How to claim on Overseas Visitors Cover

Claim on specialist visits or medical tests

Some of our Overseas Visitors Covers provide benefits for out-of-hospital medical tests and visits to specialists.

Note that if you are referred for tests or specialist visits, ask your referring doctor to complete a Medical Authority Form. This can help to significantly speed up payment of your claim.

Not sure whether you can claim for specialist visits or medical tests?

Log in to your account to find out what’s included for your cover.

How to claim

Mail, email or fax

1. Complete a health cover claim form.
2. Attach your receipts to the form.
3. Send the completed form and receipts to Australian Unity (you can find the reply paid address, email address and fax number on the claim form).

If this is the first time you've visited the specialist or had tests conducted, you should also include a Medical Authority Form with your claim. This needs to be completed by the first doctor you consulted about your condition.

Claim on emergency ambulance

Not sure whether you can claim on emergency ambulance?

Log in to your account to view details about your health cover.

How to claim

1. Complete a health cover claim form.
2. Attach your ambulance receipt
3. Mail or fax the completed form and receipt to Australian Unity (you can find the reply paid address and fax number on the claim form).

Once your claim is approved, the money will be credited to your nominated Australian bank or credit union account and you’ll receive an SMS to let you know when payment has been made.

Claim on hospital procedures

The hospital procedures (including day surgeries) that you can claim on will vary depending on your level of cover.

Not sure which hospital procedures you can claim on?

Log in to your account to view details about your health cover.

Getting pre-approval

If possible, contact Australian Unity before you go to hospital to get pre-approval for your procedure. This is important for two reasons:

1. You’ll receive confirmation of whether (or not) you’re covered for the condition you’re being admitted for.
2. Pre-approval can significantly help to speed up the claiming process.

If you’d like to get someone else to contact us on your behalf, make sure you’ve given us permission to speak to that person on your behalf by completing a Delegated Authority Form.

Accommodation and theatre fees

Most private hospitals and day facilities have an agreement with Australian Unity, which guarantees that you’ll be covered for some (or all) of the accommodation costs and most other services like theatre fees (up to your yearly limit).

Search the list of agreement hospitals

If you’ve got pre-approval, the hospital will bill Australian Unity directly, and all you’ll need to pay is any excess that applies to your cover. 

If you weren’t able to arrange pre-approval, the hospital may ask you to pay a deposit before they admit you: 

• The hospital will contact us directly to find out about your level of cover.

• If your claim is approved, the hospital will bill Australian Unity directly. (They bill us at a special agreed rate, which is usually much lower than their standard rates.)

• The hospital will then issue you with a refund of any amount owing.

Medical costs

The way you claim the bills from your surgeons and other doctors will vary depending on the arrangements you make with them.

Pay the doctors up front, and then claim money back from us, OR

Submit any unpaid accounts to Australian Unity, and we’ll issue you with cheques that you can forward to your doctors.

How to claim

Mail, email or fax

1. Complete a health cover claim form.
2. Attach your receipts to the form.
3. Send the completed form and receipts to Australian Unity (you can find the reply paid address, email address and fax number on the claim form).

You may also need to include a Medical Authority Form with your claim (if you haven’t already provided one to Australian Unity). This form needs to be completed by the first doctor you consulted about your condition. 

Note that there may be some out-of-pocket expenses for medical costs, depending on your level of cover and whether any restrictions or exclusions apply. If you have any out-of-pocket expenses, your doctor should have informed you of these costs before your admission.