Insurance Coverage

Medical Coverage

Students are responsible for ensuring that they have personal medical insurance under the BC Medical Services Plan, or other personal medical coverage recognized in BC. This may be either under their parents’ policy or their own coverage.

Students traveling out of the country on field trips or other University activities are urged to purchase temporary extended hospital and medical coverage through Pacific Blue Cross, or other suitable agency. The address for Pacific Blue Cross is 4250 Canada Way, Burnaby — mailing address: PO Box 7000, Vancouver, BC V6B 4E1. Call toll-free 1.888.275.4672; website: Pacific Blue Cross.

Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB) Coverage

Students may be eligible for WCB coverage in the following cases:

  • Students attending the classroom/lab/shop instruction for the technical training component of an Apprenticeship program. The following is a list of some programs which may include apprentice students (some programs may include both apprentice and non-apprentice students; however, only the apprentice students will be eligible for WCB coverage): Automotive Mechanics Apprenticeship; Carpentry Apprenticeship; Heavy Duty Apprenticeship; Welding Apprenticeship.
  • Students on an approved practicum, job shadowing or work experience activities are eligible for WCB coverage when at their host employer’s place of business. The activity must be supervised, unpaid, and take place at the host employer’s place of business. Practicum placements, which take place outside of British Columbia, are not eligible for WCB coverage. If unsure, please contact VIU’s Environmental Health and Safety office, at 250.740.6282.
  • Students on VIU’s payroll, e.g., Work Opportunity students, are automatically covered by WCB.

Note: WCB coverage does not automatically extend to any students on field trips, students in off-campus activities, such as the Carpentry program house building project, students conducting class-related activities at the VIU Forestry Woodlot, or students not identified in one of the categories indicated above.