Medical cover help

[kylel39]

Hello,

 

Sorry to hijack the thread a little.

 

I was initially planning on coming over on a 457 visa but this has since changed to now arriving on a WHV. On the 457 visa, specific medical insurance was required such as the IMAN insurance above. Then it could be cancelled once Medicare etc was set up.

 

Am I right in thinking that the only insurance I require to enter Australia and then apply for Medicare, is just standard travel insurance as you would if you were going on holiday? I plan on gaining sponsorship after a few months if everything goes according to plan (agreed with employer).

[Guest]

Hi there. I've split your post out from the thread it was in and given it its own one in the WHV section.

[lebourvellec]

Most standard health insurance only insure a trip for a certain amount if days, likely not suited to your situation. Better to look at backpacker insurance.

 

There is no requirement for WHV to have health insurance to get visa granted only 457 as it has 8501 condition that you must have adequate health insurance. I got my backpacker insurance from down under insure, but that was a good few years ago now.

[tomby1]

What you'll be wanting to look for is called 'one way travel insurance'. Basically, this means you can travel to Australia with no return flights booked and then permanently reside there afterwards, whilst still being covered. A lot of backpacker travel insurance companies require you to have that return flight booked. Some companies also allow you to extend your cover whilst over there - I believe normally 18 months but sometimes up to 2 years.

 

Go Walkabout, Down Under Insurance and Insure & Go are probably the three most popular in this category.

 

Hope that helps

[Jen Patterson]

Hi There,

 

Take a look at the government FAQ site http://www.privatehealth.gov.au/faq/

 

"Even if it's not a requirement under your visa, it is well worth considering taking out cover. If you need to visit a doctor or stay in hospital while you're here, you could be responsible for the full cost of treatment, which can be very expensive.

 

If you are visiting from a country that has a reciprocal health care agreement with Australia you may be eligible to receive immediate necessary treatment in Australia's public system, but should still consider taking out cover.

 

Some visas may require you to hold private insurance while you're in Australia, such as the 457 visa or the temporary student visa."

 

In addition, if you are taking out travel insurance make sure you're covered for emergency ambulance services. This isn't provided by Medicare and can be expensive, depending on the state you reside in.

 

Have a great stay!