AIA Health offers Overseas Visitors Health Cover (OVHC) for eligible temporary visa holders in Australia, including people holding or applying for a Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485).
AIA's Overseas Workers Health Cover is designed to help eligible international graduates meet applicable visa health insurance requirements while providing protection against certain hospital and medical expenses during their stay in Australia. AIA specifically lists the subclass 485 Temporary Graduate visa as an eligible visa for its Overseas Workers Health Cover.
AIA Health's Overseas Workers Health Cover is available to eligible visa holders, including Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) holders.
AIA states that its OVHC options provide health insurance designed to meet applicable visa condition 8501 requirements. It can also provide evidence of adequate health insurance for eligible visa applications.
Before selecting an AIA policy, compare the level of hospital and medical cover, excess, waiting periods, exclusions and potential out-of-pocket expenses.
AIA's current Overseas Workers range includes different levels of cover. Two important options are Overseas Workers Base Cover and Overseas Workers Standard Cover.
The level you choose can make a significant difference to the hospital and out-of-hospital medical benefits available.
Overseas Workers Base Cover provides hospital cover for included hospital admissions and procedures recognised by Medicare.
AIA's current product information also states that the cover includes certain ambulance benefits and limited out-of-hospital medical services.
Before choosing Base Cover, check:
A lower premium should always be considered together with the actual benefits provided.
Overseas Workers Standard Cover provides broader medical benefits in addition to hospital cover.
AIA's current product information states that Standard Cover pays benefits towards eligible medical services listed on the Medicare Benefits Schedule, including:
The amount charged by a healthcare provider can be higher than the benefit AIA pays, which means an out-of-pocket expense may still apply.
AIA states that its OVHC options provide health insurance that meets visa condition 8501 requirements, and subclass 485 is specifically included among the eligible visa subclasses identified by AIA.
Your individual visa circumstances should still be checked before purchasing a policy.
If condition 8501 applies to your visa, it is important to maintain appropriate health insurance for the required period.
Hospital benefits depend on the AIA Overseas Workers product selected.
AIA's Base Cover includes private hospital cover for included hospital admissions and procedures recognised by Medicare, subject to the policy's terms, restrictions and exclusions.
Before selecting AIA health insurance for your 485 visa, check:
AIA notes that treatment at a private hospital with which it does not have an agreement can result in lower benefits and potentially significant out-of-pocket costs.
The level of outpatient medical cover depends on the AIA policy selected.
AIA's Overseas Workers Standard Cover currently includes benefits towards eligible GP consultations, specialist consultations, pathology and radiology services, among other included medical services.
This is important when comparing AIA's Base and Standard options.
If you expect to use GP or specialist services regularly, compare the outpatient benefits rather than selecting a policy solely because it has a lower premium.
AIA states that all its current OVHC products include cover for accidents and emergency ambulance services.
Its Base Cover product information also identifies emergency ambulance transport by air, land and sea as included, subject to applicable policy terms.
Check the current policy documents for the exact ambulance benefits and conditions applicable to your cover.
Waiting periods can apply before benefits become payable for certain services.
AIA's current Member Guide states that a 12-month waiting period applies to treatment for pre-existing conditions, ailments or illnesses, with different provisions applying to certain services such as psychiatric, rehabilitation and palliative care.
Before purchasing cover, check waiting periods relating to:
The applicable waiting period depends on the service and your previous health insurance history.
AIA defines a pre-existing condition according to signs or symptoms existing during the relevant period before commencing cover for the service.
Its current Member Guide states that a 12-month waiting period applies to pre-existing conditions, subject to the detailed policy rules and exceptions.
If you have an existing condition or expect to require treatment soon, check your eligibility and expected benefits before undergoing planned treatment. For more information, read our guide to pre-existing conditions and 485 visa health insurance, including how waiting periods may affect your cover.
If you are moving to AIA from another Australian health fund, previously served waiting periods may be relevant.
AIA states that it requests a Transfer Certificate from the previous fund and uses this information to remove waiting periods that have already been served where applicable.
Before switching:
If your new policy provides a higher level of cover, additional waiting periods may apply to the increased benefits.
Many Temporary Graduate visa applicants previously held Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) while studying in Australia. If you are finishing your studies, read our guide to moving from a Student visa 500 to a Temporary Graduate visa 485 for more information about the transition.
When moving from a Student visa to a 485 visa, your health insurance requirements and the type of cover appropriate to your circumstances may change.
Before transitioning:
AIA Health provides Doctors on Demand for eligible Overseas Workers Standard Cover members.
The service currently provides 24/7 access to online consultations with Australian-registered doctors and can assist with services such as medical advice, prescriptions, specialist referrals and medical certificates.
AIA currently states that the service is available at no additional cost to eligible Standard Cover members, subject to annual appointment limits based on membership type.
This benefit should not be assumed to apply to every AIA OVHC product.
AIA OVHC members have access to a 24/7 Health Line through Nationwide Helpline Services.
AIA states that calls to this service are free and provide OVHC members with access to medical assistance and support when needed.
This service is separate from the Doctors on Demand online consultation service.
AIA provides the AIA Health app for members to manage their health insurance.
AIA describes the app as a way for members to access and manage their cover securely from their mobile device.
Available services and functionality may depend on your membership and policy.
The claims process depends on the healthcare service received and your policy.
Generally:
For planned hospital treatment, consider contacting AIA beforehand to confirm your expected benefits and whether waiting periods or restrictions apply. For more information about the general claims process, read our How to Make a Claim on 485 Visa Health Insurance step-by-step guide.
AIA currently states that if a visa is denied and the member cancels their policy within the first 30 days of joining AIA Health, premiums paid will be refunded, subject to its conditions regarding claims already made and premiums paid in advance.
Always check the current AIA cancellation and refund conditions when requesting a refund.
There is no single AIA premium applicable to every 485 visa holder.
The price can depend on factors such as:
Because premiums and promotions can change, compare the current AIA premium rather than relying on an old advertised price.
Also compare the benefits, waiting periods, excess and potential out-of-pocket expenses—not simply the monthly premium.
AIA is one of the insurers offering Overseas Workers Health Cover for eligible Temporary Graduate visa holders in Australia.
Whether AIA is appropriate for you depends on your individual circumstances.
When comparing AIA against other 485 health insurers, consider:
The cheapest policy is not necessarily the policy that provides the best overall value for your circumstances. For a broader overview of choosing cover, read our 485 Visa Health Insurance Guide covering OVHC costs, benefits, waiting periods and other important considerations.
Yes. AIA specifically lists the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) as an eligible visa subclass for its Overseas Workers Health Cover.
AIA states that its OVHC options provide health insurance that meets visa condition 8501 requirements. Individual visa circumstances should still be checked.
AIA's Overseas Workers Standard Cover provides benefits towards eligible GP consultations. Benefits and potential out-of-pocket costs are subject to the policy terms.
Yes. AIA states that its OVHC products include accident and emergency ambulance cover, subject to the relevant policy terms.
Eligible Overseas Workers Standard Cover members can access AIA's Doctors on Demand service for online doctor consultations, subject to applicable limits and conditions.
AIA states that when transferring from equivalent or higher cover with another Australian health insurer, previously served waiting periods may not need to be served again. Different rules apply when transferring from an overseas insurer.
Yes. AIA's current Member Guide provides membership categories for single, couple, family and single-parent family cover.
There is no single insurer that is best for every 485 visa holder. Compare AIA's premium, hospital and medical benefits, waiting periods, excess and other features against alternative 485 health insurance options.
AIA provides Overseas Workers Health Cover for eligible Temporary Graduate visa holders, with different levels of hospital and medical protection available.
The most appropriate policy depends on your budget, healthcare needs and preferred level of cover.
Compare AIA against other available 485 visa health insurance options based on: