Applicants applying for a working visa in Australia need to show proof of adequate health insurance.
For parents who plan to bring their family this health insurance will need to apply for their whole family.
While a family can easily use our budget family 457 visa comparison table to find the cheapest cover, will a budget policy be enough.
Families should consider during their stay how likely they or a family member:
- Will need to see a GP
- Will want to stay in a private hospital of their choice
- Will want extra’s cover (such as optical)
Australian 457 Visa Family Health Insurance policies all have some elements in common while others differentiate a lot.
One are is private hospital cover. Funds such as IMAN have private hospital cover for all policies while others such as HIF don’t offer private cover for budget policies. Additionally some funds offer shared accommodation only vs others which offer a private room. This could be a critical factor for a parent who wants their privacy.
Another factor is if you may want to see a GP. Having private health insurance is not required to see a GP and you can pay our of pocket but after just a few visits private health insurance clearly is a better option.
Like GP’s, extra’s cover requirements can have a large impact on a family budget. The difference is that extra’s cover for 457 visa holders is only offered on top policies (except for HIF). This means that if you want extra’s like optical and dental you will also need a higher level of hospital cover. Of course, having extra’s cover may still leave you out of pocket so paying such a large increase in premiums should be measured against the amount you will get back over time.
Overall, a good cost/benefit should be conducted against all policies as should the ‘peace of mind’ if something goes wrong.