Overseas visitors health cover (OVHC) is private health insurance designed specifically for people coming to Australia on a temporary visa. It's mandatory on some visas, but you may be exempt if you're a citizen of a country with a reciprocal health care agreement. If you're a student, you may need overseas student health cover.
OVHC can cover the following:
Cheaper policies will cover emergency ambulance rides and treatment in a hospital, plus accommodation fees. Other common services include cover for hernias, cancer and joint replacements.
Extras cover includes out-of-hospital care such as dental, optical, physiotherapy and chiropractic. Some more expensive OVHC policies will cover these treatments automatically. In other cases, you may need to take out a separate extras policy in addition to basic OVHC cover.
This is when you need to make an appointment at a doctor's clinic, known as a General Practitioner (GP) in Australia, because you're feeling unwell or have some other health issue that may require medication.
If you are on medication, it's likely worth getting a policy that will cover your prescriptions. Otherwise, medicine can be quite expensive in Australia.
If you become seriously unwell or suffer a life-altering disability, most overseas visitor policies will pay to fly you home under medical supervision.
There are some conditions and treatments that OVHC won't typically cover. Here are a few of the most common:
If you plan on working in Australia, your visa application will generally require you to have OVHC in place by the time you enter Australia, unless you're a citizen of a country that has a reciprocal health care agreement with Australia.
"Migrants need to have health insurance from the time that they enter Australia. For example: Scenario 1) John Doe applies for a visa offshore and the visa is granted. He will arrive in Australia at 4:00am on 20/09/2022. He should get a health insurance policy that starts at 12:00am 20/09/2022. Scenario 2) Jane Doe is already in Australia under a particular visa that requires her to have health insurance, and applies for a subsequent visa onshore that also has this requirement. As she should already have a health insurance policy, she should continue to pay for this policy on an ongoing basis."
If you're from 1 of the 11 specific countries in the list below, you're eligible for Medicare and won't be required to have OVHC (although we still recommend it). That's because your country and Australia have an agreement called a Reciprocal Health Care Agreement (RHCA).
Here are the countries that have an RHCA with Australia:
If you're changing to another visa, your best bet is to just carry on with the OVHC cover that you already have. For example, if you are on a temporary graduate visa (485) and are switching over to a temporary skill shortage visa (482).
If you've got your PR, then you are not required to keep your OVHC – but make sure you don't cancel before you get it. Once your PR has been approved, you will be eligible for private health insurance like most Australians.
You know that visa requirement we've been talking about? That's requirement 8501, and it means your visa may not be approved if you don't have health cover in place when you arrive in Australia.
To meet condition 8501, your insurance must meet the following criteria:
"Applicants generally provide a letter or policy statement from the insurance provider indicating that the person(s) have made adequate arrangements for health insurance. Generally speaking, health insurance is not a requirement for the visa to be granted. Rather, it is a visa condition imposed as part of the visa grant, commencing when they enter Australia."
To provide evidence you have adequate health insurance in place, most insurers will send you a copy of your policy as soon as you purchase it. You can attach this to your visa application.
"I arrived in Australia from the UK with no clue about health insurance, medicare or bulk billing! However, getting OVHC was a requirement for my visa. I took out a policy with Allianz, which covered the visa condition 8501. Policies with GP and dental visits cost quite a lot more, so i just got a basic policy for $80 that would cover me if i needed to go to Emergency. Luckily, i haven't had to use the policy much, but it's been great having peace of mind while also keeping the Australian Government happy!"
| Health fund | Hospital cover for overseas visitors | Extras cover available or included? | More info |
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| Health fund | Hospital cover for overseas visitors | Extras cover available or included? | More info |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allianz Care Australia |
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| More info |
| Australian Unity |
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| More info |
| Bupa |
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| More info |
| Frank Health Insurance |
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| More info |
| hbf |
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| More info |
| HCF |
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| More info |
| hif |
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| More info |
| IMAN |
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| More info |
| Medibank |
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| More info |
| nib |
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| More info |
No scary talk - let's face it, we all hate phone calls (sorry mum). Our mission is to bring you all the key stuff you need to know about OVHC without needing to call for help.
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The 8501 visa condition means you need to get health insurance for your stay.
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Everything you need to know about the health insurance requirements of the 408 visa and how to find the right cover.
If your parents are planning to visit you in Australia from another country, they will first need an appropriate visa, and secondly need health insurance while they are here. This guide explains how to do both.
If you’re an international student travelling to Australia on a student visa, you’ll need to take out Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC).
I’m looking for ambulance cover for a friend of mine currently holding a Bridging Visa. Can you advise?
Hi Luke,
Thanks for getting in touch with Finder. I hope all is well with you. 😃
It’s nice to hear that you’re helping your friend. We do have a page about bridging visa health insurance that might help. On the page, you will see a table that allows you to compare bridging visa health insurance based on various details and descriptions. Moreover, the insurers listed on that page should include ambulance cover unless otherwise stated.
While looking for insurers, please make sure you read the terms and conditions of the policy to learn more and know if it is the right policy for you or not.
I hope this helps. Should you have further questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out again.
Have a wonderful day!
Cheers,
Joshua
My girlfriend is coming to live with here in Australia and she has a condition, (childhood arthritis) she requires an injection every 10 days and pills everyday. she is from Slovakia. we have found the medication is available is Australia by prescription. can she be covered by insurance.
Hi Corey,
Thank you for reaching out to Finder.
This may depend on the insurer you would be going with for the policy if they cover pre-existing conditions as well as medication needed for that condition. The exact list of excluded services varies between insurers, so take a closer look at the policy document before choosing a policy. Hope this helps!
Cheers,
Reggie
Pl advise
Pl advise me how can I do visitor health insurance for tourist visa (600) with short stay about 30 days?
Hi Jayakar,
Here is how to apply for tourist visitor health insurance.
You’ll need to provide a range of documents to support your application for a 600 visa. Depending on your country of origin and your visa stream, the requirements will vary. Contact your nearest immigration office outside of Australia for details on what you will need to provide in order for your visa application to be accepted. For example, if you are going on vacation then you will need to provide the following to qualify for the tourist stream:
– A completed visa application form
– Certified copies of the biographical pages of your passport
– A recent passport-sized photograph
– A certified copy of your birth certificate
– Evidence of sufficient funds for your trip, such as bank statements
– A copy of your travel itinerary
– Information to show that you intend to return to your home country
– All documents must be certified copies, and any documents not in English must be accompanied by accredited English translations.
Hope this helps!
Best Regards,
Nikki
parents have sub class 600 with visa condition 8501,8101& 8201. Please suggest a policy which suits the above conditions
Hi Tanya,
Thanks for your inquiry.
You may compare your options from a range of health insurance for parents visiting Australia. You may click the name of your preferred insurance to know more details and you may click the “Go to Site” button to submit an online application through their official site.
Please ensure you review the relevant Product Disclosure Statements/Terms and Conditions when comparing your options before making a decision on whether it is right for you.
Best regards,
Rench
I want to know which insurance company covers aged parent visa subclass 804 thanks
Hi Mandeep,
Please compare Overseas Visitors Health Cover and meet your visa requirements. You may review and compare the offers available on the table. Once you have selected one, you may proceed by selecting the “Get Quote” or “Enquire Now” button.
I hope this helps.
Cheers,
Danielle