Health insurance for Australia

[partnership]

My son is off to Oz on a one year visa soon. He has taken out standard travel insurance with his flights. I want him to take out some cover so he is protected for the year in Oz, particularly in health however he tells me he will buy it over there. Needless to say I am afraid he won't. What is the best package to get?

 

[Shannon81]

Vhi International will give him cover, price depends on his age group

 

[mercman]

The company most people use that are traveling to Oz are www.BlueInsurance.ie.

Good cover but not cheap. I do not believe that the Health Insurance companies operating in Ireland offer cover for extended periods of travel.

 

[Steven Barrett]

Check out Aviva. I was talking to a fella during the week who specialises in health insurance and he mentioned a similar situation to your own.

 

[mercman]

The Aviva Health Insurance Policies do not provide cover for long periods when the Insured is out of the country for long periods of time. I think they provide for limited cover for periods up to 90 days and for certain jurisdictions.

 

[macdo]

Have a look at this info. Irish & Australian governments have reciprocal agreements.

 

[Time]

It only covers hospital care. GP services are not covered.

 

[macdo]

The Aviva Health Insurance Policies do not provide cover for long periods when the Insured is out of the country for long periods of time. I think they provide for limited cover for periods up to 90 days and for certain jurisdictions.

You are mixing up types of cover. 31 days is the maximum cover abroad at any one stint so not suitable.

1.Aviva's International Solutions is the plan you need for Region 3 cover. Aviva have 6 regions for cover.
2.VHI International - Worldwide region - VHI only have 3 regions for cover
3. Worldwide Health Options from Bupa International, pick Australia in dropdown menu

 

[Ann1]

The Reciprocal Agreement cover also depends on the type of visa you have. Student visas are not covered by this agreement.

'A Reciprocal Health Agreement is in place between the governments of Ireland and Australia. This Agreement provides for free emergency care in an Australian public hospital for Irish citizens. It is important to note that the Agreement only covers people who are legally in Australia on certain visa classes (student visas are not included).'

http://www.dfa.ie/home/index.aspx?id=8602

 

[Time]

Those are working holiday visas, not student visas.

 

[Jim2007]

It only covers hospital care. GP services are not covered.

This suggests that GP services are covered...

 

[Time]

The devil is in the detail:

Your entitlements
As a resident of one of these countries, the United Kingdom, Sweden, the Netherlands, Finland, Belgium, Norway, Slovenia, Malta and Italy, you are entitled to the following health or injury treatments while you are in Australia:

free treatment as a public in-patient or out-patient in a public hospital
subsidised medicine under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS)
Medicare benefits for out-of-hospital treatment provided by a doctor.

Residents of the Republic of Ireland and New Zealand are entitled to :

services as a public patient in a public hospital (including outpatient services) for medically necessary treatment medicines available on prescription which are subsidised under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS), at the general rate.