Planning to study in Australia? The Australian government requires all international students undertaking formal studies to have health insurance.
Known as Overseas Student Health Cover, or OSHC, this private health insurance helps students, their spouses and children with medical and hospital expenses during their stay.
We spoke with Jacky Jatendar Kumar – an international student from Pakistan, who moved to Australia to study nursing – about all things OSHC.
What should I look for when searching for an insurance provider?
When Jacky moved to Australia to study for a Diploma of Nursing at Torrens University Australia, he needed to select an insurance provider to meet the student visa requirements. To help make his decision, he read through plenty of online reviews and took recommendations from his cousins who had also studied in Australia.
In the end, he settled on Allianz Care Australia’s Overseas Student Health Cover, as it offered several fantastic benefits.
“I valued the experience of my friends and family who were already living in Australia, so I asked my cousins and they said Allianz Care was great for international students,” Jacky says.
“I chose Allianz Care as it was the most competitive insurance I had researched. The bulk billing options were broader and easier to use. Their online portal and Doctors on Demand service is also great and consultations with a doctor are gap-free – I don’t think other health providers are doing that.”
Now, almost four years later, Jacky has moved on to an advanced diploma and stayed loyal to Allianz Care*.
When deciding which insurance company is right for you, you may need to consider the following:
- If you have prior health conditions: Some policies exclude pre-existing health conditions or have waiting periods. This is the time you must wait before you can claim any benefits, so check the fine print
- If you need medications or prescriptions: There may be limits on how much of the cost is covered
- If your family will be coming with you: If you plan on bringing your spouse and children to Australia, you’ll need to purchase a dual family or multi-family policy. Costs for these policies vary between providers
- If you need extras like dental and physiotherapy: Many basic OSHC policies do not cover these extras so be sure to research whether these extras can be added on or purchased separately
- The ease of making a claim: Some providers let you claim online or even via an app. Choose one that works best for you
- The cost: This is a big factor to consider. Compare prices between policies and insurance providers to work out which one suits your budget
When to use your OSHC
Visiting the doctors
Whether you’re feeling unwell, in pain, or just need professional medical advice, your OSHC helps cover the cost of seeing a doctor – either in person or through telehealth. However, as all doctors operate differently, there may be an additional cost called an ‘out of pocket’ expense you will need to pay. This cost is the difference between what your insurance will cover and the actual fee charged by the doctor.
If you’re an Allianz Care policyholder, you can use the “Find a doctor” tool to select from a list of doctors in your area. These doctors will bill Allianz Care directly for the amount covered under the policy and will only charge you a gap fee if it applies. The tool also lists what languages each doctor speaks if you’re more comfortable speaking in your first language.
In a medical emergency
For Jacky, an accident meant an unexpected visit to the hospital. Your OSHC includes benefits that will help pay for the cost of private and public hospital admissions, including if you need to stay overnight.
“I just had to provide my policy number and details, and Allianz Care were convenient in covering the rest,” Jacky says. “I didn’t have to think about what I had to do, they didn’t ask any questions. They just said, ‘We’ve paid your bill and we’ve got your back.’”
If you find yourself in a medical emergency where you need to go to the hospital, make a claim through your OSHC provider to cover your out-of-pocket expenses. Depending on your insurance company, this can be done over the phone or online.
The Allianz MyHealth App allows policyholders to quickly and easily make a claim online, check the status of any outstanding claims, and view policy documents.
When you’re too sick to sit an exam
In the unfortunate situation where you’re too sick to complete an assignment or exam, you may be required by your educational institution to supply a medical certificate. This is to give proof to your teachers and lecturers and a way to justify any absences.
To get a medical certificate, you will need to visit a doctor or speak to one on the phone. They will then supply you with this documentation.
Getting medication and prescriptions
If you require prescription medicine during your stay in Australia, this may be covered by your OSHC. Only medication prescribed by a doctor and listed under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (not medicine you can purchase over the counter) is eligible for coverage.
To begin the process, visit or speak to a doctor. Once you have a prescription, you can purchase the medicine from a pharmacy. Keep the receipt and any details, as these will be used to complete your online claim so you can be reimbursed for benefits covered under your policy.
There are some situations where you have to pay for part of the medicine, or the type of medicine isn’t covered by your insurance company, so be sure to read up on your policy or contact your insurance provider to confirm.
If you need to visit the dentist, optometrist or physiotherapist
Many OSHC policies will not cover the costs of dental, optical and physiotherapy. However, you may have the option to purchase additional insurance to cover these.
For example, Allianz Care OSHC Extras provides coverage (up to the benefit amount listed in the policy document) for when you go to the dentist for a basic clean or need oral surgery, if you need glasses or contact lenses, and if you require treatments from a physiotherapist or chiropractor.
*This is a summary of Allianz Care Overseas Student Health Cover information and benefits. For the full exclusions, limitations, waiting periods, terms and conditions please read the applicable policy wording document which is available at allianzcare.com.au/en/policy-wording-documents.html.
