A GMS claim starts with a call to GMS Travel Assistance at 1-800-459-6604, or 905-762-5196 collect, immediately and within 24 hours of the emergency. Missing that window reduces benefits to 70 percent of eligible expenses or $50,000, whichever is less. The assistance service has been run by Robin Assist since 1 November 2025 on the same numbers. Written notice is due within 30 days and proof within 90. GMS (Group Medical Services) is both the brand and the insurer, so the certificate, the claim and any appeal all sit with GMS.
General claim rules for every insurer are on the claims hub. The plan is reviewed at GMS.
What do you need before you start?
The EmergAssist card, which carries the policy number and both assistance numbers, and the parent’s passport. For the claim itself you need itemized bills, receipts and, if a pre-existing condition is in play, the home-country medical history for the 180-day stability period.
| Item | Why GMS needs it |
|---|---|
| EmergAssist card: policy number (VTC prefix), expiry date, assistance numbers | Opens the file; the card states eligibility is subject to the policy document |
| Passport with entry date | Confirms the policy was in force and whether a waiting period applied |
| Hospital name, ward, attending physician, admission time | For cover confirmation and the 24-hour test |
| Itemized bills and receipts | For adjudication and any out-of-pocket reimbursement |
| Medication list with dates; home doctor’s contact | GMS requires 180 days’ stability at every age; from 55 the eligibility list is checked |
| Pre-approval reference for any transport | Repatriation (up to $5,000) must be pre-approved by GMS |
Sources: GMS EmergAssist card and PolicyAdvisor. Put the card in the parent’s wallet and a photo of it in the host’s phone.
How do you make a GMS claim, step by step?
Seven steps. The call is minutes; the paperwork a few hours; the decision weeks.
- Call GMS Travel Assistance at 1-800-459-6604 (Canada and US) or 905-762-5196 collect, immediately and within 24 hours. Give the policy number, hospital, diagnosis and a callback number. Record the file number, the agent’s name and the time.
- Ask the assistance team to confirm cover to the hospital and arrange direct billing. Robin Assist coordinates “emergency medical claims” and “direct billing support” through its provider network. If the hospital demands a card, pay only against an itemized receipt; see direct billing.
- Get pre-approval before any transport. GMS pays “emergency transport to your country of origin for further medical treatment (with pre-approval from GMS),” capped at $5,000. Unapproved transport is not reimbursed; see repatriation explained.
- Give written notice of claim within 30 days. GMS says you can “skip the post office and submit your claim by email”; ask the assistance team for the claims email and form.
- Assemble itemized bills, receipts and the medical report. Ask the hospital for an itemized statement.
- Submit proof of claim within 90 days with the completed form and the signed records authorization. Keep the send confirmation.
- If the policy expires during a hospital stay, note that cover auto-extends through the stay plus 72 hours after discharge, and tell the assistance team the expiry date so the extension is recorded.
Sources: GMS Robin Assist announcement, GMS brochure and PolicyAdvisor. The first hour is on emergency: what to do first.
How long does it take?
GMS publishes no service standard and has no Trustpilot reviews as of October 2026, so there is no public pattern of fast or slow payment. Robin Assist is new to the account, having taken over on 1 November 2025, which is another reason to keep a written log.
| Stage | Deadline or typical time |
|---|---|
| Call GMS Travel Assistance | Immediately; within 24 hours |
| Cover confirmed to hospital | Same day to a few days |
| Written notice of claim | Within 30 days |
| Proof of claim | Within 90 days |
| Decision | Weeks after the complete file |
| Extension of policy during hospital stay | Automatic, plus 72 hours after discharge |
Sources as above. The THIA Bill of Rights commitment to “timely and transparent communication” is the standard to cite when chasing.
What if it goes wrong?
The GMS-specific risks are the 70 percent or $50,000 late-call reduction, the $5,000 transport cap, the eligibility list from age 55, and the fact that GMS does not sell in Quebec, New Brunswick or Nunavut.
| Problem | What to do |
|---|---|
| Missed the 24-hour call | Call now; put the medical reason in writing; ask GMS to waive the reduction; keep the admission record |
| Hospital demands payment up front | Ask billing to call the GMS file number; pay against itemized receipts; claim back |
| Parent needs an air ambulance | Get pre-approval; expect $5,000 maximum from GMS; budget the balance; see repatriation explained |
| Denied under the 55-and-over eligibility list or 180-day rule | Get the written decision and clause; obtain the 12-month and 180-day medical history; appeal to GMS; see denied claim, what next |
| Parent turned 80 before the event | Cover continues to expiry; renewal is not possible; plan the switch early |
| No decision after 60 days | Written complaint to GMS citing THIA; request a final position letter; then OLHI |
Because GMS is a direct insurer, there is no MGA to blame and no second company to call: the appeal, the complaints officer and the final position letter are all GMS. SuperVisaDirect helps with the appeal file: [email protected] or a callback, Monday to Friday, 8:00am to 6:00pm Eastern Time.
How does GMS compare on claims handling?
GMS’s advantages are a direct insurer, no medical questions under 55 and a claims email channel. Its penalties are the harshest late-call rule and the lowest repatriation cap of the carriers we track. For a plan with the same price band and a $10,000 repatriation limit, read Secure Travel vs GMS.
Questions people ask
What number do I call for a GMS medical emergency?
GMS Travel Assistance: 1-800-459-6604 toll-free within Canada and the US, or 905-762-5196 collect from anywhere else, as printed on the GMS EmergAssist card. The general GMS line, 1-800-667-3699, is for other claims and inquiries. GMS says the assistance numbers did not change when Robin Assist took over the service on 1 November 2025.
What is the penalty for not calling GMS within 24 hours?
Benefits drop to 70 percent of eligible expenses or $50,000, whichever is less. That is the harshest late-call rule among the eight carriers we track; on a $96,000 hospital bill it would leave $46,000 unpaid. The card says to contact GMS Travel Assistance immediately in the event of a medical emergency.
Does GMS pay the hospital directly?
GMS Travel Assistance arranges direct billing through a provider network that Robin Assist describes as more than 10,000 providers in over 185 countries. In Canada the assistance team gives the hospital a guarantee of payment once cover is confirmed. If the hospital insists on a credit card at registration, pay against an itemized receipt and tell GMS.
What are the GMS claim deadlines?
Written notice of claim within 30 days and proof of claim within 90 days. GMS invites claims by email instead of post. The policy also auto-extends if it expires during a hospital stay, plus 72 hours after discharge, so a claim that starts inside the term is covered through discharge.
Who handles an appeal on a GMS claim?
GMS itself, because Group Medical Services underwrites its own plan; there is no separate insurer or managing general agent. Ask for the written decision citing the policy clause, appeal with new evidence, then use GMS's complaints process to obtain a final position letter. After that OLHI can review the complaint free of charge.
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