# Health insurance or travel insurance for a 30 year old in Oz



## Brendan Burgess (13 Feb 2014)

A friend of mine has a daughter who is spending a year in Australia.

He is paying around €1,000 a year for VHI "just in case".

I have asked "just in case of what?" 

It might be justified for travel to a developing country where diseases are more rampant and hospitals would not be as good as Ireland so they might have to fly her home. 

But if she gets sick in Oz, presumably the Australian health system isn't too bad?  If she really wants health insurance, she should probably get it locally? 

Or would a travel insurance policy cover it?


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## emeralds (13 Feb 2014)

This gives a bit of info.
https://www.dfa.ie/travel/travel-advice/a-z-list-of-countries/australia/


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## peteb (13 Feb 2014)

Isn't there a particular VHI policy that you take out for that?  (note you call all health insurance VHI Brendan!).  Because standard policies stop at 31 days outside of the country.  So that €1,000 may be a waste!! 

A travel policy would not cover general sickness.  And it doesnt guarantee access to any form of private care.


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## Brendan Burgess (13 Feb 2014)

Hi pete

AS I say, he is paying €1,000 for VHI. He is not paying it to Laya or to anyone else.

And it might be that particular VHI policy he is talking about.

Brendan


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## Duke of Marmalade (13 Feb 2014)

My son has gone to New Zealand for a year and I bought the exact same policy.  There are a few things to note:

1)  I don't think any travel insurance would cover such a long stay.

2)  I agree with _emeralds_ link that medical insurance is strongly advised.

3)  This keeps you within the Irish community rating system, there is no break in continuity of contributions.

4)  This particular policy does not suffer from Brendan's well argued point that young folk are getting an awful deal in the domestic market.  The difference is that the folk who take a year out in OZ or NZ tend to be young and healthy and since community rating applies at the level of the particular plan there is no real inter generational subsidization or even medical condition subsidization.  Hence, whilst on the face of it the cover should be much more exensive (repatriation costs), it is in fact remarkably good value.


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## arbitron (13 Feb 2014)

According to the Dept. of Foreign Affairs:



> Emergency hospital treatment for Irish people legally resident in Australia is covered by the Reciprocal Health Agreement between the two countries. This doesn’t cover the cost of ambulances and follow-up care. Temporary residents are not generally entitled to Medicare (Australian public health rebate system) and as such may have to pay in full for childhood vaccinations and other medical bills. Temporary residents are not generally entitled to social welfare (Centrelink) payments. The system is structured differently in Australia so you may not be entitled to any child benefit payments and even if you were entitled to a medical card at home you will be required to pay for medical appointments and related services in Australia.



The VHI global plans are more generous than travel insurance and will cover the vast majority of costs, even repatriating where possible.


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## Shannon81 (18 Feb 2014)

VHI International is specifically for people travelling for 6+months abroad. It is priced according to peoples age and where they are travelling to, it also means they don't has have a break in their waiting periods.
Depending on where you are travelling to some countries require international insurance.  I have heard they also have a backpacker product


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