Expatriates residing in Australia
In 2012, Allianz Worldwide Care clarifies the situation of expatriates residing in Australia and the distinction made by visa type. Details on the obligations of the permanent resident in Australia depending on the type of visa are in AWC note. For more information, please read the communication of AWC.
⇒ AWC note
Expatriates residing in Australia: extract of the AWC communication
“Where a permanent resident of Australia wishes to take out private medical insurance to cover treatment received while located in Australia
he/she may only be insured by a locally licensed private health insurance company. A list of insurers who are registered as licensed health insurers with the Private Health Insurance Administration Council (PHIAC) is available at phiac.gov.au.
Please note that Australian residents may be entitled to exemptions from certain taxes or levies by virtue of having private medical insurance. However these exemptions will only apply where the provider of this private medical insurance is registered with PHIAC (as outlined above). As Allianz Worldwide Care is not a licensed private medical insurer in Australia it is not possible for us to continue to provide local health cover to persons resident in Australia. For health insurance cover within Australia these individuals must be enrolled with a private health insurer which is registered with PHIAC.
Please note that this only applies to local health insurance. Treatment received by an Australian resident while outside of Australia will continue to
be covered by the Allianz Worldwide Care plan in accordance with the terms of the policy.”
Expatriates residing in Australia: FAQ
How is a person classified as a resident of Australia?
If a person is an Australian citizen or holds a permanent residency visa in Australia and is no longer working temporarily or permanently outside
of Australia, he/she is classed as a resident of Australia for the purposes of Australian insurance regulations.
I am a resident of Australia. What should I do now?
For private health insurance cover within Australia, you will need to arrange for you/your dependents to be enrolled with a private health insurer which is
registered with PHIAC. A list of these insurers is available at phiac.gov.au and additional information and support is available from privatehealth.gov.au.
I work in Australia under temporary Visa type 457. Am I required to obtain cover with a locally licensed private health insurer or will my Allianz Worldwide Care plan be appropriate?
An employee working in Australia under Visa type 457 is required to maintain an appropriate level of private health insurance cover for themselves and their accompanying family members for the duration of their stay. An Allianz Worldwide Care international health plan provides an appropriate level of cover and it is not necessary to take out any additional cover.
If you reside in a country that has a reciprocal health care agreement with Australia you may be eligible to apply for an exemption from the visa
requirement to maintain private health insurance cover. This application can only be made after you arrive in Australia. Pending the outcome of your
application you must maintain an appropriate level of cover such as the Allianz Worldwide Care plan.
I already have a local compliant plan. Can I keep my Allianz Worldwide care cover also?
This is fine however, as Allianz Worldwide Care is not a locally licensed private health insurance company, permanent residents of Australia may
only use their Allianz Worldwide Care cover for treatment received outside of Australia. It is also important to note that you/your dependent(s) will not be entitled to exemptions from certain local Australian taxes and levies in respect of premium paid to Allianz Worldwide Care.
I travel to Australia on a regular basis but am not resident in Australia. Will my Allianz Worldwide Care international plan cover me for treatment in Australia?
People travelling to Australia temporarily are not required to have a locally licensed private health insurance plan. The Allianz Worldwide Care plan will allow members to avail of any necessary medical treatment whilst in Australia on a temporary basis.
Regulation
Please note that subscribing to an international health insurance does not free you from the local regulations. If you are eligible to contribute to the local healthcare system in certain countries and do not have local cover in place, you may be subject to paying a tax levy.