Benefits portion of your insurance plan offered by the GSU is provided by RSS Insurance Services Canada, and covers the first 60-days of your trip.
You can extend your travel insurance beyond the 60 day period allowed under the GSU Travel Benefit Plan. The GSU has secured a significant discount for all GSU members who wish to purchase travel insurance beyond the GSU plan. For more information to extend (top up) your travel coverage, contact RSS Insurance Services Toll Free at: 1-877-832-6025.
If you have an emergency, please call the toll-free numbers below. You must give them your policy # which is 28556323 followed by your id which is: your student #. They are available to take your call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can arrange direct payment if expenses are over $200.00 Canadian.
In Canada or USA call 1-866-870-1898
Elsewhere call collect 0-819-566-1898
Graduated: Does coverage continue?
Students who have graduated can keep their coverage after graduation for a fee. Please see the Extended Insurance page for more information.
More information
Please see the FAQ for answers to additional HDI related questions before contacting our offices.
If you have any questions regarding the GSU Health & Dental Insurance Plan, please contact:
Green Shield (plan administrator)
1-888-711-1119
GSU Insurance Office (16 Bancroft Ave.)
416-978-8465, health@utgsu.ca