Allianz Care Australia OSHC
Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) is a type of health insurance designed specifically for international students who are studying in Australia. It is mandatory for anyone with a student visa and must be maintained throughout your entire study period. OSHC covers the cost of some hospital treatment, emergency ambulance services, visits to the doctor and limited pharmaceutical medicines.
OSHC is not only a mandatory requirement for international students, but it also gives a piece of mind, knowing that you can access quality healthcare in Australia whenever needed. From personal experience, a quick tip for you is to research the best possible option that suits your needs when choosing your OSHC provider.
Your insurer will pay up to 100% of your hospital costs as long as your policy lists the treatment as covered. You may get less if you use a hospital that doesn't have a partnership with your insurer.
Your insurer will pay up to 100% of the amount that the Federal Government has determined that standard GP consultation should cost (you'll pay any difference if your provider charges more).
You'll usually get a set yearly dollar amount that you can apply toward prescriptions and up to 85% for specialist service costs including X-rays and bloodwork.
Your insurer will pay up to 100% of your ambulance rides in an emergency. If it's not an emergency, you'll be responsible for the cost.
Most OSHC policies don't include dental cover since it's not required as part of your visa. However, international students can get extras cover for non-hospital treatments like dental, optical and physio.
You can find plans that cover general dental treatments like cleanings, X-rays and simple fillings, or you can upgrade to a plan that includes major dental work like root canals, complex fillings and crowns.
You can choose from any extras policy in the Australian market and you'll hold this type of cover in addition to your OSHC policy.
Keep in mind that you'll probably be unable to claim for a number of medical services and treatments under your student health insurance policy. Common exclusions include:
Generally, everyone with a Subclass 500 Student Visa needs OSHC. Condition 8501 on the Department of Home Affairs website says that, "You must have and maintain adequate health insurance for the whole of your stay in Australia."
OSHC is designed to meet your visa's criteria and covers you as long as your premiums are paid and you're enrolled as a full-time student. When you take out OSHC, the insurer will email you a confirmation certificate which you can attach to your visa application.
If you're travelling to Australia on a Subclass 500 Student Visa with your partner or spouse, they will also need cover. Good news is, you can apply for a couples policy to make sure you're compliant with the visa requirements.
You're not required to have OSHC if you're a student from Belgium, Norway or Sweden. Under the Reciprocal Health Care Agreement (RHCA) that Australia has with those nations, you'll be able to claim benefits for certain medical treatment under the public health system called Medicare.
Be aware that if you are a student from any of the other countries Australia has an RHCA with, this does not exempt you from needing to take out OSHC.
"If applicants are required to provide evidence of their health insurance arrangements, any the following may be considered acceptable, unless a particular visa subclass instruction requires other specific information:
Family members applying separately from the primary visa applicant or visa holder must produce evidence as per above, which clearly indicates that they, as dependant applicants, will be covered upon arrival in Australia by a policy with an adequate level of cover."
Since OSHC is a requirement for a student visa, all insurers must provide you with minimum levels of cover for it to be compliant with your visa condition. This means that when comparing OSHC options, rather than cover levels, price is one of the main comparison points.
Below is a cost comparison for 1 year of cover for a single 25-year-old coming to Australia to study with cover for 12 months.
| Health Insurer | The annual cost of cover* |
|---|---|
| ahm OSHC | $572.00 |
| Allianz Care Australia | $627.00 |
| Bupa | $691.68 |
| CBHS | $569.40 |
| Medibank | $579.00 |
| nib | $575.00 |
*Prices correct at time of writing (25 August 2023) and subject to change
The costs above are for the basic cover option that just satisfies your visa requirements. Some funds, such as Medibank, offer comprehensive options that provide cover in addition to these minimum standards, and have benefits for private psychology and repatriation costs.
Yes, you're able to change your OSHC provider at any time, but you may incur a cancellation fee or refund processing fee.
If you plan to change OSHC providers, you must ensure there is no gap in coverage between your old and new providers. This means you must arrange cover from your new provider first, before cancelling your previous policy.
Any waiting periods that you have served on your existing policy will be honoured when you transfer your cover.
Compare Australian OSHC policies and request a quote
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