Insurance Money Share Tweet You may know this already Medicare benefits are not available for medical treatment received overseas, but when planning on travelling abroad you cannot take your local health insurance with you. You will need to purchase an private travel health insurance offered by a multinational insurance company. Private travel health insurance is the best way to assure that in the event of an accident or illness when travelling overseas you will be able to acquire medical attention if needed. How To Save Money Booking Your Holidays Many of these health plans will cover you up to six months in another country. When you speak with the insurance company, be prepared to give an extensive list of information to them. This may range from health problems you’ve had in the past ten years, your hereditary conditions to substance abuse, and almost everything else-if it has anything to do with your health be prepared to disclose the information. If you are planning on travelling abroad with more than one family member, then be prepared to give information for each family member as well. However, the Australian Government has signed Reciprocal Health Care Agreements which means that as an Australian resident you are entitled to assistance with the cost of medical treatment in: New Zealand The United Kingdom The Republic of Ireland Sweden The Netherlands Finland Italy Malta Norway Australia’s Reciprocal Health Care Agreements with these countries covers any medically necessary treatment you require which may arise while in that country. You are strongly recommended to take out suitable private travel health insurance covering you for the period that you will be away. Reciprocal Health Care Agreements do not replace the need for private travel health insurance. Although if you plan on staying abroad for more than six months then you will need to look into what is called expatriate health insurance. Only larger companies supply this type of insurance, as it is much more extensive with the type of options that can be applied to each policy. The type of treatment options that are covered with expatriate health insurance are those that are labelled as speciality treatments, like chiropractic therapy and acupuncture. There are many options that can be applied to expatriate health insurance depending on your family’s needs and how long you plan on spending abroad. There are many options for health insurance when you are travelling abroad. While many individuals never consider purchasing private health insurance when travelling to another country, this should be at the top of your list when planning for a trip. Private travel health insurance should not be taken lightly. Be sure you understand every aspect of your policy before deciding with any one particular company.