Things To Consider When Choosing Overseas Visitor Health Cover

Choosing your overseas visitor health cover policy is a crucial decision. You need to ensure you choose the best policy that fits you and our lifestyle. You need to consider your age, if you have any pre-existing conditions and if you need additional benefits to your policy.

You need to consider the costs involved, and what the network of healthcare providers is like. 

It can be a lot to think about, especially for people coming to Australia for the first time. This is where OVHC Insurance can help you. We speak with you and understand your circumstances, and then present an insurance policy that best fits you.

Understanding Your Individual Needs

Knowing your own health issues and concerns is vital for understanding what you need from your insurance when working in Australia. 

Consider your age, existing medical conditions, and the expected duration of your stay in Australia. Assess the level of coverage required for peace of mind. Tailor your choice to align with these specific needs, ensuring the policy adequately addresses your potential healthcare expenses while abroad.

What’s Covered In OVHC

What is ovhc? When considering your OVHC, what should you look for in a policy?

In-Hospital Treatment

You can have either private or public hospital options. If you’re on a working visa where OVHC is compulsory, you will have the same minimum hospital coverage as an Australian citizen through the public sector.

If you want private health coverage while you’re working in Australia, insurers often have agreements with private hospitals for this. 

Check your policy to understand what is and is not covered for hospitals. 

Out-of-hospital treatment

These include visits to a GP, getting X-rays or physiotherapy. The costs involved, as covered by policy, or charged by the provider, can differ, so check the fine print.

If you have the option, you may try to take out extras cover with your insurance, which can cover these unexpected medical visits.

Ambulance Cover

All OVHC insurance policies you take out as a worker will have ambulance cover included if it is deemed medically required by the ambulance service. 

Check your policy on this. You don’t want to be hit with a surprise out-of-pocket expenses bill when you thought you were covered.

Waiting Periods

Just check to see what waiting periods apply to your insurance and the extras you have included.

What’s Not Covered In OVHC

While a lot is covered by your OVHC while in Australia, there are some procedures and medical instances that are likely not covered. They can include:

• Assisted reproductive treatments, such as IVF.
• Elective cosmetic surgery.
• Organ transplants
• Treatment which happens while travelling to, or departing from Australia.
• Any medical procedure not covered by Medicare.

Again, we urge you to check the policy you’re thinking of buying, just to check what is and isn't covered. This will give you peace of mind, and hopefully won't give you any nasty surprises while visiting.

Waiting Periods

Briefly mentioned above, there can be some waiting periods on certain aspects of your OVHC. You may have a 3 or 6 month wait on dental, or up to 12 months wait on pregnancy issues.

If you switch insurance providers, and have already served the waiting periods you won’t have to re-serve those waiting periods again. As long as you don’t have too long a gap between policies. 

Check on these waiting periods, as it may impact when you choose to get your OVHC.

Network Of Medical Providers

All public hospitals in Australia are covered by the OVHC insurance. This covers all emergency admissions.

For more specialised services, such as some dental, optical and some GP’s, this is where different coverage from your insurance provider may kick in.

Grab the list from your insurance company once you’ve signed up, just so you’re aware of where you can go to get treatment with your insurance cover.

Customer Support & Assistance

Every insurance provider has their own call centre and customer support services. Familiarise yourself with them, their contact numbers and email addresses, hours of operation and such.

Always go to them for help when you’re not sure on a policy, a cover, or the price of a treatment. They often have alternate language services as well.

Most, if not all, the providers have a smartphone app for you to find FAQs and to submit claims. Familiarise yourself with your provider’s app for quick and easy resolutions to your issues.

Policy Costs 

There are certain costs involved with an OVHC policy. Out-of-pocket expenses, extras coverage, excess payments and more. 

OVHC Australia can help you navigate the tricky world of insurance coverage, what you can be covered for, and how much that all costs you.

If you include extras in your policy, this can cost you more, but give you more benefits in return.

How To Claim 

Each insurer may have different ways you can claim on your medical appointments.

Each insurance provider will have documentation explaining how you can claim your insurance.

Some providers allow you to tap or swipe a card at the point of payment (HICAPS) and claim immediately, others require you claim online with proof, such as a receipt of payment. Most insurance companies have an app you can use, taking a photo of your receipt as proof. And in some instances you can still use good old fashioned mail in services to make a claim.

Always claim the way your provider advises you to do so, as this makes it quicker and easier for you.

Compare OVHC Providers Today

We want to help you find the best OVHC policy for your time in Australia. We understand the varying needs of people on working visas, and what best suits them in the Australian environment.

We're here to help you compare the options so that you can choose which policy is right for you. We’ve seen far too many students and workers be dissatisfied with their insurance, simply because they didn’t know better.