Compare Travel Insurance for non-residents

14 February, 2024

Are you a non-resident living in Australia planning a trip overseas? If that's you and you're on a temporary visa, you can still get travel insurance for your overseas holiday, it just might be a little tricker to find!

What Are The Requirements For Non-Resident Travel Insurance?

In the majority of cases you'll need to:

Have a trip booked that starts and ends in Australia;
Be on a valid visa such as; 482 Temporary Skilled Working Visa, 417 Working Holiday, Student Visa (some kind of visa which means you can leave Australia and come back again);
Have access to Medicare If you don't have access to Medicare, some brands will also cover you if you have access to long-term private health/medical insurance in Australia.

So Who Can Get Medicare Cover?

A few countries qualify for Medicare within Australia such as; New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Sweden, the Netherlands, Finland, Italy, Belgium, Malta, Slovenia and Norway. If you're from one of these countries and you haven't already registered...get yourself to a Medicare centre. Non-residents who become permanent residents of Australia are also eligible for Medicare.

Where Can I Buy Travel Insurance For Non-Residents?

We’ve done the hard yards for you and found out which insurers provide cover for temporary residents. Compare non-resident travel insurance policies here:

Insurer	Underwriter	Conditions
Fast Cover	Certain underwriters at Lloyd's	Hold a valid Medicare card or are covered by an Australian private health insurance policy that satisfies the government health insurance requirements for your visa type Have a home in Australia to which you intend to return, Your trip starts and ends in Australia, You hold a return ticket to Australia
InsureandGo	Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Company Limited	You must have either a valid Medicare card, private health fund, or overseas student travel insurance in Australia. This must remain valid for the entire duration of your holiday. Your current Australian visa must remain valid beyond the period of your journey. You must be in Australia when purchasing the policy and your trip must start from here.
Ski-Insurance	HDI Global Specialty SE – Australia	You are eligible if you have a valid Medicare Card and are aged 64 or under.
Tick Insurance	Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Company Limited	Cover available for non-permanent residents who have a valid Medicare, Private Health Fund or Overseas Student Travel Insurance in Australia.
Zoom Travel Insurance	HDI Global Specialty SE – Australia	International plans available to non-residents provided they are: a) aged 74 years and under b) hold a return ticket to Australia c) have a home in Australia to which you intend to return d) hold a valid visa or permit which provides access to all publicly funded health services in Australia or you have private health insurance valid for the entire duration of your policy and for the rest of your stay in Australia.
Amex	Chubb Insurance Australia Limited	Cover is for Australian residents under 80 years of age for trips commencing and ending in Australia
Budget Direct	Zurich Australian Insurance Limited	Cover available for non-permanent residents who have a valid Medicare card, a private health fund or overseas student travel insurance in Australia for the duration of the trip.
Go insurance	Certain underwriters at Lloyd's	Available for international travel with a return trip back to Australia, as long as you have lived in Australia for the last three months. You must be aged 75 or under at the date of purchase.
Insure4Less	Chase Underwriting Pty Ltd	Non Australian citizens who have been resident in Australia for a period of not less than 3 months
NIB	Pacific International Insurance Pty Ltd	Valid for holders of current partner/spouse visa, Australian skilled migrant visa including 457& TSS, student visas & NZ passport holders. Excluding working holiday visas. Provided you have: a) unrestricted right of entry into Australia; b) access to long-term medical care in Australia (not including Reciprocal Health Care Agreements); c) a permanent Australian residential address; and d)you agree to be repatriated back to Australia.
SCTI	Southern Cross Benefits Ltd	Available to customers living in Australia permanently who are eligible to all publicly funded health and disability services.
Travel Insurance Direct	Pacific International Insurance Pty Ltd	Valid for holders of current partner/spouse visa, Australian skilled migrant visa including 457& TSS, student visas & NZ passport holders. Excluding working holiday visas. Provided you have: a) unrestricted right of entry into Australia; b) access to long-term medical care in Australia (not including Reciprocal Health Care Agreements); c) a permanent Australian residential address; and d)you agree to be repatriated back to Australia.
Virgin Money	Zurich Australian Insurance Limited	You are eligible if you have a valid Medicare Card.
Worldcare	Allianz Australia Insurance Limited	The Comprehensive Plan is available to temporary residents of Australia temporarily travelling overseas who are: a) aged 74 years and under b) hold a return ticket to Australia c) have a home in Australia to which you intend to return d) hold a valid visa or permit which provides access to all publicly funded health services in Australia or you have private health insurance valid for the entire duration of your policy and for the rest of your stay in Australia.

General Advice Warning: The contents of this article were accurate at the time of writing. Insurers change their policies from time to time, so some information may have changed. You should always read the Product Disclosure Statement of your chosen insurer to understand what is covered and what isn't. The information provided is of a general nature only and does not take into account any personal objectives, financial situation or needs. Before making a decision you should consider the appropriateness of the information having regard to your personal circumstances.

Travel Insurance For Visitors To Australia From Overseas

If you're looking for a policy to cover non-resident relatives or friends coming to visit you here, then you need 'travel insurance for visitors to Australia'.

What’s Typically Included?

The four main things to ensure you've got covered are:

Medical cover: Medical expenses for injury or illness including hospital stays, surgery, dental, prescription drugs, doctor and dentist office visits.
Luggage and personal items: Loss, theft or damage to luggage and personal items
Personal liability: Cover in the event that you are found to be legally liable for accidental injury or damage you may have caused to another person or their property
Cancellation fees and lost deposits: The cost of rearranging or cancelling your journey because of unforeseen circumstances such as illness, accidents and extreme weather conditions Whether you're here in Australia for a quick visit, or a four-year work visa, non-resident travel insurance is a vital part of every trip.

Not being Aussie shouldn't stop you from going overseas and seeing the world. There are plenty of options out there for you, you'll just have to look a bit harder. Get cover today to ensure a smooth-sailing, stress-free holiday!

non-resident travel insurance
faqs

Can I buy travel insurance if I'm not a permanent resident?

Can I buy travel insurance if I'm visiting Australia?

Do you need to have access to Medicare to buy travel insurance from an Australian travel insurer?

Crystal Moran

With a research and journalism background, and certified in Tier 2 General Insurance General Advice, Crystal is passionate about investigating customers’ tricky travel questions and helping them find the answers they’re looking for. A writer and filmmaker whose favourite trips have been to film festivals in Cuba and South Korea, and campervanning around the USA, she loves getting to know new people and seeing a glimpse of the world through their eyes.