Tourist medical insurance for Australia
You are coming to Australia on holiday, to visit someone, or you are waiting for a new visa to be approved. In all these cases Medicare does not cover you, and in Australia an emergency is paid entirely out of pocket.
Here are the options we worked on, ordered by situation. Find yours and go straight to it.
Are you renewing your visa from Australia?
If you are in the country on a non-student visa (tourist or Work and Holiday) and have applied for a student visa, you need coverage for the entire waiting period.
Your student OSHC doesn't take effect until your new visa is approved. You have to cover that gap with visitor insurance, and that's exactly what the first two options on this page are for. Not a single day without coverage.
Insurances contracted in Australia
Valid for any nationality. These are the ones you need if you are renewing a visa from within the country, or if your visa carries condition 8501.
Alternative
Bupa OVHC
Plans designed for visitors, with the advantage of their own medical centers located throughout Australia. A good option if you'll be staying in a major city and prefer to have everything under one roof.
Sign Up for Bupa →Travel insurance from Europe
If you reside in Spain, the European Union, Switzerland, Norway, Monaco, or Andorra and you are coming on vacation, Chapka has two products depending on the duration of your trip.
Less than 90 days
Cap Assistance 24/7
Comprehensive travel assistance and repatriation insurance for short trips. It works just as well whether you're traveling alone, with friends, as a couple, or with children.
- Medical expenses and repatriation
- Luggage and Lost Documents
- Designated driver
- Refund for an Interrupted Trip
- 24/7 Support in Spanish
More than 90 days
Cap Adventure
Designed for long stays and round-the-world trips. On trips of three months or more, even a minor injury can turn out very costly without coverage.
- Medical expenses covered at 100%, from the very first euro
- Assistance and repatriation with 24/7 hotline
- Third-Party Liability
- Valid for travel through multiple countries
Travel Insurance from Latin America
5% discount
IATI Insurance
Chapka requires European residency, so if you live in Latin America, this is your option. One of the most experienced travel insurance companies on the market, with different options depending on the duration and level of coverage you need.
- No European residency restrictions
- Various options, from short trips to long stays
- Medical expenses and hospitalization with broad limits
- 24-hour assistance in Spanish
- Luggage and Liability Insurance
For long stays, the basic option falls short. Ask us before booking and we will tell you which one fits your trip.
Hire here
The links on this page contain our agency code and provide access to special conditions. If you go directly to the insurer's website on your own, you pay the full price.
The advice costs you nothing. If your situation is unique, write to us before hiring.
Frequently asked questions
I am renewing my visa from Australia, what insurance do I need?
One of the insurance policies contracted in Australia: Allianz OVHC or Bupa OVHC. Your student OSHC does not take effect until your new visa is approved, so the waiting period must be covered separately.
Is insurance mandatory with a tourist visa?
It depends. Some visitor visas carry condition 8501, which requires maintaining coverage. Check your grant letter or check VEVO. Even if it is not mandatory, without insurance you pay in full for any medical care.
Can I use Medicare as a Spanish or Latin American tourist?
No. Australia only has reciprocal health care agreements with eleven countries, and neither Spain nor any Latin American country is on the list.
Chapka or IATI?
Depending on where you live. Chapka requires residency in Spain, the European Union, Switzerland, Norway, Monaco, or Andorra. If you live in Latin America, your option is IATI.
Does travel insurance meet condition 8501 for me?
If your visa has that condition, you need OVHC from an Australian Government-approved insurer, such as Allianz or Bupa. A European or Latin American travel insurance policy does not meet that requirement, even though it covers you medically during the trip.
Are you coming to study or on a Work and Holiday visa? You need different coverage. Check our guide to health insurance for Australia.