Health and travel insurance
There are three Extended Health Insurance options described below:
The University of Victoria Retirees Association (UVRA) finalized a contract with Johnson Inc. (now belairdirect), to provide a retiree Extended Health
The UVRA-belairdirect Plan is only available through membership-in-good-standing in UVRA, so you may wish to consider a lifetime UVRA membership, to avoid annual renewal requests from the UVRA. UVRA is the Sponsor for legal purposes, but may not act as an agent. All your questions about the new Plan must be addressed only to belairdirect, as the Agent of Record. Contact for belairdirect is: toll-free at 1-833-749-1324, and quote UVRA Plan No. 644460.
A third option for Extended Health, Dental and Travel insurance (also via belairdirect) has been negotiated with the Entente Education Canada by CURAC, the umbrella organization of post-secondary retiree associations in Canada. Full details are at: https://curac.ca/members-benefits/rto-health/
Where UVic retirees have the option of joining the Pacific Blue Cross retiree policy, UBC retirees have a policy with SunLife (which differs significantly from our PBC policy). Otherwise, our options are quite similar. UBC Emeritus College produces other concise summaries of insurance options from time to time. Check their site
Finally, it remains your choice as to which plan you choose, the level of deductible, and whether you take up the Travel portion, or prefer the standalone belairdirect Travel Insurance Plan, or others. Individual needs vary so much that it can only be you who makes such a decision.
Health, Dental and Travel Insurance
1. Extended Health and Dental Insurance
After retirement, or when employee coverage ends after age 71, you are responsible for all insurance premiums and the type of coverage that you choose.
- All new UVic Retirees are eligible for the Pacific Blue Cross UVic Retirees policy administered through UVic Human Resources Benefits Office;
- only members in good standing of the UVic Retirees Association are eligible for the UVTA-belairdirect policy.
- The CURAC-Entente Education Canada policy is open to any retiree of a Canadian educational institution.
In all cases, if you are switching from an existing group policy, there are time-limits for enrolment without medical questions.
Because policies vary as to deductibles, annual drug and lifetime maxima and coverage of such things as optometry,
The following comparison charts describe the respective coverage of the three Extended Health options and the Dental options available through HR, UVRA membership, or CURAC-Entente Education Canada. The charts were prepared by Johnson, and have been approved by the Benefits Office of UVic Human Resources.
Note that retirees may choose to explore benefit plan options through CAUT (Canadian A
Extended Health Care (EHC) comparison coverage, as of January 2026.
2026 - EHC comparison coverage
2. Travel Insurance:
Unlike extended health insurance, travel insurance choices can be more flexible, in that you may opt in and out, depending on your needs. Both the Pacific Blue Cross retiree policy (10% reduction) and the UVRA-belairdirect travel policy are linked to subscribing to their health insurance coverage. You may also choose single-trip or annual coverage. Single-trip insurance is the kind that is typically offered if you book a trip online, so it is worth comparing premium costs. There are lifetime maxima here, too, varying options on in-province and out-of-province/international coverage, and varying limits on trip cancellation, or other liabilities involved when you travel.
Premiums may be ‘banded’ in some policies, meaning that age may affect the cost. In the case of belairdirect Travel Insurance, for example, the premium after age 75 rises steeply, so that you may prefer to seek an alternative provider.
Policies also vary on how pre-existing conditions are handled: some require a fixed period of stability before travel; others state that if your doctor says you are stable for travel purposes, there must be a "sudden and unforeseen" occurrence in order to claim successfully.