About Overseas Visitors Health Cover

Whether you are working in Australia or having a holiday here, we hope that you have more enjoyable things to think about than how you’re going to pay for the cost of healthcare if you get sick or have an accident.

The healthcare system in Australia is regarded to be amongst the best in the world, but the cost of treatment can be expensive.

Overseas visitors cover is an excellent way to ensure that you are covered.

Is Overseas Visitors Cover Right For You?

Bupa’s overseas visitors cover helps to cover you for treatment in and out of hospital and allows you to choose when and where you are treated as well as giving you the option of choosing your doctor or specialist.

Our health insurance is designed to meet your needs and is ideal if you:

• Have requirements on your visa to maintain an adequate level of health insurance for yourself and any dependants, for the duration of your stay
• Require cover for general and emergency medical treatment and expenses
• Are visiting from a country with no Reciprocal Healthcare Agreements
• Wish to have faster access to a wider range of hospital treatments than is covered by your Reciprocal Healthcare Agreement
• Do not have a medical component on your current travel insurance policy
• Want peace of mind of having your healthcare needs covered during your stay

Our covers are divided into working visa and non-working visa visitors health insurance.

Working visa overseas visitors health insurance

For overseas visitors who are permitted to work in Australia, we have three levels of working visa health cover, ranging from basic to comprehensive.

1. Essential - This option covers you for hospital and medical expenses in both public and private hospitals, plus visits to a doctor or specialist in private practice.
2. Essential Plus - This hospital and extras package includes cover for private and public hospital and medical expenses, visits to a doctor or specialist in private practice and basic level extras cover that includes benefits for dental, optical, physio, chiropractic, naturopathy more.
3. Gold - This comprehensive option covers you for private and public hospital and medical expenses as well as visits to a doctor or specialist in private practice. You can also choose an excess option to help reduce your premium.
4.  Platinum – This complete hospital and extras package includes cover for private and public hospital and medical expenses, visits to a doctor or specialist in private practice and top level extras cover that includes benefits for dental, optical, physio, chiropractic, massage and much more. You can also choose an excess to lower your premium.

All the above options include outpatient pharmacy benefits, full cover for ambulance and repatriation, and meet the minimum level of health insurance required as set out by the Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP) on selected visas (including 457).

If you are applying for a 457 Long Stay Working Visa, the following overseas visitor health covers meet the minimum level of insurance required as set out by the Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP):

• Platinum Visitors Cover
• Platinum Visitors Cover with Excess
• Gold Visitors Cover
• Gold Visitors Cover with Excess
• Essential Visitors Cover
• Essential Plus Visitors Cover

Select any of the above levels of cover with Bupa and we will email you a verification cover letter for DIBP within four business days.

Visit our FAQs to find out more about our overseas visitor covers for working visa holders including 457.

Do you need to take out overseas visitor health cover?

To ensure you are covered for both inpatient and out-patient hospital services and treatment by a doctor or specialist in private practice, you will need to take out one of our overseas visitor health covers.

Find out more about the Australian Health System and what it means for you.

Non-working visa health insurance

For overseas visitors not permitted to work in Australia, we have three levels of non-working visa health cover, ranging from basic to comprehensive.

1. Standard - This option covers you for hospital and medical expenses in both public and private hospitals, plus visits to a doctor or specialist in private practice. Some treatment exclusions apply.
2. Advantage - This higher option covers you for private or public hospital and medical expenses as well as visits to a doctor or specialist in private practice. Some treatment restrictions apply.
3.  Top - This comprehensive hospital and extras package covers private hospital and medical expenses, visits to a doctor or specialist in private practice and extras cover that includes benefits for dental, optical, physio, chiropractic, massage and much more. You can also choose an excess to lower your premium.

All the above options include outpatient pharmacy benefits full cover for ambulance services.

If you have requirements on your visa to maintain an adequate level of health insurance during your stay, Bupa can email you a verification cover letter for DIBP within four business days upon request.

Short Stay Visitors Cover

If you’re on a student visa that doesn’t require Overseas Student Health Cover, or a visa that allows you to legally work in Australia temporarily, this may be an option for you. Some treatment exclusions apply.

This cover is available under Single or Couple membership only (Family membership not available), is restricted to visitors under 50 years of age and only suitable for the following visa types:

476 Skilled – Recognised Graduate (Temporary) Visa
400 Short Stay Temporary Work Visa
417 Working Holiday Visa
462 Work and Holiday Visa
419 Visiting academic Visa
470 Professional Development Visa
600 Visitor Visa^~
601 Electronic Travel Authority Visa^~
651 eVisitor Visa^~
~Documentation to confirm enrolment in an Australian university, English language centre or other educational institution will be required for this visa subclass.

Please note: This cover does not meet the minimum level of health insurance as set out by the Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP) on selected visas (including 457).

For more information on overseas visitors health insurance please refer to our Visitors Cover Brochure (PDF, 3.8mb) or get in touch with us. Give us a call, on 134 135 (from within Australia) or 61 3 9487 6400 (from outside Australia) today.