Cheap 600 Visa Health Insurance 2026: Compare OVHC From $51

The 600 Visitor visa allows you come to Australia for a holiday, to visit family and friends or for business visitor activities like conferences. It's the visa most tourists get if they aren't eligible for an ETA or eVisitor, or want to stay longer, usually up to 3, 6 or 12 months.

Do you need health cover for the 600 visa?

Yes, you need some sort of health cover on a 600 visa, as you're liable for any medical expenses while you're visiting Australia. Exactly how much cover you need and how you get it will change based on your country of origin and your specific visa conditions. Some 600 visas are subject to condition 8501, which means you will need to get an adequate OVHC policy. More on this below.

How to get health cover on a 600 visa

There are 3 ways you can get cover for a 600 (tourist) visa:

• Overseas Visitor Health Cover (OVHC): This is health insurance made for visitors to Australia, sold by an Australian company. It's custom made for the Aussie medical system and designed to suit the needs of visitors, workers, or students. Some OVHC policies will be made to suit the 8501 requirement, but many of them won't be.
• Reciprocal Health Care Agreement (RHCA): There are 11 countries that have an agreement with Australia to provide medical care for their residents. For many casual visitors, this is enough. However, it's not necessarily enough to satisfy condition 8501.
• Travel Insurance: If your visa is not subject to condition 8501, then travel insurance might be enough to cover your medical costs when you visit Australia. You can use a provider in your country, or get inbound travel insurance from Australia.

What is OVHC?

Overseas Visitors Health Cover (OVHC) is a type of private health insurance tailored to visa holders coming to work, live and visit Australia, like those on the 600 visa. It can cover you for things including:

• Hospital treatment, accommodation and theatre fees
• Emergency ambulance transportation fees
• Doctor, surgeon and specialist fees
• Prescriptions and General Practitioner (GP) consultations

Compare OVHC for 600 visa class

The table below lists OVHC policies made for the 600 visa class. They all provide basic medical cover for your trip, with some offering much more comprehensive cover. Whether you need a policy that meets condition 8501 depends on your specific visa: it's required for some 600 visa streams and not others, so check your grant letter.

20 of 31 results

Finder Score	Visa Compliant	Dental	Pregnancy cover	GP visits	Excess options	Medical repatriation	Price
Promoted 8.3 Great HIF Visitor Saver	8.3 Great		Optional			$250, $500		From $160.85	Get quoteView details Compare product selection Compare	loading
Promoted 8.9 Great Medibank Overseas Visitors Starter Hospital and Medical	8.9 Great		Optional			$250, $750		From $55.65	Get quoteView details Compare product selection Compare	loading
7.9 Great Medibank Overseas Visitors Comprehensive Hospital	7.9 Great		Optional			$500	Up to $50,000	From $166.95	Get quoteView details Compare product selection Compare	loading
7.5 Great Medibank Overseas Visitors Core Hospital and Medical	7.5 Great		Optional			$500	Up to $50,000	From $157.90	Get quoteView details Compare product selection Compare	loading
6.8 Standard Allianz Care Australia Hospital Care Visitors	6.8 Standard					$500	$5,000	From $180.00	Get quoteView details Compare product selection Compare	loading
6 Standard Medibank Overseas Visitors Premier Hospital and Medical	6 Standard		Optional			$500	Up to $50,000	From $660.00	Get quoteView details Compare product selection Compare	loading
5.9 Standard Allianz Care Australia Classic Care Visitors	5.9 Standard					$500	$5,000	From $868.80	Get quoteView details Compare product selection Compare	loading
9.3 Excellent nib Visitor Care	9.3 Excellent			Restricted					ContinueView details Compare product selection Compare	loading
9.1 Excellent HCF Short Stay Visitor Visa	9.1 Excellent					$250, $500, $750		From $49.00	ContinueView details Compare product selection Compare	loading
9 Excellent Bupa Short Stay Visitors Cover with Freedom 50 Extras	9 Excellent					$250		From $74.23	ContinueView details Compare product selection Compare	loading
8.8 Great Bupa Short Stay Visitors Cover with Budget Extras 60	8.8 Great					$250		From $83.58	ContinueView details Compare product selection Compare	loading
8.7 Great Bupa Short Stay Visitors Cover with Freedom 60 Extras	8.7 Great					$250		From $103.88	ContinueView details Compare product selection Compare	loading
8.6 Great Bupa Short Stay Visitors Cover	8.6 Great					$250		From $53.13	ContinueView details Compare product selection Compare	loading
8.5 Great Bupa Short Stay Visitors Cover with Your Choice Extras 60	8.5 Great					$250		From $114.48	ContinueView details Compare product selection Compare	loading
8.4 Great Australian Unity Basic Overseas Visitors Cover Most Loved	8.4 Great					$500	$20,000	From $80.95	ContinueView details Compare product selection Compare	loading
8 Great Bupa Short Stay Visitors Cover with Top Extras 60	8 Great					$250		From $159.88	ContinueView details Compare product selection Compare	loading
7.8 Great HCF Essentials Visitor Visa	7.8 Great					$250, $500, $750		From $135.20	ContinueView details Compare product selection Compare	loading
7.6 Great Australian Unity Mid Overseas Visitors Cover Most Loved	7.6 Great					$500	$20,000	From $143.50	ContinueView details Compare product selection Compare	loading
7.5 Great HBF Standard Overseas Visitors	7.5 Great		Optional			$500		From $170.65	ContinueView details Compare product selection Compare	loading
7.5 Great Bupa Short Stay Visitors Cover with Top Extras 75	7.5 Great					$250		From $211.03	ContinueView details Compare product selection Compare	loading

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Showing 20 of 31 results

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How we picked these

Finder Score for overseas health insurance

To make comparing overseas health insurance even easier, we developed the Finder Score. Factors like price, hospital cover, extras cover, emergency travel, and more are weighted and scaled across 50+ policies from 15+ providers to produce a score out of 10. The higher the score, the more competitive the policy.

Read the full methodology

Pricing is based on a single person living in the State of New South Wales on a visa and is not from a country that Australia has a Reciprocal Health Care Agreement (RHCA) with and is not eligible for cover under Medicare. Prices are accurate for 2026 but are subject to change.

When OVHC is mandatory (condition 8501)

For some visitors on a 600 visa, health insurance may be mandatory. If your visa is subject to condition 8501, you must have adequate health insurance for the whole of your stay in Australia.

Condition 8501 might be attached to the following Visitor (subclass 600) visas:

• Tourist (In Australia)
• Tourist (Outside Australia)

Condition 8501 doesn't apply to the following Visitor (subclass 600) visas:

• Business Visitor
• Sponsored Family
• Approved Destination Status
• Frequent Traveller.

Note that not all OVHC policies are 8501 compliant. You'll need to make sure your policy covers 8501 standards when you sign up.

Cheapest cover vs cheapest compliant cover

If your 600 visa doesn't carry condition 8501, you can generally choose the most basic, cheapest OVHC policy (or in some cases rely on travel insurance or an RHCA). If your visa does carry 8501, you must hold cover that meets the required standard for your whole stay, and the cheapest policy on the market may not qualify. Always check the policy is described as meeting 8501 before you buy.

Health insurance for parents visiting on a 600 visa

If your parents are coming to Australia for a visit, they'll need their own health cover. Medicare doesn't cover visitors unless they're from a country with a reciprocal health care agreement, and even then cover is limited.

A few things to check before they book:

• Whether their visa has condition 8501. Parents' 600 visas often carry it, especially for longer stays. If it does, they must hold adequate cover for their whole time in Australia. The grant letter will say.
• When cover starts. Buy the policy before they fly, with a start date on or before the day they land.
• Pre-existing conditions. Most OVHC policies have a waiting period before pre-existing conditions are covered. If your parents have ongoing health issues, check the waiting periods in the PDS.
• The cost of a longer stay. Price can depend on age and how long they're staying. Get a quote with their real details rather than relying on the starting prices above.

Planning a stay of 3 to 5 years? The 870 Sponsored Parent visa has its own health insurance requirements. For more detail, check out our guide on health insurance for parents visiting Australia.

Reciprocal health care agreements on a 600 visa

Australia's public healthcare system, Medicare, generally only covers Australian citizens and permanent residents. You may be partially covered by Medicare if you're visiting Australia from a country that has a Reciprocal Health Care Agreement (RHCA) in place.

Cover varies based on the country you're visiting from but generally includes:

• Free or reduced-cost treatment in a public hospital
• Subsidised prescription medicines
• Medicare benefits for out-of-hospital medical treatment and doctor's visits.

If you're a visitor, you aren't generally eligible for Medicare unless you are from a country that has a Reciprocal Health Care Agreement in place with Australia. You may be partially covered by Medicare if you're from one of the following countries that Australia has an RHCA with:

Frequently asked questions

• What is OVHC and why do I need it?

  OVHC stands for Overseas Visitor Health Cover, which is a type of health insurance for visitors to Australia on a temporary visa. This insurance covers the cost of medical treatment and hospital care for the duration of your stay in Australia. It's required only if your 600 visa carries condition 8501 - some 600 visa streams (like the Tourist visa) do, while others (like Business Visitor or Sponsored Family) don't. If your visa doesn't carry condition 8501, travel insurance or RHCA access may be enough, but adequate health cover is still strongly recommended.

• What types of OVHC policies are available?

  There are several types of OVHC policies available to visitors to Australia on a 600 visa. These include basic policies that cover the cost of treatment for certain conditions, as well as more comprehensive policies that cover a wider range of medical services. Some policies also offer additional benefits such as ambulance cover and private room accommodation.

• What companies offer OVHC to 600 visa holders?

  There are several companies that offer OVHC to visitors to Australia on a 600 visa. Some examples of these companies include Allianz Care Australia, Bupa and nib. It is important to compare the policies and prices offered by different companies to find the one that best meets your needs and budget. You should also make sure that the policy you choose meets the requirements of the 600 visa, as not all policies may be accepted.

• What 600 visa health insurance can I get for under $100 a month?

  According to our research, Bupa, Australian Unity, Medibank and HCF offered some of the cheapest OVHC policies from under $100 a month. However, cheaper policies usually come with higher excesses and less cover. Plus they may not meet condition 8501, so check your grant letter before you buy.

• What's the cheapest 8501-compliant cover for a 600 visa?

  Bupa Short Stay Visitors Cover from $53.13 a month is the cheapest policy we compare that meets condition 8501. With 8501, you must hold adequate cover for your whole stay, so the cheapest policy overall may not qualify. Look for "meets condition 8501" in the policy details, or ask the insurer for a letter confirming it.

• Does OVHC include out-of-hospital services?

  Neither Medicare nor OVHC usually includes out-of-hospital services like dental, physiotherapy and optical. However, lots of policies allow you to add extras cover onto your OVHC policy for as little as $3 per week.

• Are there waiting periods before I will be covered?

  Yes, most OVHC policies have waiting periods, but each insurer sets its own, so they vary between policies. Typical waits are 12 months for pre-existing conditions and pregnancy. Some insurers waive general waiting periods if you take out cover that meets your visa requirements, such as condition 8501, before or soon after you arrive. Check the waiting periods in the policy's PDS before you buy.

• Is the 600 or 651 the best tourist visa to visit Australia?

  It depends on your personal circumstances. The 651 visa is for eligible passport holders from a select group of countries for stays up to 3 months at a time. The 600 visa is for people who don't hold an eligible passport or for stays longer than 3 months and up to 12 months.

• Can I get cheap cover if my visa has condition 8501?

  Yes, but your options are narrower. Condition 8501 means you must hold adequate health insurance for your entire stay, so you can't simply pick the cheapest policy available, it has to meet the required standard. Look specifically for policies described as meeting or complying with condition 8501, then compare those on price.

To make sure you get accurate and helpful information, this guide has been edited by Tim Bennett as part of our fact-checking process.

Written by

Gary Ross Hunter

Journalist

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Gary Ross Hunter has over 6 years of expertise writing about insurance, including life, health, home, and car insurance. Having reviewed hundreds of product disclosure statements and published over 800 articles, he loves simplifying complex insurance topics for everyday readers. Gary has contributed to major outlets like Yahoo Finance, The Sydney Morning Herald, and news.com.au, and holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in English Literature from the University of Glasgow, along with a Tier 2 General Advice certification, ensuring his work adheres to ASIC’s RG146 standards. See full bio

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