Foreign citizens and temporary visa holders are not covered by the Australian national health insurance and are not entitled to medical treatment either. This means that au pairs will have to bear the cost for medical treatment or hospitalisation themselves. The only exceptions are for citizens of Belgium, Finland, Italy, Malta, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Ireland, Slovenia, Sweden and United Kingdom, who can receive treatment through their countries' reciprocal health care agreement with Australia, entitling them to use the public health service, if necessary. However, health care is the only benefit available to these citizens.
Medical treatment can be very expensive in Australia. It is therefore highly advisable for au pairs and their host families to arrange for a comprehensive au pair insurance policy especially designed to provide health insurance and other important insurance coverage for the au pair throughout the au pair stay.
The AuPairWorld insurance partner DR. WALTER GmbH provides full information and easy online purchase of the PROTRIP-WORLD insurance coverage for au pairs.