Getting WHV health insurance

As we mentioned in the chapter on Budgeting for a working holiday, travel medical insurance is required, or at least recommended, for many WHV destinations. To take a few popular examples, if you are going to

• Australia, insurance is recommended but not mandatory.
• Canada, proof of insurance is mandatory upon initial entry into the country.
• France, proof of insurance is mandatory at the time of visa application.
• Japan, insurance is recommended but not mandatory.
• New Zealand, proof of insurance is mandatory upon entry (exempt: nationals of Ireland, Japan, Malaysia, and the UK)
• South Korea, proof of insurance is mandatory at time of visa application
• the United Kingdom, private insurance is not required, as you already have to pay £776 for a year of NHS coverage as a part of your visa application.

You should purchase coverage for the duration of your planned stay abroad, or at least for the duration of the visa that you are are applying for.

It is important to be insured because accidents can happen to anyone, even to those who are young and perfectly healthy.

Having insurance can save you a lot of money. Healthcare costs are high for people who are not covered by local public insurance, and you can quickly find yourself with a hefty doctor’s bill for a minor health issue. Some working holiday makers have had serious accidents without insurance, and their debts have run into thousands of dollars.

For more information about insurance, read FAQs about working holiday travel insurance, which includes answers to common questions like:

• What exactly is travel medical insurance and what does it cover?
• When do I need to buy health insurance?
• Does my WHV destination require insurance?
• What am I looking for in an insurance policy?
• Can I use the travel insurance that comes with my credit card?

*Except destination France, which is capped at €150,000.
**Minus a €30 administrative fee.