AIA OVHC

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What is AIA OVHC?

Overseas Visitors Health Care Cover (OVHC) is a form of health insurance that is designed specifically for international visitors to Australia. It can be purchased by people who are visiting or temporarily residing in Australia.


AIA offers OVHC to eleven visa subclasses:

  1. 188 - Business Innovation and Investment
  2. 400 - Temporary Work (Short Stay Specialist)
  3. 403 - Temporary Work (International Relations)
  4. 407 - Training
  5. 408 - Temporary Activity
  6. 417 - Working Holiday 
  7. 462 - Work and Holiday
  8. 476 - Skilled Recognised Graduate
  9. 482 - Temporary Skill Shortage
  10. 485 - Temporary Graduate
  11. 489 - Skilled Regional
         

The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) includes 8501: Health Cover in certain visa subclasses to ensure visitors to Australia have access to adequate medical services in Australia for any unplanned medical or hospital care they may need while in Australia.

Both the Overseas Workers Base and Standard Cover meet Condition 8501.

OVHC provides cover for the cost of visiting a doctor or stay in hospital if they need it and can help reduce out-of-pocket costs of seeking treatment. These visitors are not generally covered under Medicare.

NOTE: Overseas Student Health Cover is not currently available through AIA Health.
NOTE: There is no Access Gap available with AIA OVHC members. If the Doctor/Specialist charges above the MBS, an out of pocket expense will be incurred by the member.

Rate Rise: 1st October 2025

AIA Health OVHC Products

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AIA Health OVHS Member Guide
Overseas Workers Base Cover
Overseas Workers Standard Cover

Frequently asked questions

What Outpatient Services are covered?

AIA OVHC can pay benefits on outpatient medical services for OVHC products up to 100% of the MBS Fee.

  • Overseas Workers Base Cover doesn't include GP and Specialist consultations 
  • Access Gap Cover is not available for inpatient services, and anything charged above the MBS would be the member's pocket expense​


Emergency Department Facility Fees at a Public & Private Hospital

OVHC members can claim these fees by submitting a claim via email with the invoice.

OVHC products are issued as standalone Hospital products. Additional extras are not available for purchase.  


 Overseas Workers Base Cover Overseas Workers Standard Cover
100% cover of the Emergency Department ‘facility fee’ in a public hospital where the member is admitted Covered Covered
100% cover of the Emergency Department ‘facility fee’ in a public hospital where the member is NOT admitted Not covered Not covered
100% cover of the Emergency Department ‘facility fee’ in a private hospital where the member is admitted Covered Covered
100% cover of the Emergency Department ‘facility fee’ in a private hospital where the member is NOT admitted Not covered Not covered

Allied Health Services Available (per person per Calendar Year)

There is no maximum number of times a member can claim these services with AIA Health.
If the Provider charges above the below amounts, an out of pocket expense will be incurred by the member.

Audiology

MBS: 10952
$70.95

Chiropractic

MBS: 10964
$70.95

Diabetes Educator

MBS: 10951
$70.95

Dieticians

MBS: 10954
$70.95

Exercise Physiology

MBS: 10953
$70.95

Occupational Therapy

MBS: 10958
$70.95

Optical Eye Check

MBS: 10910
$76.00

Osteopathy

MBS: 10966
$70.95

Physiotherapy

MBS: 10962
$70.95

Podiatrist

MBS: 10962
$70.95

Speech Pathology

MBS: 10970
$70.95

Waiting Periods & Portability

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Pre-existing Conditions
Pregnancy and Birth
CPAP Type Devices
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Rehabilitation
Hospital Psychiatric Services
Palliative Care
2 month waiting period for repatriation or funeral expenses, however this will extend to 12 months if relating to a pre-existing condition.

Standard Cover Only
Out of Hospital Pharmaceuticals: up to $40 per item after the PBS threshold up to $300 per person per calendar year
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Ambulance Services
Accidents - The waiting period commences from the time cover is purchased rather than from the date that the cover commences.
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All other hospital admissions and medical cover items included on your cover
  • For members that don’t have a pre-existing condition there is no waiting period.
  • Members must complete the pre-existing conditions determination form(s), prior to surgery. Both GP and specialist forms are necessary consistent with resident cover rules.
  • Members who attend an emergency department for urgent care should be aware the Pre-existing Condition check must be completed before AIA Health can confirm benefits are payable.
  • We issue transfer certificates to Australian private health insurers and honour waiting periods served.
  • A 12 month PEC waiting period will apply for members transferring from an overseas private health insurer.

Transferring Members

If Switching from an Overseas Private Health Insurance policy - The 12 month waiting period on pre-existing conditions will not be waived under any circumstance when transferring from an overseas insurer.

If a member moves from OVHC to a Retail product, AIA Health will honour the waiting periods for equivalent cover.

If transferring  from another Australian health insurer or registered international insurer recognised by AIA Health without a break in cover, the member will not need to re-serve hospital and medical cover waiting periods they’ve previously completed.

  • If they’re adding or upgrading their cover, they do need to complete waiting periods for the new or upgraded items. This includes reducing a hospital excess.
NOTE: The 12 month waiting period for pre-existing conditions applies regardless of any waiting periods the member has served where they transfer from a registered international insurer. 


What is not covered with AIA OVHC?

For OVHC Base and Standard cover, the below benefits are not covered:
  • Medical checks, vaccinations, x-rays or pathology for Visa applications
  • Outpatient pregnancy services (e.g. ultrasounds, obstetrician consultations)
  • Any assisted reproductive services (e.g. IVF, GIFT)
  • High cost medicines such as certain Chemotherapy drugs for Cancer treatment are not covered
  • Organ transplants
  • Cosmetic surgery
  • Bone marrow transfusion
  • Outpatient psychiatric services
  • Services not listed on the Medicare Benefit Schedule
  • Non-Allied Health extras – e.g. Dental


RESTRICTIONS: Pregnancy and Birth & Hospital Psychiatric Services
RESTRICTION DEFINITION: If you receive treatment as a private patient in a public hospital OR a private patient in a private hospital, AIA only pay a set amount towards the treatment. You may have significant out-of-pocket expenses for these treatments.

Ambulance Cover

AIA OVHC will pay benefits towards ambulance transportation when medically necessary for admission to hospital, emergency treatment onsite, or inter-hospital transfer for emergency treatment. 

This includes inter-hospital transfers that are necessary because the original admitting hospital does not have the required clinical facilities.
It does not extend to transfers due to patient preferences.

AIA OVHC will also pay benefits towards ambulance services in circumstances when immediate hospital or onsite treatment is required for a serious and acute injury or condition where the viability or function of an organ or body part is threatened

Can OVHC access state ambulance cover if wanting comprehensive cover?
AIA Health do not offer standalone ambulance cover.
If an OVHC member wants additional ambulance cover they will need to engage other health funds to understand their eligibility rules.

Payment & Application Options

Policy start dates can be pushed back for up to 7 months to Commencement date must be within 7 months of todays date

Members can utilize the 30 day cooling off period to terminate cover. AIA Health reserve the right to retain first month premium as an administration fee.

Payments are made monthly or annually only through direct debit via CC.

OVHC start date:

  • Offshore: The date of arrival in Australia is the start date 
  • Onshore: The date visa was granted is the start date

Dependants

Adult dependents may remain on a family cover until their 24th birthday and must take out independent equivalent or lower cover within 60 days to avoid waiting periods.

Newborn Children
A newborn, adopted or fostered child can be added to a membership without waiting periods provided the main Policyholder has held the policy for more than two months and the baby, adopted or foster child is added within six months of birth/adoption/fostering. 

Single and Couple memberships will need to be upgraded to a Single Parent Family or Family membership. The join date will be effective as of the newborn’s date of birth.
Other child dependants added to a policy will be subject to new waiting periods. This includes children added more than six months after birth, adoption, fostering or marriage. Normal portability rules will apply in the case where a child is transferring from another Australian health fund or registered international insurer recognised by us.

CPAP Type Devices

Benefits for a CPAP-type device are only payable when:
  • You have served the 12-month waiting period
  • You have undergone an overnight investigation for sleep apnoea (a sleep study) for which a Medicare benefit would normally be payable for Australian residents
  • The device is purchased or hired within the 12 months following the sleep study.
  • The device is purchased in Australia.


If the CPAP-type device costs more than the benefit we pay, you will be responsible for paying the remaining amount. A benefit of $500 per member is payable within a rolling 5-year period.

If someone required a Hospital Policy to avoid MLS and is on a Yellow Medicare Card, can we sell both an OVHC and a PHI?

No. HAMBS only allows one membership per person and so the same person couldn’t hold both an OVHC membership and a membership for a Retail Hospital product.

What is Repatriation?

Cover for repatriation to visa holder's country of origin if they suffer a substantial life altering illness/injury or become terminally ill after taking out an eligible product.  Limits apply. 

Benefits are only payable once approved by AIA and where the illness or injury was not present in the six months prior to eligible policy start date. 

  • Repatriation when alive: Base Cover up to $50,000 and Standard Cover up to $100,000
  • Mortal remains or Funeral: up to $10,000.

AIA provides repatriation benefits on both OVHC covers

2 month waiting period for repatriation or funeral expenses, however this will extend to 12 months if relating to a pre-existing condition.

Suspension Rules

Members must be financial with AIA OVHC for a minimum of 3 continuous months in order to suspend their cover.

Overseas travel
Minimum 4 weeks and maximum 12 months

Financial Hardship
3 months maximum

Contacts

Customer Service: 1800 161 170 or 03 8803 9961

OVHC Extensions: Sales - 1453, CSC - 1455, Broker - 1458

NHS 24/7 Helpline: 1800 566 091

Customer Service Mailbox: au.myown.claims.support@aia.com

OVHC Email: ovhs.memberservices@aia.com.au

OVHC Claims: ovhs.claims@aia.com.au