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Best OVHC Policies for travel in Australia

We compared dozens of Overseas Visitor Health Cover policies to find some of the best policies for visitors and tourists.

Top pick:
Best for Workers
Allianz Care Australia Budget Working Cover
  • Starts from $77.25 per month
  • Choice of excess
  • $20,000 medical repatriation limit
Top pick:
Cheapest
Frank Basic Workers Cover
  • Cheapest policy on Finder that meets visa requirements
  • Starts from $64.50 per month
  • Covers 18 health services
Top pick:
Best for Students
Medibank Essentials Overseas Student Health Cover
  • Australia's largest health fund
  • $49.25 per month
  • Covers 39 health services
Top pick:
Best for Short Stays
Medibank Overseas Visitors Starter Hospital and Medical
  • It’s designed for short stay visitors
  • Starts from $51 per month
  • Covers GP visits and ambulance services

While we're unable to point you to a single best OVHC policy – since everyone's health needs differ – we can make choosing one easier. We picked 4 Overseas Visitor Health Cover policies based on factors such as price, services, visa requirements and popularity.

Best OVHC: Finder top picks

Workers: Allianz Care Australia Budget Working Cover

We selected Allianz Care Australia Budget Working Cover as the top pick for workers because:

  • At around $77.25 per month, it was one of the most affordable policies available on Finder
  • It offers two excess options: $0 and $500
  • It meets the 8501 visa requirement

It's underwritten by Peoplecare Health Limited which had a better complaints record than other providers we looked at, such as Frank (underwritten by GMHBA), according to the Commonwealth Ombudsman. It was only slightly more expensive than Frank but comes with a larger medical repatriation limit ($20,000 compared to Frank's $10,000).

Cheapest: Frank Basic Workers Cover

We chose Frank's Basic Workers Cover as the cheapest policy because:

  • It was the cheapest OVHC policy available on Finder that also meets visa requirements (condition 8501)
  • Policies start from $64.50 per month

There are cheaper policies available on the market but they only cover visitors and do not meet the 8501 visa requirement. Frank Basic Workers policy covers those on worker visas as well and comes with inclusions such as emergency ambulance, cancer treatment, pharmaceuticals, funeral expenses and repatriation.

Students: Medibank Essential Overseas Student Health

Medibank Logo

We selected Medibank's Essentials Overseas Student Health Cover as the top pick for students because:

  • It meets student visa health insurance requirements (for all course types)
  • It was the most visited Finder partner on our site between March 2020 and March 2021.
  • It had the highest percentage of members of all Australian health funds, according to the Commonwealth Ombudsman's State of the Health Funds Report

The Medibank's Essential Overseas Student Health policy covers 39 health services including ear, nose and throat, tonsils, adenoids and grommets, and sleep studies. At $44.75 per month, it is also one of the cheapest overseas student policies available on Finder. It also comes with a 24/7 nurse telephone service.

Short stays: Medibank Overseas Visitors Starter Hospital and Medical

Medibank Logo

Our short stay top pick was Medibank Overseas Visitors Starter Hospital and Medical because:

  • It's designed for short stay visitors
  • It's the cheapest OVHC policy available on Finder at $51 per month

Medibank Overseas Visitors Starter Hospital and Medical is designed for short stay visitors on visas such as the 188, 400, 417, 462, 489, 600, 601 and 651 who don't require health cover for visa purposes (condition 8501), but want a good level of protection. It covers the basics such as ambulance transportation and GP visits as well as more complex services including diabetes management and heart and vascular treatment. It also comes with a 24/7 nurse telephone service.

If you need to meet the 8501 health insurance visa requirement, you'll need a different policy such as Allianz Care Australia Budget Visitors Cover.

Still looking? Compare all of our OVHC partners

Name Product Meets condition 8501 Hospital Cover Dental Pregnancy Cover GP Visits Medical Repatriation Price
Frank Basic Workers Cover
Yes (Reduced benefits)
$10,000
From $64.50 per month
From $64.50 per month.
Medibank Overseas Workers Base Hospital
From $73 per month
From $73 per month.
Frank Minimum Working Visa Cover
$20,000
From $75 per month
From $75 per month.
Allianz Care Australia Budget Working Cover
$20,000
From $77.25 per month
From $77.25 per month.
HIF Basic Working Visa
$4,000
From $81.05 per month
From $77.90 per month.
Frank Mid Workers Cover
$20,000
From $100 per month
From $100 per month.
HIF Essentials Working Visa
$4,000
From $107.60 per month
From $103.40 per month.
Medibank Overseas Workers Standard Hospital and Medical
From $113 per month
From $113 per month.
Allianz Care Australia Standard Working Cover
$20,000
From $113.85 per month
From $113.85 per month.
Frank Mid Workers Plus Bundle
$20,000
From $125 per month
From $125 per month.
HIF Intermediate Working Visa
$6,000
From $134.75 per month
From $129.50 per month.
Allianz Care Australia Mid Working Cover
$20,000
From $167 per month
From $167 per month.
HIF Comprehensive Working Visa
$8,000
From $287.05 per month
From $275.80 per month.
Allianz Care Australia Top Working Cover
$20,000
From $313.75 per month
From $313.75 per month.
Medibank Overseas Workers Advanced Hospital and Medical
From $406 per month
From $406 per month.
Medibank Overseas Workers Premium Hospital, Medical and Extras
From $437.50 per month
From $437.50 per month.
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