A waiting period is the time you need to wait after purchasing your policy and before cover is available for certain medical conditions. You cannot claim for medical treatment that is provided during the waiting period. This means that you will need to pay for all expenses for the treatment.

Certain medical conditions and treatments have different waiting periods. Carefully review your policy to ensure you are aware of the different waiting periods.

The waiting periods will differ depending on which OSHC policy you have purchased.

Standard cover

  • No waiting period for General Practitioner services, care or treatment for a psychiatric condition, or emergency treatment
  • 12 month waiting period for all pregnancy related conditions
  • 12 month waiting period for all other pre-existing medical conditions

Essentials cover

  • No waiting period for General Practitioner services, care or treatment for a psychiatric condition, pregnancy-related conditions or emergency treatment
  • 12 month waiting period for all other pre-existing medical conditions

Budget Visitors Cover and Standard Visitors Cover

  • 2 months for pre-existing psychiatric-related medical conditions.
  • 12 months for pregnancy related medical services.
  • 12 months for all other pre-existing medical conditions.

Please also note that the start date of your policy must be a minimum of 14 days from the date of purchase, which means that you cannot claim for any treatment provided within 14 days of the date you purchase your OVHC visitors policy.

Waiting periods do not apply to emergency treatment by an approved ambulance service. 

Waiting periods will however be applied to any subsequent hospital or medical costs.

 

Budget, Standard, Mid and Top Working Cover

  • 2 months for pre-existing psychiatric-related medical conditions.
  • 12 months for pregnancy related medical services.
  • 12 months for all other pre-existing medical conditions.

Waiting periods do not apply to emergency treatment by an approved ambulance service. 

Waiting periods will however be applied to any subsequent hospital or medical costs.

 

Mid or Top Working Cover, additional waiting periods apply to extras cover including

  • 2 months waiting period for general dental, physiotherapy, chiropractic, podiatry, psychology, speech therapy, health aids, Chinese medicine consultations and complementary therapies.
  • 6 months waiting period for optical and health management programs.
  • 12 months waiting period for major dental.
  • 24 months waiting period for laser eye surgery and hearing aids.

Your waiting period will start from either:

  • the date you or your dependant (as the case may be) arrived in Australia; or
  • the date your visa was granted; or
  • (for OVHC only) the date your policy commenced, 

whichever is the later date. 

We can waive your waiting periods if you are switching your policy.

If you are switching to Allianz Care Australia from a similar policy held with another insurer, and there has not been a gap in your coverage of more than 30 days, we will count the time you were covered under your previous policy towards any waiting period which applies to your coverage with us. To transfer your policy, you will need to provide us with a clearance certificate from your current health insurer.