Allianz Care OSHC Standard

Allianz Care's online quote for a 12-month OSHC Standard policy is AUD 5,351 for couple (dual family) cover and AUD 9,515 for family (multi-family) cover; single cover costs AUD 665. The higher tier, OSHC Essentials, costs AUD 838 single, AUD 5,516 couple and AUD 9,809 family. All five OSHC insurers quote couple and family prices online, and the price depends on your exact start and end dates, so compare quotes for your own dates.

No. Under both OSHC Standard and OSHC Essentials, no waiting period applies to care or treatment for a psychiatric condition — even if the condition is pre-existing (other pre-existing conditions have a 12-month wait). OSHC Standard pays 85% of the MBS fee for MBS-listed psychology services; OSHC Essentials adds up to AUD 50 per approved psychology consultation on top (up to AUD 300 a year on single cover, AUD 600 on couple/family cover).

Allianz Care covers you in public hospitals (as a patient in a shared ward, including accident and emergency) and in private hospitals that have an agreement with Allianz Care (a contracted rate through the Australian Health Services Alliance), where it pays 100% of the contracted charges. At a private hospital without an agreement, Allianz Care pays only the minimum benefit set by the government's Benefit Requirement Rules, so large out-of-pocket costs are possible — check the hospital with Allianz Care before a planned admission.

Not within OSHC: neither OSHC Standard nor OSHC Essentials pays for dental, optical or physiotherapy. Allianz Care refers members to a separate OSHC Extras policy from the private health insurer Peoplecare, offered at four levels (Simple, Mid, High and Premium Extras) for an additional premium. Waiting periods apply: 2 months for dental, physiotherapy, chiropractic and osteopathy, and 6 months for optical. Bupa also sells extras cover to its OSHC members.

For single students, Allianz Care OSHC Standard is the cheapest OSHC on a 12-month policy at AUD 665 (about AUD 55/month), ahead of ahm (AUD 672) and Bupa (AUD 712.80). It has no waiting period for psychiatric care, 24/7 gap-free telehealth GP consultations and a 24/7 emergency helpline. The trade-off: specialists, X-rays and blood tests are paid at 85% of the MBS fee, so gap payments are likely. OSHC Essentials (AUD 838 single) adds a higher medicine cap (AUD 750 a year), a psychology top-up and up to AUD 100,000 for medical repatriation.