Travel insurance for Non-Australian residents and non-citizens

If you've been in Australia on a temporary visa at least 3 months, most travel insurers will cover you with a normal policy. Whether it's a domestic or international policy, you should still be able to get cover.

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By

Gary Ross Hunter

Edited by

Tim Bennett

Updated

Fact checked
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Key takeaways

  • If you are a non-Australian resident, you can probably still get regular travel insurance.
  • As long as you're on a valid visa and have been here for at least 3 months, you should be right.
  • Travel insurance can cover medical expenses, flight cancellations, lost luggage and more.

Am I eligible for non-resident travel insurance?

Non-residents of Australia can get travel insurance from a normal Australian travel insurance company, assuming you fall into any one of these three buckets:

  • You've lived in Australia for at least 3 months
  • You are eligible for Medicare, or have overseas visitor health cover
  • Are you on a working or student visa

If you answered "yes" to at least 1 of these, you should be eligible for non-resident travel insurance.

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Our expert says

"You shouldn't have any trouble taking out a regular travel insurance policy as a temporary resident. I moved here in 2018 on a working visa and have been able to take out cover with a bunch of Australian travel insurers including Fast Cover, SCTI and Cover-More."

Journalist

Compare travel insurance brands for Non-Australian residents

BrandHow they cover Non-Australian residentsApply
Medibank Travel Insurance
Currently living in Australia with a visa allowing you to live, work or study in Australia and will be returning home at the completion of the period of insurance
Bonus
Get quote
Freely Travel Insurance
Australian visa that:
  • Authorises to live and work in Australia
  • Maintain a minimum level of health insurance coverage as required by the Department of Home Affairs
Bonus
Get quote
Zoom logo
  • Aged 74 and under
  • Hold a return ticket to Australia
  • Have a home in Australia which you intend to return to
  • Hold a valid visa or permit which provides access to all publicly funded health and disability services in Australia or you have private health insurance
Fast Cover Logo
  • Hold a valid Medicare card or are covered by an Australian Private Health Insurance Policy that satisfies the government health insurance requirements for Your visa type
  • Visa remains valid beyond the period of Your return
  • Have a Home in Australia to which You intend to return
  • Trip starts and ends in Australia
  • Hold a return ticket to Australia
Finder AwardBonus
Get quote
Insure4Less Travel Insurance Logo
Non Australian citizens who have been resident in Australia for a period of not less than 3 months
Travel Insuranz Travel Insurance Logo
Non Australian citizens who have been resident in Australia for a period of not less than 3 months
insureandgo
Non permanent residents who have a valid Medicare, private health fund or overseas student travel insurance in Australia
Finder AwardBonus
Get quote
Tick Logo
Non permanent residents who have a valid Medicare, private health fund or overseas student travel insurance in Australia
Finder AwardBonus
Get quote
World2Cover Logo
Temporary residents up to the age of 75, provided:
  • You hold a current Australian visa (not a tourist, study or working holiday visa) that will remain valid beyond the period of your return from your Trip
  • You hold a return ticket
  • You have a primary place of residence in Australia that you intend to return to
  • You purchase your policy before you begin your trip
  • Your trip begins and ends in Australia
Covermore logo
  • You have a visa allowing you to live, work or study in Australia (or non-resident of Australia travelling on the inbound plan)
  • Will be returning home at the completion of the period of insurance
Bonus
Get quote
southern cross travel insurance
Available to customers living in Australia permanently who are eligible to all publicly funded health and disability services.
Finder Award
Get quote
Travel with Kit Logo
  • Holder of a valid Australian permanent resident visa, partner/spouse visa or skilled working visa (457 or other skilled working visa)
  • New Zealand passport holder permanently residing in Australia
  • Has unrestricted right of entry into Australia
  • Has access to long-term medical care in Australia (not including reciprocal health care agreements)
  • Has a permanent Australian residential address
  • Agrees to be repatriated, if required, back to Australia under this insurance
Travel with Jane Logo
  • Holder of a valid Australian permanent resident visa, partner/spouse visa or skilled working visa (457 or other skilled working visa)
  • New Zealand passport holder permanently residing in Australia
  • Has unrestricted right of entry into Australia
  • Has access to long-term medical care in Australia (not including reciprocal health care agreements)
  • Has a permanent Australian residential address
  • Agrees to be repatriated, if required, back to Australia under this insurance
Easy Travel Insurance
Hold a visa allowing you to live, work or study in Australia
Australia Post
Currently living in Australia with a visa allowing You to live, work or study in Australia) and will be returning home at the completion of the Period of Insurance.
Worldcare
Temporary residents up to the age of 75, provided:
  • You hold a current Australian visa (not a tourist or working holiday visa) that will remain valid after your journey ends and allows you unrestricted right of entry into Australia
  • You hold a valid Australian Medicare card
RACV Travel Insurance Logo
Temporary residents up to 110 years of age for Single Trip policies and up to 75 years of age for Annual Multi-Trip policies, provided:
  • You hold a current Australian visa (not a tourist, study or working holiday visa) that will remain valid beyond the period of Your return from Your Trip
  • You hold a return ticket
  • You have a primary place of residence in Australia that You intend to return to
  • You purchase Your policy before You begin Your Trip
  • Your trip begins and ends in Australia
Picture not described
  • You must be covered in Australia by a private health insurance policy that satisfies the Australian government health insurance requirements for Your visa type
  • For temporary visitors, Your visa remains valid beyond the period of Your return
Picture not described
Currently living in Australia with a visa allowing You to live, work or study in Australia (or non-resident of Australia travelling on the Inbound plan) and will be returning Home at the completion of the Period of Insurance

Note: This information was last updated November 2024

Non-resident travel insurance eligibility

If you're a non-resident or non-citizen, most travel insurers will have a few rules about your travel before issuing you cover. This applies to both domestic travel insurance policies (for travelling within Australia) as well as international policies (for travelling overseas from Australia.

General requirements:

  • You'll need to be based in Australia. That means you'll need to begin and end your trip from your home in Australia.
  • Most insurers will require you to have OVHC, be covered by Medicare, or have a reciprocal health care agreement from your home country. This is because travel insurance is issues assuming a level of domestic health care coverage. This is probably a requirement of your visa in any case, so it should already be in place.
  • You can purchase cover after beginning your trip, though there is generally a waiting period of 2 or 3 days.
  • Applicants generally have to be under 80 years of age to qualify for cover.

Frequently asked questions

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To make sure you get accurate and helpful information, this guide has been edited by Tim Bennett as part of our fact-checking process.
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Journalist

Gary Ross Hunter has over 6 years of expertise writing about insurance, including life, health, home, and car insurance. Having reviewed hundreds of product disclosure statements and published over 800 articles, he loves simplifying complex insurance topics for everyday readers. Gary has contributed to major outlets like Yahoo Finance, The Sydney Morning Herald, and news.com.au, and holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in English Literature from the University of Glasgow, along with a Tier 2 General Advice certification, ensuring his work adheres to ASIC’s RG146 standards. See full bio

Gary Ross's expertise
Gary Ross has written 622 Finder guides across topics including:
  • Health, home, life, car, pet and travel insurance
  • Managing the cost of living
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8 Responses

    Default Gravatar
    NadiaMarch 1, 2022

    I am a Ukrainian national currently in Turkey travelling to Australia and need travel insurance for me 45, mother 62 and two sons age 2 and 7. Travelling on a tourist visa from mid march for 6 months. What insurance companies can I apply with.

      AvatarFinder
      JamesMarch 4, 2022Finder

      Hi Nadia,

      Thank you very much for your message. I can definitely help. Health insurance is required for any type of visitor visa if your home country doesn’t have a Reciprocal Health Care Agreement with Australia.

      In your situation, everyone on the visa will need to have Overseas Visitor Health Cover. You can compare a number of Australian brands that will satisfy this visa requirement on our guide to OVHC here.

      Once you’ve taken out a policy, you will be issued a certificate of insurance online via email. You can attach this to your visa application. I hope this helps, and please accept my best wishes to you and your family.

      Regards,
      James

    Default Gravatar
    AnnaJanuary 4, 2018

    We have visitors here from Italy, they already have travel insurance that cannot be amended for the entirety of their trip. We have booked a cruise ex Syd to New Caledonia and want travel insurance for those 8 days. One of the travellers is 82 years old. Any suggestions?

      AvatarFinder
      RenchJanuary 5, 2018Finder

      Hi Anna,

      Thanks for your inquiry.

      Whether you’re a traveller in your 50s, 60s, 70s or 80s, you can find seniors travel insurance to suit your needs. Many insurers provide cover for pre-existing conditions and travellers up to 101 years of age. You may visit our list of senior travel insurance to compare your options. Please also make use of the search filter tool on the page and it will show you a list of quotes for travel insurances. Once you have chosen a particular insurer, you may then click on the “Go to site” or “Get quote” button to request a quotation or proceed with your purchase or get in touch with their representatives for further assistance.

      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. You can also contact the provider if you have specific questions.

      Best regards,
      Rench

    Default Gravatar
    LeonardSeptember 2, 2017

    Hi , I am 76 years old I have been in Australia for 13 years am non resident, my wife is 74 we wish to travel to Bali on the 5 th of October till the 15 th, have full over seas cover with HBF for the last 13 years, can you help.

      AvatarFinder
      HaroldSeptember 5, 2017Finder

      Hi Leonard,

      Thank you for your inquiry.

      As per checking you are already in the correct page. Please review and compare the offers from different travel insurers listed above. You can choose the offer that will best fit your personal requirements.

      I hope this information has helped.

      Cheers,
      Harold

    Default Gravatar
    MiraAugust 1, 2016

    Hi
    Is it possible to get any insurance while holding a tourist visa?

      AvatarFinder
      RichardAugust 2, 2016Finder

      Hi Mira,

      Thanks for your question.

      Whether or not you will be able to get cover will depend on the travel insurance brand you choose to take out cover with as cover requirements vary from insurer to insurer. You may find our travel insurance for short-term visitors useful.

      I hope this was helpful,
      Richard

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