Off Campus Travel Insurance
The university requires that everyone traveling for university affairs, must have travel medical insurance in place prior to and for the duration of their trip. To support this requirement the university does include travel medical insurance as part of the benefits package for faculty and staff. The Students Union (SU) and the Graduate Students Association (GSA) also provides this to their members.
Prior to any travel, you should familiarise yourself with your location of travel and available travel medical insurance. For higher risk countries or locations that the Government of Canada has a travel advisory of 'avoid non-essential travel' or 'avoid all travel', there may be impacts to your available insurance coverage. For all other destinations, travelers should still review their own needs. What may be common treatment in Canada, may not be easily treatable in the destination country.
In addition all insurers have exclusions and/or limitations that you should be aware of. We have included a list of the common exclusions for your convenience. All insurers will be somewhat different. Please contact your provider in advance of travel to review and confirm your travel medical coverage.
Below are links that direct the processes applicable for all different types of international travelers.
Travel Medical Insurance
Undergraduate & Graduate Students for all travel must either be enrolled in the Student’s Union plan, Graduate Students Association plan or parent's policy and/or any other qualified travel medical insurance program.
Travel Requirements
Must meet all travel procedural requirements based on traveler type ( International Education + Enrolment.
Staff, Faculty, Postdoctoral Fellow can find information about their Sunlife Travel Health Benefits through Human Resources, Health, Safety and Environment
Your SAFETY IS A PRIORITY. When traveling for university affairs, it is important that you take the time to review the Off Campus Travel Procedure.
Steps Staff Should Take Prior to International Travel
- Review the Off Campus Travel Procedure
- Identify & Understand Your Travel Medical Insurance Coverage, Exclusions and/or Limitations. Contact Sunlife to understand your Travel Health Benefits including any limitations for length of travel and location.
- Register in Canadian Travel Abroad .
- Consider downloading the ISOS app to support easy access to information while in-transit and in the course of the approved travel itinerary.
All policies of insurance include exclusions that identify when your insurance will not provide coverage. It is important that you review the approved plans ‘prior’ to travel. Key examples of when travel medical insurer may not provide coverage include:
- If your physician has advised against travel due to any pre-existing medical condition, if you have been diagnosed with a terminal illness, and/or are over 60 or 65 years of age when traveling.
- If you are retired but are approved for international travel on behalf of the University, please contact employee benefits within Human Resources to verify that you continue to have coverage under the university’s Sun Life benefit plan.
- Travel warnings and/or advisory language related to epidemics, pandemics and or communicable diseases.
- Travel warnings and/or advisory language related to security risk including undeclared war, civil war, rebellion, revolution or insurrection.
- Injury or loss sustained while you are under the influence of a drug or substance including alcohol.
- Time duration of travel can vary with most insurers NOT extending coverage past 90 or 120 days.
- A sickness or injury that, at the time of departure, might reasonably be expected to require you to undergo treatment, investigation, surgery or hospitalization.
- Sickness or injury due to participation in any professional sport and/or other higher risk extra-curricular activities such as scuba diving.
Should you become ill or injured in the course of your travel, it is important that you contact your insurer in advance of seeking treatment to avoid denial and/or reduction of your travel medical claim.
Other insurance
Property Insurance
The university insures all property that is owned by the university. More information can be found on our property insurance page. Any personal property that you take is not insured by the university, but should be covered by your homeowner or tenants insurance policy. Please review your policy for any exclusions or limitations on this policy.
Liability Insurance
Staff, faculty and students are covered by liability insurance during travel that is part of university affairs. Further information on coverage is available on our liability insurance page.
Vehicle Insurance
If you are operating a vehicle in the course of your travel for university affairs, please ensure you follow the university’s Vehicle Management and Driver Safety Policy.
Please also review your rental vehicle options to ensure you are compliant with policy, and covered by automobile insurance.
Workers Compensation Coverage
Please refer to the Student WCB page. Requirements for workers compensation coverage outside of Canada is based on that specific country’s requirement. Workers Compensation Alberta may or may not be extended. WCB should be contacted directly