Compare Overseas Visitor Health Cover

What is overseas visitors health cover?

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.

What is Condition 8501?

Condition 8501 is a mandatory health insurance requirement for certain Australian visas. If your visa is subject to this condition, you must maintain adequate health cover for the duration of your stay in Australia.

This typically means holding Overseas Visitor Health Cover (OVHC) that meets government requirements. Failing to maintain valid health insurance could affect your visa status.

To ensure compliance:

• Check if your visa has Condition 8501 before arriving in Australia.
• Purchase an OVHC policy that meets visa requirements.
• Keep your health insurance active while in Australia.

Even if you're eligible for Medicare under a Reciprocal Health Care Agreement (RHCA), you may still need OVHC to meet Condition 8501. Always review your visa conditions carefully.

Providing evidence of OVHC coverage

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.

"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."

Kaku Caro

Immigration Lawyer - LegalVision

What does OVHC cover?

OVHC is made to cover most of the medically necessary medical costs you're likely to have while you're in Australia. However, it doesn't cover everything. Here's what is typically covered:

Hospital care

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.

Doctor's appointments

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.

Prescribed medicine

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.

Repatriation

If you become seriously unwell or suffer a life-altering disability, most overseas visitor policies will pay to fly you home under medical supervision.

Extras (out-of-hospital services)

Some OVHC policies will cover out-of-hospital services, known as 'extras'. This includes dental, optical, physiotherapy and other services that you might need. These aren't covered by the most basic plans, so you'll either need a more comprehensive OVHC policy, or to take out a separate extras health policy (which you are allowed to do, even if you're not an Aussie citizen).

How does OVHC work (video)

How to Find the Best OVHC Cover

Choosing the right Overseas Visitor Health Cover (OVHC) can help you meet visa requirements while keeping healthcare costs manageable. Here are some key tips to find the best policy:

• Compare multiple providers – Prices and benefits can vary widely, so it's worth shopping around. Use our best OVHC guide to compare top options.
• Check visa compliance – Ensure your policy meets Condition 8501 requirements if your visa requires health insurance.
• Look at what's covered – Basic policies usually cover hospital and GP visits, but extras like dental and ambulance services may not be included.
• Consider waiting periods – Some treatments may have waiting periods before you can claim, so check the fine print.
• Review exclusions – OVHC policies often exclude pre-existing conditions or pregnancy-related services, so make sure you understand the limitations.

How to Find Cheap OVHC Cover

If you're looking for affordable Overseas Visitor Health Cover (OVHC), here are some tips to help you save while still meeting visa requirements:

• Compare policies online – Prices vary between insurers, so use our comparison tools to make sure you're getting great value.
• Choose a basic policy – If you only need cover to meet Condition 8501, a basic hospital-only plan may be the most cost-effective choice.
• Look for discounts – Some insurers offer discounts for paying annually instead of monthly.
• Avoid unnecessary extras – Extras cover (e.g. dental or optical) can increase costs, so only include what you need.
• Check waiting periods – Some cheaper policies have longer waiting periods for certain treatments, so weigh up cost vs. access to care.

"I arrived in Australia from overseas 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 a month 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!"

Alex Holderness

Head of publishing

Overseas visitor health cover for couples and families

If your visa requires you to have health insurance and the other members of your family are coming over on the same visa as you, everyone will be required to have OVHC. Most insurers offer singles, couples and family policies so that you can all be covered under the same policy.

That said, some couple policies can be really expensive for some visas, especially student visas. This tends to happen when you're both covered for pregnancy related claims and because you're a young couple, therefore considered by insurers as more likely to have kids soon.

What's not covered by overseas visitor health cover (OVHC)?

There are some conditions and treatments that OVHC won't typically cover. Here are a few of the most common:

• Ambulance rides that aren't considered an emergency
• Elective cosmetic surgery such as a nose job or breast implants
• Treatment arranged in advance of your arrival in Australia
• IVF and other assisted reproductive services
• Services provided outside of Australia

Do you need overseas visitor health cover?

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.

• Visas that may require OVHC

  Here's a list of visa classes (with numbers and names) that could require Overseas Visitor Health Cover (OVHC) in Australia:

  1. Subclass 600 – Visitor Visa
  2. Subclass 601 – Electronic Travel Authority
  3. Subclass 651 – eVisitor
  4. Subclass 500 – Student Visa
  5. Subclass 482 – Temporary Skill Shortage Visa
  6. Subclass 485 – Temporary Graduate Visa
  7. Subclass 400 – Temporary Work (Short Stay Specialist) Visa
  8. Subclass 417 – Working Holiday Visa
  9. Subclass 462 – Work and Holiday Visa
  10. Subclass 309 – Partner (Provisional) Visa
  11. Subclass 100 – Partner (Migrant) Visa
  12. Subclass 820 – Partner (Temporary) Visa
  13. Subclass 801 – Partner (Permanent) Visa
  14. Subclass 101 – Child Visa
  15. Subclass 408 – Temporary Activity Visa
  16. Subclass 457 – Temporary Work (Skilled) Visa

When should you get overseas visitor health cover?

If you're applying for a visa that requires health insurance, it's important to have Overseas Visitor Health Cover (OVHC) in place at the right time. Here's what you need to know:

• Before you apply for your visa - Many visas require proof of OVHC at the time of application. Check your visa requirements and arrange cover in advance.
• Before you arrive in Australia - If your visa has already been granted offshore, make sure your policy starts from the date you land.
• If you're already in Australia - If you're applying for a new visa onshore and your current visa requires OVHC, you should maintain continuous cover to meet the conditions of your visa.

Reciprocal Health Care Agreements

If you're from one of the 11 countries listed below, you're eligible for Medicare and won't be required to have Overseas Visitor Health Cover (OVHC). This is due to an agreement between your country and Australia called a Reciprocal Health Care Agreement (RHCA).

This agreement allows you to receive publicly funded healthcare for:

• Medically necessary care outside of hospital
• Medically necessary care as a public patient in a public hospital, including inpatient and outpatient services
• Certain prescription medicines at the general rate

While you're not required to have OVHC if you're eligible for Medicare, we suggest considering OVHC as well. RHCA benefits are limited, and private cover can help with:

• Ambulance services, which may not be fully covered under the RHCA
• Treatment in private hospitals or as a private patient in a public hospital
• Services not covered by Medicare, such as dental, optical and physiotherapy

Countries with an RHCA

If you're from any of the following countries, you can access Medicare under an RHCA:

• Belgium
• Finland
• Italy
• Malta
• Netherlands
• New Zealand
• Norway
• Republic of Ireland
• Slovenia
• Sweden
• United Kingdom

Frequently asked questions

• Is OVHC private health insurance?

  Yes. OVHC is private health insurance, designed for international visitors on a temporary visa. You can only get it from an Australian private health insurance provider.

• Can you get dental with OVHC?

  Yes. Some OVHC policies provide cover for dental treatment including general dental services like cleanings and simple fillings as well as major dental work like root canals, crowns and bridges.

  Not all insurers offer it, but the ones that do usually include it in their top-level policies only. You can also get dental cover by purchasing a standalone "extras" policy on top of your OVHC.

• How does OVHC work for pregnancy?

  Most OVHC policies will cover pregnancy, but at a reduced rate compared to other covered treatments. That's because not everyone needs pregnancy-related services and it's generally not considered an unexpected medical need.

  Insurers who cover pregnancy at a reduced rate (typically in a basic policy) will pay your hospital accommodation fees in a public hospital, but the rest will be up to you, including doctors fees, delivery fees, blood tests, ultrasounds and anaesthesia.

  However, some insurers do offer higher levels of private pregnancy cover that also include your choice of an obstetrician. These insurers will offer full cover for pregnancy within their mid- or top-level policies.

  For private pregnancy, you will have a waiting period of 12 months before you can use it. That means you will have to buy your policy well before you get pregnant.

• Can you get overseas visitors health cover with no waiting periods?

  The only way you can get out of your OVHC waiting periods is if you already served them with another insurer and you're switching to a similar policy with a new insurer. If you are taking out OVHC for the first time, you'll have to wait around 2 months for most treatments and 12 months for pre-existing conditions.

• Do you need to inform your health fund if your visa status changes?

  If you are switching to another visa that also requires you to have health cover, you'll probably need to ask your insurer for proof of cover to provide with your visa application. Otherwise, it's not necessary to let your insurer know about your visa change unless you want to make changes to your policy, cancel your policy or switch to a new policy.

• Does extras cover satisfy the health insurance conditions of your visa?

  No, if your visa requires you to have health insurance, a standalone extras policy won't cut it because it won't cover in-hospital treatments. Only an OVHC policy will meet your visa requirements, although you are free to purchase a standalone extras policy on top of your OVHC for additional cover.

• Do I need OVHC if I'm eligible for Medicare?

  No, but even with Medicare cover, it's still a good idea to get overseas visitor health cover because it covers you for the following (whereas Medicare won't):

  • Emergency ambulance rides
  • Dental work (only with some policies)
  • Medical evacuation to your home country if you need it

  • Your own private room in a private hospital (or as a private patient in a public hospital)
  • Your choice of doctor
  • Natural therapies (only on some policies)

  In addition to that, if you make more than $97,000 per year and you don't have private health insurance, you will be required to pay a tax called the Medicare Levy Surcharge.

• How does switching OVHC work?

  You'll need to get a clearance certificate from your current health fund, before you switch to your new one. Once you switch, you won't need to serve any waiting periods if you already served them on your previous fund.

• Can I claim OVHC on my tax return?

  No. According to the Australian Taxation Office (ATO), these are not complying health insurance policies and you will not be eligible for the private health insurance rebate.

The lowdown on Finder Score

We look at more than 50 eligible overseas health insurance products from around 15 providers, assessing them for core features to give them each a score out of 10. We consider various features including pricing, hospital cover, extras cover and emergency travel.

The Finder Score methodology is designed by our Insights team. Commercial partners carry no weight and all products are reviewed objectively.

Digging deeper into the Finder overseas health insurance score

• 9+ Excellent - These policies offer outstanding value with strong hospital and extras cover, competitive pricing, and generous benefits.
• 7+ Great - These policies may have slightly higher costs or fewer benefits but still provide solid overall coverage.
• 5+ Satisfactory - These options often come with higher premiums or limited features and may fall short in one or more key areas.
• Less than 5 – Basic - These policies offer the least value, with limited cover and fewer included benefits.

Written by

Gary Ross Hunter

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 594 Finder guides across topics including:

• Health, home, life, car, pet and travel insurance
• Managing the cost of living