COVID-19 – Group insurance

Due to the current situation, we've temporarily stopped printing and mailing insurance certificates for both new and existing clients.

You can find documents and information on your group insurance plan (such as your summary of benefits or your payment card) online anytime on the plan members' secure site under Your account. Your payment card is also available on the Omni mobile app. If necessary, you can give your insurance information to the health professional verbally so they can process your claim.

Your plan administrator will be able to give you this information.

A dependent who is duly registered as a full-time student at an educational institution and who is unable to attend for reasons related to COVID-19 will not be penalized. They will keep their student status until the next school term.

No. Getting the COVID-19 vaccine will not affect your life, health or disability coverage in any way. The vaccine doesn't exclude you from ANY coverage. All the clauses in your contract remain valid. Please continue to follow public health recommendations and guidelines to limit the spread of COVID-19.

Absolutely. However, given the current situation and the possibility of delays in postal and/or administrative services, we encourage you to use our online services.

How to submit claims online:

• You can submit claims for most health services via the plan members' secure site or the Omni mobile app.
• If you can't find the care or service you want to submit a claim for in our online tools, you can submit healthcare claims (including your 19132 form and receipts) and dental claims (including your 19110 form and receipts) onlineExternal link. Opens in a new window.. We also encourage you to fill out the "Direct Deposit Service" section of the form so your reimbursements can be deposited directly in your bank account.
• You can also submit a disability claim onlineExternal link. Opens in a new window., along with the required forms (employee statementExternal link. Opens in a new window., employer statementExternal link. Opens in a new window., illness confirmation formExternal link. Opens in a new window.).

We already accept virtual consultations for a number of counsellors and health professionals. Given the current circumstances, we've expanded our list of counsellors and health professionals who are eligible for reimbursement.

Here is the list of professionals we will accept virtual consultations for. Single asterisks indicate professionals added temporarily and double asterisks indicate professionals added permanently.

We reserve the right to revise this list as the situation evolves. Only virtual consultations permitted by the professional association or order are eligible for reimbursements. In the case of dentists, the only eligible expenses are those incurred for an emergency consultation. Eligibility for reimbursement is subject to the provisions of your insurance contract.

Your health, safety and well-being are priorities for us. If you are having trouble getting the required form filled out by your treating physician, please call us at 1-844-410-6485 This link opens your default phone software..

Since Monday, June 15, pharmacists have been able to prescribe drugs the same way they used to before the COVID-19 pandemic, that is, according to the patient’s needs and available supplies. However, many drugs for treating chronic illnesses are still in short supply and the ongoing situation means we still have to be careful, particularly in preparation for a possible second wave of COVID-19.

Please check with your plan administrator to find out whether your organization’s plan covers them.

You will be covered if you meet the following conditions, as well as the other conditions of your insurance (for example, your health must be stable before your departure):

• In the 30 days before your departure you had no symptoms AND received no positive test results OR
• On your departure date, you no longer have symptoms AND you have a negative test result

PCR and rapid antigen tests are both accepted, but the test must have been administered by a healthcare professional who is authorized to do so (screening centre, private lab, pharmacy, etc.). For example, a rapid antigen test performed by a pharmacist in a pharmacy is acceptable, provided that the results are certified by the pharmacist. Self-tests (rapid tests) performed at home are not accepted, except if they are done under the supervision of a virtual medicine health professional.

In all cases, you must obtain a personalized proof of your test result and your result must be certified by the healthcare professional.

Yes. If the Canadian government has issued a level 1, 2 or 3 travel advisory for your destination, you'll be covered for emergency healthcare, even if you get sick with COVID-19. You must, of course, meet all other conditions for insurability (for example, your medical condition must be stable before you leave).

However, you won't be covered if the Canadian government has issued a level 4 travel advisory (avoid all travel), if such an exclusion appears in your contract.

Government of Canada risk levels and advisories

• Level 1: Exercise normal security precautions
• Level 2: Exercise a high degree of caution
• Level 3: Avoid non-essential travel
• Level 4: Avoid all travel

If you need emergency healthcare while on your trip, our assistance service will do everything it can to direct you to the available resources.

If the travel advisory level was 1, 2 or 3 when you left, you'll be covered for emergency healthcare under the travel insurance benefit. However, you must make arrangements to leave as soon as possible—within 14 days of the government advisory being issued.

Your insurance doesn't cover fees for COVID-19 tests, whether you take them as a precaution or because they're required by a transportation company or Canadian or foreign government authorities.

However, you can claim these costs under your Health Spending Account (HSA), if your plan includes one.

Yes. Travellers who haven't been vaccinated against COVID-19 are still covered by their travel insurance. It's the same as when travellers choose not to get vaccinated against yellow fever or other vaccine-preventable diseases.

Call our assistance service:

Yes. It doesn't matter if you're vaccinated in Canada or abroad. Your travel insurance covers you if you become suddenly and unexpectedly ill. You're still covered if you get vaccinated and need emergency medical attention to treat the side effects.

Yes.

Your living expenses will be covered under the travel insurance benefit, as described in your policy.

If you have trip cancellation insurance, you'll be covered for things like the additional cost to change the date and time of your flight.

To submit a claim, please go to the online claims page External link. Opens in a new window.. We suggest that you contact your travel service provider or airline carrier first to find out what their policies are.

Unfortunately, no. Though we're aware of the difficulties caused by current wait times at Service Canada, an expired or delayed passport is not an accepted reason for trip cancellation. It's your responsibility to have the required valid travel documents.

To see which countries and regions are affected by a consular notification, refer to the Government of Canada's website External link. Opens in a new window..

Unfortunately, no. A travel credit issued by a travel service is considered a reimbursement. Therefore, your trip cancellation insurance can't reimburse you for the travel credit, even if that is your preference.

You're covered if you want to cancel your trip due to a level 3 or 4 travel advisory that wasn't in effect when you bought your ticket and that's still in effect 14 days before your trip.

You're also covered if you get sick with COVID-19 before leaving on your trip or if you're prevented from boarding due to a positive COVID-19 test.

You aren’t covered if you have to cancel your trip or if you're prevented from boarding because you didn't meet a requirement (test, vaccine, etc.).

No. It's your responsibility to check travel and entry requirements and make sure you meet them. Requirements can vary by country and travel service provider, so it's important to do your research.

Your living expenses and the additional cost to change the date and time of your ticket are covered by trip cancellation insurance, even if the change had to be made because of a quarantine required by the health authorities, if:

• A level 4 travel advisory (avoid all travel) wasn't in place for your destination at the time of your departure
• You weren't aware of the reason for the interruption or delay at the time of your departure

See your insurance booklet for all eligible causes.

To submit a claim, please go to the online claims page External link. Opens in a new window.. We suggest that you contact your travel agency or airline carrier first to find out what their policies are on this issue.

PCR and rapid antigen test results are both accepted, but the proof must be personalized. That means that the test must have been administered by a healthcare professional who is authorized to do so. Your results must be certified by this healthcare professional (screening centre, private lab, pharmacy, etc.). For example, a rapid antigen test performed by a pharmacist in a pharmacy is acceptable, provided that the results are certified by the pharmacist. Self-tests (rapid tests) performed at home are not accepted.

If you are not able to go to work or work from home because you have contracted COVID-19, you can submit a claim for short-term disability. The same terms that apply to other medical conditions will apply.

Required documents to submit with your claim:

• Employee statement form Opens in a new window
• Employer statement form Opens in a new window
• Initial attending physician's statement Opens in a new window

If you are not able to provide an attending physician’s statement or another healthcare professional's statement, you must submit the Illness confirmation form Opens in a new window with proof of a positive COVID-19 result:

• A copy of your positive PCR test result
  OR
• A photo of your positive test result alongside a piece of paper with your signature and the date of the test written by hand (example).

If you're unable to provide a physician’s statement OR proof of a positive test result, you may still be eligible for short-term disability benefits if you send us an Illness confirmation form Opens in a new window. We reserve the right to request medical information as fits the situation.

The duration of the disability period will be determined based on provincial public health recommendations. Any extension of this period will require additional medical evidence.

To avoid any delays due to a reduction in postal services, please submit your documents online Opens in a new window.

If your doctor, employer or a government agency told you to go into preventive quarantine, or if you put yourself into preventive quarantine, you are not eligible for short-term disability insurance benefits.

In this situation:

• We encourage you to talk to your employer about the possibility of working from home.
• If you can't work from home, your employer's salary continuation measures will apply. Please talk to your employer.
• If neither of these measures are possible, we encourage you to contact Service Canada External link. Opens in a new window to see if you’re eligible for government benefits.

We’ll be flexible in assessing each claim on a case-by-case basis, keeping your particular situation in mind.

If you're unable to provide your attending physician’s report, you can send us a medical report and information from another healthcare worker who is a member of a professional order (e.g., nurse, psychologist, physiotherapist, occupational therapist, chiropractor, podiatrist).

Scenario 1: Your employer decides you can work from home or pays you even if you don’t

We’ll continue to pay disability benefits for days not worked until the total disability ends (date scheduled for return to full-time work). Once it ends, we encourage you to contact Service Canada External link. Opens in a new window to see if you are eligible for government benefits.

Scenario 2: You can’t work from home, or your employer can’t pay you

We’ll continue to pay full disability benefits until the total disability ends (date scheduled for return to full-time work). Once it ends, we encourage you to contact Service Canada External link. Opens in a new window to see if you are eligible for government benefits.