Overseas Visitors Health Cover: The Facts

What is Overseas Visitors Cover?

Overseas Visitors Cover is health insurance for non Australian residents, who are working in or visiting Australia usually for longer than three months. Should the unexpected happen and you find yourself in need of medical treatment while you are in Australia, it will give you greater control over who treats you, where you are treated, and most importantly, how quickly.

Why do I need health cover when I visit Australia?

Australia has world class medical services but they can be expensive if you need to use them. While Australian residents have access to no out-of-pocket or low-cost medical and hospital care through a public health care system called Medicare, most visitors who hold a temporary visa have no access to Medicare. This means that if you need medical attention while you are visiting Australia you could find yourself substantially out of pocket. Even in a public hospital you could be charged more than $1,000 a day in hospital fees alone. Without health cover you could find yourself responsible for the full cost of treatment.

Overseas Visitors Cover allows you control over when you want to be treated. Surgeries booked in an Australian public hospital are placed on a waiting list based on the urgency of the treatment. This could have an impact on your ability to work.

That’s why, as a visitor to Australia, it’s important to have Overseas Visitors Cover for the duration of your stay. With Overseas Visitors Cover you can obtain private medical care or hospital treatment during your stay without having to worry about unexpected medical costs or having to wait to be treated.

As part of your visa application, you may also be required to take out a specific level of health cover that meets your visa subclass requirements.

Who is Overseas Visitors Cover recommended for?

Overseas Visitors Cover is designed for people working in or visiting Australia. It is suited for people who:

• Want to meet their visa requirements for health insurance.
• Are coming to Australia on a working or non-working visa and want to be covered for a range of medical treatments and emergencies.
• Are from a country with no Reciprocal Health Care Agreement with Australia.
• Are from a country that has a Reciprocal Health Care Agreement with Australia but you want to have access to private hospital treatments and to minimise the wait for non-emergency hospital care.
• Don’t have travel insurance with a medical component.
• Are temporary residents, not eligible for full Medicare benefits.

How can I purchase Overseas Visitors Cover?

Overseas Visitors Cover can be confusing and complicated. That’s why it’s important to speak to someone who understands this type of insurance and can provide a range of options that will be best suited to your needs.

Australian Unity is one of the key providers of quality health insurance cover for overseas visitors, with:

• A range of covers to choose from at an affordable price
• An instant Health Cover confirmation letter for the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) should you require it
• Interpreter services if you have difficulty speaking or understanding English