Is Travel Insurance (for Medical Needs) Recommended for Folks Visiting Australia for a Couple of Months? If so, which one?

virhlpool on 02/12/2015 - 00:30
Last edited 02/12/2015 - 00:31

Hi,

My parents are visiting (in late 50's and healthy) Australia for a couple of months. They aren't citizens or PR here so won't have access to free or even subsidized medical care. Do you recommend purchasing their travel insurance (the one which serves for mainly the emergency/ medical needs)? I am not sure if they should buy it or take a risk. What sort of expense is at risk if some medical access is required while they are in the country? I am new here myself so I don't have much idea of the private medical care.

If I should buy one, any recommendations for the low-priced options? Also, is it called travel insurance only OR there's some different name for the one which is focused more on medical needs rather than other travel thingies like "missed flight coverage", "baggage lost coverage" etc. that I don't bother much about, if at all such product exists?

Thanks in advance!!

Travel

Comments

  • Dumax on 02/12/2015 - 00:41

    You don't want travel insurance. What you're looking for is "Overseas Visitors Health Insurance".

    • virhlpool on 02/12/2015 - 01:02

      Thanks. Any recommendations for Australia?

      • pao2x on 02/12/2015 - 03:24

        Choose any from a reputable company. The prices do not vary that much. Medibank BUPA HCF NIB etc.

        http://www.humanservices.gov.au/customer/services/medicare/r…

        "The Australian Government has agreements with New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, Sweden, the Netherlands, Finland, Italy, Belgium, Malta, Slovenia and Norway. These agreements mean:
        •Australian residents can get help with the cost of essential medical treatment when visiting these countries
        •residents of these countries can get some essential medical treatments while visiting Australia.

        Students from Norway, Finland, Malta and the Republic of Ireland aren’t covered by agreements with those countries.

        Reciprocal Health Care Agreements aren’t designed to replace private travel health insurance for overseas travel"

  • djmatt24 on 02/12/2015 - 01:16
    +3

    You haven't said where your parents are from. Countries like the UK have reciprocal arrangements with Australia, so if it would be covered in their own country by their version of Medicare, they can use our system the same way. I think maybe Smart Traveller was the place I found that info out.

    • virhlpool on 02/12/2015 - 08:12

      My parents are coming from the US but they are Indian citizens.

  • Donaldhump on 02/12/2015 - 15:21

    sure take the risk, and if ur parents suffer a stroke or heart attack etc…. cough up 25k…

    id personally pay for the insurance, but i also pay for a roof over my head.

    maybe u could sleep in a park and dumpster dive to cut costs on life.

    • virhlpool on 02/12/2015 - 21:26
      +1

      Thanks, mate. I got your point. But do you have any specific reco?

      • Donaldhump on 04/12/2015 - 15:19

        Travel Insurance Direct or allianz seems ok, just read what is covered….
        its a peace of mind, trust me sh$t happens at the worst times,
        the other thing is it might be mandatory for them to have it to agin entry to oz? im not sure

  • mrham on 03/12/2015 - 00:07
    +1

    Cost of an accident & emergency consult can be about $300
    A day in hospital up to $1000
    A day in ICU $3500
    A repatriation flight 10 to 25k

    Credit cards can often have decent medical travel insurance, get them to check with their providers. Otherwise just look through a few travel insurance companies and see what they offer in their PDS. A lot of Australian ones offer medical only so I assume ones from other nations will do the same.

  • anna10 on 04/12/2015 - 11:12

    My mates' relos visited from Italy, got rear ended now are paying many thousands in bills and had to get a lawyer to get recompense. Spending ages at Doctors, getting x rays etc etc. Never travel without insurance is my view.

  • anna10 on 04/12/2015 - 11:32

    Also, see what this site has to say , may give you some ideas … https://www.travelinsurance.com.au/travel-insurance/visitors…

  • Donaldhump on 04/12/2015 - 15:20

    my friends brother broke his back skiing in switzerland, he had no insurance, his brother did and he faked being him… he now cant go back to switzerland

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