Irish Couple moving to Adelaide - Advice needed please :)

[Guest Shelle]

Hi All,

 

I’m a newbie to this forum looking for some advice. Myself and my partner are moving to Adelaide from Ireland at the end of March this year, we are going on a 190 state sponsored visa. Can anyone give us any advice / recommendations in regards to travel insurance? Also I know our medical is covered by Medicare but would you recommend us getting extra medical cover?

 

Any advice is greatly appreciated to help us with our move.

 

Thanks

[Blossom]

Welcome to the forum.

 

Personaly I don't have medical insurance and manage fine. Some people like to have it.

 

Do you have a credit card etc which includes travel insurance?

[snifter]

We used STA for our one way travel insurance. Covered medical, flights, baggage etc. Valid for 72 hours.

 

Medical insurance is personal choice. Ambulance cover might be worth a look.

[Keith & Linda]

Not sure that 'travel' insurance will be valid once you are here in Aus, you really need to check with your insurers and be honest and open about what you want/need. Once you are here then as you say you will be covered by Medicare, I do not think private medical insurance would be worth it at first arrival, but is something you could check out when you are here, As snifter says it would be prudent to take out ambulance cover in SA ( you will need to check this out for other states and Territories)

 

Also as Blossom says, it is worth checking out if you have travel insurance linked to your credit card, that will at least cover your journey to OZ, but doubtful for prolonged stay, but again worth checking with the insurer.

 

Happy travels

Keith

[Irishglover]

Hi Shelle,

 

I'm also here from Ireland but on a 489 visa and was initially on a working holiday visa. Being irish, unless our visa is permanent, we are not actually covered by Medicare. Ireland only has a reciprocal health care agreement where you only get emergency a&e cover. That being said, I know some people who only on a WHV have managed to get cover and a Medicare card by applying by post and perhaps not being checked properly. I've managed thus far without cove except for the initial travel insurance. 2 years backpacker worldwide cover which covered me for a GP visit. At least this way you don't have to pay a Medicare levy on your tax as were not eligible for Medicare

[jim and adel]

I wouldn't worry too much about medical insurance until you're settled. Take a look at your options then, though, as the longer you leave it and the older you are when you first take it out, the more expensive it will be (you get penalised by a loading of up to 20%). Also, depending on salary amount once working, it could well mean you get hit with the Medicare Levy Surcharge if you don't take out hospital cover (in other words, either take out cover or pay higher taxes for not taking out cover!)

[Guest Shelle]

Thanks everyone for your replies.

 

Blossom – I’m unsure if my credit card has travel, I will look into this further. I want travel cover in case our bags are lost or documents etc...

 

Regarding the Medicare; so does this basically cover almost all our health needs for example prescriptions, doctor visits etc? Oh thanks for advising me on the ambulance cover; I never thought of this, I will look into this further. I'm finding everything daunting regarding our move, it’s so hard to know what we have to get covered to make sure we are covered for all eventualities.

 

 

[Jessica Berry]

Maybe have a read of this....

 

http://www.humanservices.gov.au/customer/subjects/medicare-services

[ian mc]

You have to pay a fee at the doctors unless you can get one that bulk bills Prescriptions you will have to pay for think there $38 unless item is cheaper you just need to register with Medicare once your are here and they will send a card out to you.

 

Thanks everyone for your replies.

 

Blossom – I’m unsure if my credit card has travel, I will look into this further. I want travel cover in case our bags are lost or documents etc...

 

Regarding the Medicare; so does this basically cover almost all our health needs for example prescriptions, doctor visits etc? Oh thanks for advising me on the ambulance cover; I never thought of this, I will look into this further. I'm finding everything daunting regarding our move, it’s so hard to know what we have to get covered to make sure we are covered for all eventualities.