How long will it take for my visa compliance letter to arrive after I join HIF?

Your letter of compliance will be emailed to you instantly.

What happens if I cancel my health cover with HIF before my visa runs out?

If this happens, the fund may be required to notify the Department of Home Affairs that your policy has been cancelled.

What happens if I'm from an RHCA country?

If your country has an RHCA with Australia, you may be exempt from the health insurance requirement on certain visas. Australia has RHCAs with the UK, Ireland, New Zealand, Belgium, the Netherlands, Italy, Malta, Sweden, Slovenia, Finland and Norway.

How long can my children stay on my policy?

If your children are dependent and living with you, they remain covered until they turn 21. If they are also studying at an approved Australian education institution, they can be covered until 25 years of age.

Do overseas students need to take out OVHC?

If you want to study in Australia on a temporary student visa, you may have to take out Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC).

HIF Overseas Visitors Health Cover Review

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HIF splits its overseas visitors cover into working visa and non-working visa options, so the right policy depends on what you're in Australia to do.
Join online and your visa compliance letter arrives by email straight away, which you'll need for a visa with condition 8501 attached.
HIF's cheapest non-working option, Visitor Saver, is not visa compliant, so check your visa conditions before choosing it.

Pros

HIF is not-for-profit and member-owned, so profits go back into member benefits rather than to shareholders.
Join online and your visa compliance letter is emailed to you immediately, so your visa application isn't held up waiting on paperwork.
You can add extras cover to an overseas visitors policy, which covers things like dental, optical, physio and chiro that OVHC alone won't.

Cons

Extras are an optional add-on rather than part of the policy, so dental and optical cost you more on top of your premium.

HIF working visa policies currently on offer

How to make a claim

For hospital claims, give the hospital your HIF membership details when you're admitted. In most cases they'll check your cover and bill HIF directly, leaving you to settle anything left over with the hospital or your treating doctor. It's worth asking about out-of-pocket costs before you're admitted rather than after the fact.

For extras claims, if you've added extras to your policy you can claim on the spot at any provider with a HICAPS terminal by showing your HIF membership card, and you'll only pay the gap. Otherwise, keep the itemised receipt and claim it back through the HIF member app or your online member account.

For everything else, HIF has a downloadable claim form on its website if you'd rather submit by post or email, and its member services team can be reached on 1300 134 060.

Frequently asked questions

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Written by

Tim Bennett

Insurance expert

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A seasoned journalist with over 10 years of experience in news, politics and finance reporting, Tim has previously held roles at the ABC, SBS and Fairfax Media. Tim’s expert insights have been quoted in The Australian, The Daily Telegraph, The Courier Mail and more. He regularly appears on TV and radio, and has been interviewed on 7 News, Sunrise, SBS News, ABC Local, 3AW and 5AA. Tim is passionate about simplifying complex insurance topics for Australian consumers. He holds a Bachelor of Arts (Politics) from Macquarie University and a Tier 1 General Insurance (General Advice) certification, which meets the requirements of ASIC Regulatory Guide 146 (RG146). If you’re interested in a media interview with Tim, please reach out to our PR team at aupr@finder.com. See full bio

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Tim has written 139 Finder guides across topics including:

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Key takeaways

Pros

Cons