Extending Your OSHC Policy: A Comprehensive Guide for Students in Australia
For overseas students studying in Australia, holding the right insurance coverage is vital. If you hold a student visa (subclass 500) you must extend your Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) policy to ensure it covers the full length of your visa.. Appropriate coverage is both a visa requirement and vital to ensuring you are able to seek affordable healthcare if the need arises.
If your coverage has expired or will soon expire, it’s important to take out a new policy immediately. At OSHC Australia, we help you compare and extend your OSHC options, making it easy to find the best insurance coverage for you.
Understanding OSHC and The Importance For Students
For overseas students in Australia, OSHC is mandatory, with appropriate insurance coverage being a strict requirement (condition 8501) of your student visa. Not taking out a policy or allowing a policy to expire means not complying with visa conditions, which will put you at risk of having your visa cancelled.
Beyond satisfying student visa obligations, having OSHC cover can provide access to doctor and hospital treatments, as well as ambulance cover and prescription medications. This will generally include GP visits (with 100% Medicare Benefits Scheme coverage), and hospital coverage for accidents and emergencies, while most OSHC policies also include emergency ambulance coverage.
How to Extend Your OSHC Policy in Australia
It is always best to be aware of your OSHC coverage’s expiry date, as expired coverage can breach your student visa conditions and put you at risk of significant out-of-pocket medical expenses.
If your OSHC policy has expired or will soon expire, you must seek new coverage immediately. To help you find the most appropriate policy for your circumstances, compare your options with OSHC Australia. You’ll find all the government mandated OSHC providers in one place, with coverage and costs compared directly. When you find a policy that suits you, you can easily make a purchase. In most cases, policies purchased from OSHC Australia are received within 15 minutes.
Things To Consider When Extending Your OSHC Policy
Whether your insurance policy will soon expire or you’re just shopping around for the best deal, there are a few things to keep in mind when it comes to OSHC renewal.
Grace Period
For overseas students, an expired OSHC policy means non-compliance with visa conditions, which can result in your visa getting cancelled. However, some insurance providers may offer a grace period – in some cases, up to 30 days after the policy’s expiry date. If you renew your coverage during this time, these providers may consider your coverage to be valid, rather than having lapsed.
Insurance Provider
It is important not just to have OSHC coverage in general, but to have coverage that is appropriate and affordable for you. Different providers will offer varying levels of coverage, access to treatment and specialists, fees and conditions. To ensure your OSHC coverage is well-suited to you, it’s easy to compare available options with OSHC Australia.
Extend Your OSHC Policy Today And Receive Your Policy Certificate Within Minutes
Avoid the stress, costs and risks associated with expired OSHC coverage. If your policy lapses, you will be in breach of the conditions of your student visa, putting your ability to study and remain in Australia at risk. Lapsed coverage can also mean that any medical services you require may be significantly more expensive.
Instead, extend your coverage before it expires. At OSHC Australia, we’ve made it easy to compare policy options and find high quality coverage at a price and level that suits you, while satisfying an important condition of your student visa. Once you’ve found a policy that works for you, it’s simple to make a purchase through OSHC Australia. Once you’ve done so, most policies will be available within just 15 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Happens If My OSHC Expires?
Valid OSHC coverage is a strict condition of student visas in Australia. You can’t elect to have your OSHC renewed automatically, so you must be aware of its expiry date at all times. If your policy does expire, you will be in breach of your visa conditions, meaning you may not be allowed to stay and study in Australia. A lapsed OSHC policy also means losing coverage for important medical services, including GP access, emergency hospital treatment and ambulance cover.
What If I Change To Another Working Visa Policy?
If your conditions change, you may need to seek an alternative policy to OSHC in order to remain compliant with your visa. If you graduate from your course of study, for instance, you may be placed on a Temporary Graduate visa (485). If this happens, you’ll need to take out insurance coverage that is appropriate to your visa status – likely Overseas Visitor Health Cover (OVHC). OVHC policy information and comparison is available at OVCH Insurance.
How Long Is OSHC Policy Valid For?
OSHC coverage is typically taken out for the duration of your overseas student visa. Coverage may include both the study period and any time after studying during which you remain in Australia and hold the appropriate visa. You must ensure that your policy covers you for the duration of your stay, otherwise you may have your visa cancelled.
