Why choose HBF Overseas Visitors Health cover?
Urgent ambulance by road on all covers
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Cover options to meet visa condition 8501
Overseas Visitors Health cover explained
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Things you should know about Overseas Visitors Health cover
Medicare Levy Surcharge
Visitors to Australia for work may need to pay the Medicare Levy Surcharge (MLS), which equates to 1-1.5% of your income, depending on how much you earn. You will need to pay the MLS if you’re visiting from a Reciprocal Healthcare Agreement country, and earn over $97,000 per year (or $194,000 per year for couples and families). We recommend you speak to a tax advisor if you’re unsure about the MLS.
Waiting periods
A waiting period is a set amount of time during which you must continuously hold your level of health cover but cannot claim a benefit. Once you’ve served your waiting periods, you can submit a claim. Below is a full list of waiting periods for HBF Overseas Visitors Health cover. If you choose to take out extras cover, refer to your relevant product sheet for information on the waiting periods that will apply.
Standard Overseas Visitor cover
| Pre-existing conditions | 12-month waiting period (excluding Psychiatric, Rehabilitation and Palliative care) |
| Psychiatric, Rehabilitation and Palliative care | 2-month waiting period |
| All other in-patient hospital treatment | No waiting period |
| Out-patient medical treatment | No waiting period |
| Urgent ambulance | No waiting period |
Working Visa Hospital & Working Visa Hospital and Medical cover
| Pre-existing conditions | 12-month waiting period (excluding Psychiatric, Rehabilitation and Palliative care) |
| Maternity | 12-month waiting period |
| Psychiatric, Rehabilitation and Palliative care | 2-month waiting period |
| All other in-patient hospital treatment | No waiting period |
| Out-patient medical treatment | No waiting period |
| Urgent ambulance | No waiting period |
Visa condition 8501
Depending on the type of visa you hold, you may be required to take out an appropriate level of Australian private health insurance. This is typically indicated as ‘Condition 8501: Health Cover’ on your visa. If this condition is attached to your visa, you’ll need to have and maintain private health cover for the duration of your stay in Australia.
We offer two Overseas Visitors Health cover options - Working Visa Hospital and Working Visa Hospital and Medical - which are both compliant with condition 8501 for visa subclasses 482, 485, 403, 407, 408, 489 and more.
View the Working Visa Hospital product sheet (PDF) and Working Visa Hospital and Medical product sheet (PDF) for a list of visas covered by these policies.
Reciprocal health care agreements
Australia has reciprocal health care agreements with countries around the world to provide visitors with access to medically necessary care through Australia’s public healthcare system, Medicare.
To be eligible to access Medicare benefits under a reciprocal health care agreement, you must be visiting from a participating country and be insured by the healthcare system of that country.
Why choose HBF for your health insurance?
80+ years experience
We’re flexible
We’re not-for-profit
FAQs for Overseas Visitors Health cover
What is a reciprocal health care agreement, and does it apply to me?
A reciprocal health care agreement is an agreement between two countries to cover certain health care costs. If your country has a reciprocal health care agreement with Australia, you will be covered for certain health care costs while you’re in Australia, while Australians visiting your country will enjoy the same benefits. The United Kingdom is one of the many countries that has an agreement with Australia. For more information and to find out if you qualify, visit the Services Australia website.
Can I get health insurance if I have a pre-existing condition?
Yes. Even if you have a pre-existing condition, you will be able to buy health insurance for your stay in Australia. However, you will need to serve a 12-month waiting period before you can claim on any pre-existing treatments.
Do I need to serve waiting periods before I can claim on hospital cover?
Possibly. The waiting periods that are apply to your cover are listed in your product sheet. It’s important that you’ve served any relevant waiting periods before you receive any treatment.
I’m moving to Australia soon, when will my hospital cover begin?
When you take out hospital cover, you will be asked to choose a start date for your policy - this should be the date you arrive in Australia.
Do I need health insurance when I visit Australia?
Having health insurance will help pay some of the cost of your treatment if you require medical services while in Australia. If you don’t have private health insurance while in Australia and aren’t eligible for Medicare, you will need to pay 100% of the bill for any medical expenses you incur during your stay, including things like visiting a doctor or being admitted to hospital.
Note: Some Australian visas require you to maintain an appropriate level of private health insurance cover for the duration of your whole stay in Australia. Learn more about visa requirements.
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