Students > International students > Prior to your departure > Medical insurance for international students > Cowan insurance – HEC Montréal

Medical insurance – HEC Montréal

International students are automatically signed up for medical insurance, offered by Cowan. Premiums shall be billed from the first day of registration. Insurance coverage is mandatory, except in cases where students qualify for an exemption.

See if you qualify for an exemption

Obtain your card

If you pay your tuition fees before the deadline indicated in the academic calendar, the Cowan team will send you, one week after receipt of your payment, a welcome email to your HEC Montréal email address (@hec.ca). This welcome email will contain instructions on how to access your kit (including your card), which is available online via the Cowan portal.

If you do not pay your tuition fees before the deadline, it may take up to two weeks to receive the welcome email from Cowan.

If you do not receive your welcome email, please contact Zone Info.

Please note: Before exchange students arrive in Quebec, they will receive an email containing the terms of payment that apply to them.

Available coverage

To find out about Cowan coverage (including the travel insurance), view the brochure, also available online via the Cowan portal.

Cowan coverage plan does not cover eye or dental care, unless accidental. 

Costs and coverage periods


  Sessions covered Period covered Premiums
(subject to change)
Regular students (except MBAs)
Fall admission F + W + S From August 16 to August 15 $711
Winter admission W + S From January 1 to August 15 $469
Summer admission S From May 1 to August 15 $290
MBA students
MBA F + W + S From August 16 to September 30 $795
MBA+ S + F + W + S + F From July 1 to January 31 of the following year (19 months) $1 125
Exchange students
Fall and Winter F + W From August 16 to May 15 $605
Fall F From August 16 to December 31 $396
Winter W From January 1 to May 15 $396
Newly permanent residents
Continuous coverage 3-month waiting period to receive a Health Insurance Card $257

How to use your card

Simply present your insurance card to your healthcare provider.

  • Cowan has an extensive network of healthcare providers in Montreal. This means that they will send the insurance claim directly to Cowan. You won't have to pay anything. You can search for a healthcare provider using the Cowan search engine, also available via the Cowan portal.
  • However, you may have to pay a fee when you visit a healthcare professional. If so, you will need to submit a claim to Cowan via the portal.

Your Cowan card can also be used to pay for prescription medications at the pharmacy. Just present your card and the cost will be waived.

Submitting a claim

Log in to the Cowan portal to find out how to submit and track an online claim.

You can also submit a paper claim.

Claims submitted online will be reimbursed within five business days.


For more information

Contact Cowan

Exchange students: please contact incoming@hec.ca