Medical Insurance

[Bermy Girl]

Hey All, quick question...When we first arrive in NZ, can we obtain a private medical insurance policy to cover us while we are trying to find jobs? And do you have to obtain your residency before you get national health? How expensive are private medical insurance policies? What about dentists? Are they covered under medical or is that seperate?

[ShellBda]

Good question mate, I was going to ask the same thing myself.

[Taffy]

Hi both,

I think on a visitors visa that travel insurance would be your only option. Coming from Bermuda, do you hold British passports? If so, emergency treatment is free anyway.

[Bermy Girl]

Hey Taffy, thanks, yes I do carry a British passport and Shellbda is wroking on her's...right Shellbda??? Anyway, once we have a WP do we have to get private insurance or is it supplied by the job or government?

[Taffy]

If you want private health care at any point, I'm afraid thats down to you!

[Bermy Girl]

That's what I'm trying to figure out...would we be eligible for government health cover once we have a WP? Or does everyone just wing it and hope they don't need it?

[Taffy]

There's no private health cover in NZ unless you pay for it, even if you're a citizen. As a visitor, you only get emergency treatment. On a WP, you get extra treatments free from a hospital, but I'm not sure what altogether.

You always have to pay for GP visits and minor other things.

[LilAmy]

Hi,

We're on 23month WHV and we had to apply for Private Medical Insurance (we went with Southern Cross) as our insurance back home would only cover us for a couple of months.

I have had to use the emergency doctor once when I got bitten by a spider and as Taffy said that was free.

We've had to use the Dr's here as well and it was about $60 a visit from memory and most prescriptions were about $24 I think.

[Bermy Girl]

Hi,

We're on 23month WHV and we had to apply for Private Medical Insurance (we went with Southern Cross) as our insurance back home would only cover us for a couple of months.

I have had to use the emergency doctor once when I got bitten by a spider and as Taffy said that was free.

We've had to use the Dr's here as well and it was about $60 a visit from memory and most prescriptions were about $24 I think.

Thanks LilAmy...that's a big help! Did you find the medical insurance necessary? I think it's just something I don't want to be without just in case!

[LilAmy]

We've (touch wood) not had to use it as yet but I prefer to be safe than sorry to be honest just incase.

As my spider bite was classed as an emergency there was no fee but if you have to return to the Dr's for check up's it would be fairly pricey $60 a visit!!! So you could end up claiming that if it was all for the same symptoms.

We only pay something like $60 a month for the two of us and that pretty much covers us for everything bar dental care. We shopped around and at the time we got it last year that was the best deal. We've been happy with Southern Cross and not felt we need to swap.

Its so easy to set up once you're here it was a matter of a 10minute call and you were set up, they sent the forms and direct debit slip and that was it.