Australia · Travel insurance
Australia Visitor Travel Insurance — Subclass 600 and eVisitor
The Department of Home Affairs does not mandate travel insurance for Visitor visa (Subclass 600) or eVisitor (Subclass 651) holders, but Australia's private healthcare costs for non-residents are among the highest globally. Medicare does not cover most visitors.
Recommended minimum coverage: AUD 200,000
Requirements
- Recommended: at least AUD 200,000 in emergency medical coverage given private hospital rates.
- Hospitalisation, doctor visits, prescriptions, repatriation.
- Optional: adventure-activity cover (snorkelling, diving, hiking) and trip interruption.
- Confirm cover extends to Tasmania, the Northern Territory and remote areas if visiting.
Coverage recommendations
| Coverage | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Emergency medical | Private hospital day rates can exceed AUD 4,000 — robust cover is essential. |
| Repatriation | Distances make air ambulance the single highest uninsured risk. |
| Adventure activities | Standard policies often exclude diving, climbing and skydiving — add an adventure rider. |
| Trip cancellation | Covers prepaid flights and tours. |
Real-world example
3-week tour from Indonesia — Subclass 600
A solo traveller doing a Sydney-Cairns-Uluru tour. Recommended: an AUD 200,000 single-trip policy with adventure cover for snorkelling on the Great Barrier Reef.
Indicative cost: Single-trip AUD 200,000 policies with adventure rider typically run AUD 80–160 for 3 weeks.
Protect Your Trip with Travel Insurance
Travel insurance may help cover medical emergencies, trip interruptions, lost baggage, and other unexpected travel expenses while abroad.
- Medical emergencies
- Trip interruption
- Lost baggage
Frequently asked questions
Is travel insurance mandatory for an Australian visitor visa?
No, but Home Affairs strongly recommends it given hospital costs for non-residents.
Do Reciprocal Health Care Agreement countries get free care?
Limited Medicare access exists for 11 RHCA-partner countries (UK, NZ, Italy, etc.) for medically necessary treatment only — not full coverage and not for repatriation.
Are adventure activities always covered?
No — diving, skydiving, climbing and similar usually require an adventure-sports add-on.
Official references
More travel insurance guides
This page may contain affiliate links. We may earn a commission if you purchase through our partners at no additional cost to you.