Medical cover - Double Dip !

[Mullso]

OK todays issue on my move to Oz!
I have Bupa for the family and myself - extensive cover and expensive.
Have sent the cert to Visa Agent (sponsered 457 visa) and they have asked does it cover Oz

Called Bupa and they suggest we contact Bupa Oz - did that and they are happy to take over the policy in Oz - in fact its slightly cheaper ! Cool, good start I think !

However if I take the Oz cover this will cancel the UK cover and as its a long running policy (15 years) I would not get this cover for the price if I needed to reinstate it !

Problem is if I cancel the UK cover to get the Oz cover and I dont get my visa ....... see where I am going on this one !

Chicken and egg situation !

Anyone any ideas ????

[lisa crowe]

Can you not take out a month with another agencie? Just for the visa? We did that, once in Oz, we joined Medicare and now also have a policy with Australian Unity (one of the cheapest we found that covered our needs)

[Munchkinella]

Could you ask Bupa Oz if they can delay taking over your policy until you actually arrive in Oz?

We took ours out months before visa grant but it only became active when we landed in Oz.

Worth a try.

[RockDr]

If you're british, just take out some travel insurance to cover you until you can register with medicare for reciprocal cover (this is enough to satisfy DIAC for a 457). You can then sort out health insurance at your leisure.

[newlifeincoming]

I have BUPA for myself and my 18 month old son in the UK. We move to Oz on a 176 in 3.5 weeks and have spoken to both BUPA Oz and UK about transferring our policy. In Oz BUPA have quoted me $160/month for me, my husband and my son. I currently pay £100 just for the 2 of us. They said that when we arrive in Oz, we sign up with BUPA Oz and they will essentially just bring our cover over. The beauty of staying with BUPA is that having had treatment in the last few years, these things will all continue to be covered. There may be cheaper companies out there but I would have to start all over again and certain things would be excluded. For me, it's a no brainer to continue with BUPA.

I seem to have gone slightly off track! The point I was trying to make is that if BUPA Oz can easily transfer our policy to them, surely the same could be done if you were to return to the UK.