Understand your insurance before you have to use it
For the past two years, I have avoided using my student insurance. Why? Because I didn’t understand it. The paperwork, the claims, and whether I am even eligible—these thoughts loomed over my head as I avoided the topic of insurance.
This summer, I decided to make a change. Piling up all my questions, I decided to head over to an Alumo representative at the Lakeshore campus and have a chat to truly understand what student insurance actually entails.
And as a new school year rolls around, there are some changes to your student health insurance.
For the 2026–27 academic year, students will use Alumo for student insurance as the benefits provider. If you’re wondering what that means for you, we’ve broken down some of the biggest changes and what to keep in mind when using your benefits.
What is student insurance?
In simple terms, insurance is a financial safety net. It provides coverage for eligible medical and healthcare expenses and supports your physical and mental well-being.
Insurance protects you from unexpected healthcare costs and gives you access to medical services without having to shoulder the full cost on your own.
And let’s be honest: unexpected health expenses are probably not something you want added to your student budget.
Plans and their coverage
The insurance offers various types of plans, and although the cost is the same for each, they offer different amounts based on your preferred choice of plan.
There are three types of plans. It is important to note the deadlines for op-ins as you may not be able to change your preferred insurance plan once the deadline has passed.
The new billing structure
One of the biggest changes this year is how and when you’re charged for your insurance.
In previous years, students were charged $116.65 separately each semester. For 2026–27, the insurance fee will be charged annually for Fall and Winter students, and it will generally cover a longer portion of the academic year.
For students starting in the fall, the $233.30 fee will be charged at the beginning of the academic year and provide coverage from fall through summer.
Students starting in the winter will also be charged $233.30, with coverage running from winter through summer.
Summer students coverage may differ.
This also means insurance premiums do not reset per semester; they reset annually.
In other words, instead of seeing a separate insurance charge every semester, your insurance fee is now structured around your academic-year start date.
Notes for international students
A few things to note for International students: Morecare no longer exists for international students. It will simply be called Alumo International Insurance.
International students typically have 2 coverage:
- OHIP Alternative Insurance: All international students under the age of 65 are eligible for this coverage. It typically covers medical services such as Treatment of fractures, X-rays, laboratory exams, dental procedures by a dental surgeon, etc.
- IGNITE Health and Dental: This includes Prescription Drugs, Dental, Extended Health, Vision, Accident benefits, and Travel.
What about submitting a claim?
Another change you’ll notice is the move to Alumo and its new claims process.
Instead of navigating the systems you may have used in previous years, students will be able to submit claims through the Alumo app. Students will need to create a new Alumo account to access their digital benefits card, review coverage and submit claims through the Alumo Benefits App.
The process is designed to be straightforward: keep your receipt, enter the relevant information about your service and cost, upload the required documentation and submit your claim.
If you’re an international student who previously had a different process for submitting claims, you’ll also want to pay attention to the new app-based process.
What if you have dependents?
Students who choose to add eligible dependents will have their dependents follow the same plan as the student. The family add-on also varies depending on whether you are a domestic or an international student. For an additional fee, you are able to add family members.
The timing of your family opt-in is important; it may be difficult if you miss the deadline. Generally, you’ll need to add your dependents during the first semester of your academic year.
My experience
Now, to get a better idea of what the insurance actually meant, I spoke with an Alumo representative. One thing that stood out was the emphasis on making the insurance process easier to navigate.
As a student, it can be intimidating to reach out and ask questions, but I’ll be honest: talking to someone face-to-face is the best way to understand. So, if you ever have a specific concern, feel free to ask an on-campus representative.
I asked what medical services are actually covered. E.g., massages, braces, dermatology, etc.
For each service, the answer was simple: as long as your consultation requires you to receive treatment and can provide you with a referral letter, the insurance can help you cover the expense.
For my second question, I asked how to actually use the insurance. The process is fairly simple: when you are at the doctor’s, just show them your student medical card and provide basic information. And you are done!
In case the service does not accept the medical card and you are eligible for coverage, you can proceed to file a claim.
As for my final question, I asked, as an international student, if I could opt out? Simple answer: no. International students are mandatorily covered under the health insurance plan from the first day of classes.
Biggest takeaways
Learning about your insurance can seem scary, but it is a lot easier than you think. Some things to keep in mind would be:
- To stay on top of all the deadlines with Opt-ins and Opt-outs of the different plans, especially with the new annual billing structure.
- Familiarize yourself with your coverage, download the app when it’s available and keep your receipts when you pay for eligible services.
Make sure you also know:
- Who provides your student insurance: Alumo
- How your insurance fee is structured: Based on your academic-year start date
- Where to submit claims: Through the Alumo Benefits app
- What to keep: Receipts and documentation related to eligible services
- Where to go with questions: Alumo representatives on-campus for specific concerns or IGNITE’s Customer Service representative for general inquiries.
Your insurance is there to help you access the care you need while you’re in school. Understanding how to use it is the first step.
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Feature image courtesy of IGNITE
