{"id":25751,"date":"2025-04-14T13:32:28","date_gmt":"2025-04-14T17:32:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rbcinsurance.com\/en-ca\/?page_id=25751"},"modified":"2025-09-10T13:06:46","modified_gmt":"2025-09-10T17:06:46","slug":"guarantee-standard-issue","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.rbcinsurance.com\/en-ca\/group-benefits\/plan-administrator\/reference-guide\/guarantee-standard-issue\/","title":{"rendered":"Guarantee Standard Issue (GSI)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Home<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Guaranteed Standard Issue (GSI)<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Refer to this section if your group benefit plan includes Guaranteed Standard Issue (GSI) coverage.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

GSI enrolment<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Prior to enrolling an employee, confirm their eligibility. Refer to this table<\/a> for enrolling new employees in a GSI class.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Is the employee a Canadian Citizen, or a Permanent Resident (landed immigrant)? If the employee answers \u2018no\u2019 to this question in the enrollment tool, it will inform them that a Foreign Contract Questionnaire is required. The employee may ignore this and proceed with the application since this questionnaire has been discontinued. Their application will continue to be directed to the GSI Underwriting area who will proceed to include a Least Restrictive travel exclusion amendment to their policy contract. In the event the member completes the FCQ after April 27th, Underwriting will disregard and proceed with a least restrictive travel amendment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tip<\/p><\/div><\/div>

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To avoid a request for Evidence of Insurability<\/a>, it is imperative that all eligible employees be enrolled within 61 days following the completion of an employee Waiting Period, or the date he\/she becomes eligible for coverage.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

GSI portability<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Employees are eligible to continue their GSI policy as a standalone individual policy. Once you terminate a plan member using Online Administration<\/a>, RBC will send a letter to the prior employee and outline the payment options (monthly bank withdrawal via monthly preauthorized chequing or annual direct billing) and the premium amount due. You should inform the terminating employee that any premium discount currently on the policy is transferable to an individually paid policy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition, if the insured were to leave the GSI group that is composite billed, they can maintain their policy but they will need to start paying the premium shown in their individual policy schedule.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tip<\/p><\/div><\/div>

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Once an employee is terminated, terminate the employee using Online Administration<\/a> within 14 days. Employees will only have a limited amount of time to conserve the policy after terminating employment.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Smoking status<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If an insured’s smoking status changes, the insured may be eligible for non-smoking rates. The insured must complete the Smoking Declaration<\/a> and email to gsisalessupport@rbc.com<\/a> for consideration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Layoff<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Policies under your GSI Program are individual policies. Therefore, in order for the policy to remain in force, the premiums must continue to be paid. If the layoff or leave of absence is temporary, the employee should continue to pay their premiums. If the employee is unable to pay the premiums, the coverage will lapse and it will be necessary for the employee to re-apply for coverage upon return to work. As a result, there may be a change in premiums.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If the layoff is permanent, use Online Administration<\/a> to terminate the employee within 14 days. If you wish to have the policy removed from your bill, please email admin@groupinsurance.rbc.com<\/a>. If the policy can be maintained independently, we will contact the employee regarding the options that are available. If you wish to reinstate the employee and the employee did not maintain their GSI policy individually while laid off, they must reapply for a new GSI policy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Paternal\/maternity leave<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Policies under your GSI Program are individual policies. Therefore, coverage under the policy may continue while the employee is on maternity\/parental leave. In order to maintain the coverage, the premiums must continue to be paid. If the premiums are employee paid, the employee may elect to pay the premiums on their own during their maternity\/parental leave, or pre-pay the premiums through your Company and remain part of your Plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If the premiums are company paid, they must continue to be remitted in order for the coverage to remain in force.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If the premium payments are not maintained during the maternity\/parental leave, the coverage will lapse due to nonpayment. The employee would then be required to re-apply for coverage upon return to work. As a result, there may be an increase in premiums.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is not necessary to report an employee on maternity\/parental leave to RBC Insurance unless premium payments will be interrupted. If the plan member elects to opt out of coverage, have the plan member complete the Maternity\/Parental Leave of Absence \u2013 Opting out of coverage form<\/a> and retain this form for your records.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sign in to Online Administration<\/a> to terminate coverage. Refer to the \u2018How to\u2019 section \u2018Terminate a plan member\u2019 for detailed instructions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Composite rate information<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A composite rate is an average premium rate based on all of the coverage provided under a collection of individual policies. It can include an adjustment factor to consider changes in the composition of policies throughout the year to minimize changes in the billed premium. Composite billing is a method of premium collection and payment for employee-funded policies where an employer will collect an amount from each employee that is determined by multiplying the employee\u2019s coverage amount by the composite rate. The employer will combine the collected amounts and use them to pay the premiums due under the policies. The composite rate is recalculated at each renewal date for the Plan, and is also recalculated when the premiums collected are insufficient to pay the premiums required by RBC Insurance or if the employer adds a division that will be covered under the composite rate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are the Composite Rate Guidelines?<\/p>\n\n\n\n