Visitor health insurance for 601 visa holders

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20 of 29 results

Finder Score	Dental	Excess options	Pregnancy cover	GP visits	Medical repatriation	Price
Promoted 8.4 Great Allianz Care Australia Hospital Care Workers	8.4 Great		$500			$20,000	From $72.50	Get quoteView details Compare product selection Compare	loading
Promoted 8.6 Great Medibank Overseas Visitors Starter Hospital and Medical	8.6 Great		$250, $750				From $55.65	Get quoteView details Compare product selection Compare	loading
7.7 Great Medibank Overseas Visitors Core Hospital and Medical	7.7 Great		$500			Up to $50,000	From $157.90	Get quoteView details Compare product selection Compare	loading
7.2 Great Medibank Overseas Visitors Comprehensive Hospital	7.2 Great		$500			Up to $50,000	From $166.95	Get quoteView details Compare product selection Compare	loading
7 Great Allianz Care Australia Hospital Care Visitors	7 Great		$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		$500			Up to $50,000	From $660.00	Get quoteView details Compare product selection Compare	loading
9.3 Excellent HCF Short Stay Visitor Visa	9.3 Excellent		$250, $500, $750				From $49.00	ContinueView details Compare product selection Compare	loading
9.2 Excellent Bupa Short Stay Visitors Cover with Freedom 50 Extras	9.2 Excellent		$250				From $74.23	ContinueView details Compare product selection Compare	loading
9.1 Excellent Bupa Short Stay Visitors Cover with Budget Extras 60	9.1 Excellent		$250				From $83.58	ContinueView details Compare product selection Compare	loading
8.9 Great Bupa Short Stay Visitors Cover with Freedom 60 Extras	8.9 Great		$250				From $103.88	ContinueView details Compare product selection Compare	loading
8.8 Great Bupa Short Stay Visitors Cover with Your Choice Extras 60	8.8 Great		$250				From $114.48	ContinueView details Compare product selection Compare	loading
8.7 Great Bupa Short Stay Visitors Cover	8.7 Great		$250				From $53.13	ContinueView details Compare product selection Compare	loading
8.6 Great HIF Visitor Saver	8.6 Great	Optional	$250, $500				From $160.85	ContinueView details Compare product selection Compare	loading
8.6 Great Australian Unity Basic Overseas Visitors Cover Most Loved	8.6 Great		$500			$20,000	From $80.95	ContinueView details Compare product selection Compare	loading
8.2 Great Bupa Short Stay Visitors Cover with Top Extras 60	8.2 Great		$250				From $159.88	ContinueView details Compare product selection Compare	loading
7.9 Great HCF Essentials Visitor Visa	7.9 Great		$250, $500, $750				From $135.20	ContinueView details Compare product selection Compare	loading
7.8 Great Australian Unity Mid Overseas Visitors Cover Most Loved	7.8 Great		$500			$20,000	From $143.50	ContinueView details Compare product selection Compare	loading
7.6 Great Bupa Short Stay Visitors Cover with Top Extras 75	7.6 Great		$250				From $211.03	ContinueView details Compare product selection Compare	loading
7.3 Great Bupa Explorer Visitors Cover with Freedom 50 Extras	7.3 Great		$250				From $237.09	ContinueView details Compare product selection Compare	loading
7.2 Great Bupa Explorer 50 Visitors Cover	7.2 Great		$250				From $246.29	ContinueView details Compare product selection Compare	loading

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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 live 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 2025 but are subject to change.

Do I need health insurance on a 601 visa?

Yes, you need health insurance on a 601 visa. The 601 visa is subject to condition 8501, which requires travellers to have adequate health insurance while they're in Australia. This can come from an OVHC policy or a reciprocal health care agreement, if you're from one of the countries that has one.

More broadly, it's always a good idea to have solid health insurance when you come to Australia. Overseas Visitors Health Cover (OVHC) policies are designed specifically for visitors.

Countries that can get a 601 visa

To qualify for a 601 visa, you must need to visit Australia for genuine tourism or business purposes. You must not work while in Australia (although you can conduct business visitor activities, such as attending conferences and negotiating contracts) and you must not study for more than three months. Acceptable tourist activities include holidays and seeing family and friends.

To be eligible for a 601 visa you must also hold a passport from one of the following countries or regions:

The Reciprocal Health Care Agreement (RHCA)

Australia has a Reciprocal Health Care Agreement (RHCA) with the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, New Zealand, Sweden, The Netherlands, Finland, Belgium, Norway, Slovenia, Malta and Italy. If you're from one of these countries, you can access the public health system Medicare.

However, Medicare doesn't include everything. For instance, it doesn't cover ambulance fees or out of hospital services like dental, optical and physio – but health insurance can. For that reason, it's still a good idea to have some additional coverage - either an OVHC policy or a good travel insurance policy.

What does OVHC pay benefits towards?

If you're not covered by an OVHC policy during your Australia trip, you could be on the hook for tens of thousands of dollars worth of medical expenses if things go wrong. A few of the benfits that OVHC can pay for include:

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

How to provide evidence of your health insurance arrangements

"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:

• a copy of the insurance policy;
• a written letter or cover note from an acceptable insurance provider, certifying that the primary visa applicant and any accompanying family members immediately upon visa grant or their arrival in Australia, are, or will be, covered by insurance that is at least as comprehensive as the prescribed adequate level of cover;
• evidence that the visa applicant has lawfully enrolled with Medicare via Reciprocal Health Care Agreements (RCHA);
• evidence that the primary visa applicant and any accompanying family members immediately upon visa grant or their arrival in Australia, are, or will be, covered by health insurance that is at least as comprehensive as the adequate level of cover required under policy, with the understanding that the applicants will either enrol with Medicare under a RHCA or enrol in a private insurance arrangement after arrival; or
• for citizens from the Republic of Ireland that may access RCHA, evidence that they hold an Irish passport.

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."

— Kaku Caro is a lawyer in LegalVision's Corporate Immigration team. He has previous experience in the areas of commercial litigation, corporate and personal immigration. He also has experience advising on visa eligibility and preparing visa applications such as partner visas, employer-sponsored work visas, parent visas, and general skilled migration visas.

FAQs about the 601 visa

• What factors affect the cost of OVHC for a 601 visa?

  The cost of your Overseas Visitor Health Cover can vary based on several factors. These include the level of cover you choose such as basic or comprehensive, the duration of your stay in Australia, your age and whether you opt to include additional benefits like dental, optical and physiotherapy. A policy covering a family will also be more expensive than one for a single individual.

• Does OVHC for a 601 visa cover pre-existing medical conditions?

  Cover for pre-existing medical conditions under OVHC policies typically varies. Many policies impose waiting periods before you can claim benefits for such conditions. Some policies may also have specific exclusions or limitations. It is crucial to carefully review the Product Disclosure Statement PDS of any policy to understand its terms regarding pre-existing conditions.

• What is not typically covered by OVHC policies?

  While OVHC provides essential cover for unexpected medical costs, it generally does not cover elective cosmetic procedures, fertility treatments such as IVF, routine dental or optical services (unless you have purchased an extras cover option) and treatments for medical conditions where you travelled to Australia specifically for that treatment. OVHC may also not cover the full amount of doctor fees if they charge more than the Medicare Benefits Schedule MBS fee leaving you with an out-of-pocket expense.

• How long do I need to hold OVHC for my 601 visa?

  You are required to hold adequate health insurance for the entire duration of your stay in Australia. This is a condition of your 601 visa. Even if your visa allows for multiple entries or stays of up to three months each your OVHC must be continuous for the full period you are in Australia.

• What happens if I do not maintain adequate health insurance on my 601 visa?

  Failing to maintain adequate health insurance while on a 601 visa is a breach of your visa condition 8501. This can lead to serious consequences including the potential cancellation of your visa and removal from Australia. You would also be personally liable for all medical and hospital costs incurred during your stay which can be substantial.

• Can I use travel insurance instead of OVHC for my 601 visa?

  No, travel insurance is generally not accepted as adequate health insurance for the 601 visa. The Department of Home Affairs specifically requires Overseas Visitor Health Cover OVHC to meet the 8501 visa condition. OVHC policies are designed to comply with Australian visa health insurance requirements, whereas standard travel insurance policies usually do not.

• When should I purchase OVHC for my 601 visa?

  You should purchase your Overseas Visitor Health Cover before you arrive in Australia. Your cover must commence on or before your arrival date to ensure you meet the visa condition 8501 from the moment you enter the country. It's a good idea to arrange your OVHC well in advance of your travel.

• Can I include family members on my 601 visa OVHC policy?

  Yes you can usually include family members on your Overseas Visitor Health Cover policy. Most health funds offer single family and multi-person policies. All family members who are travelling with you on a 601 visa must be covered by adequate health insurance for the duration of their stay.

• What is the 8501 visa condition?

  The 8501 visa condition is a mandatory requirement for certain Australian visas including the 601 Electronic Travel Authority visa. It says that the visa holder must obtain and maintain adequate health insurance for the entire period of their stay in Australia. This condition ensures that visitors can cover any unexpected medical or hospital costs during their visit.

Written by

Gary Ross Hunter

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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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