Here is why international students must have health insurance

Health Insurance helps, according to an SBS Punjabi listener

Health Insurance helps, according to an SBS Punjabi listener Source: Getty Images Zurijeeta

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"If we hadn't taken a health insurance cover from India before coming to Australia as students, we would have had to pay $20,000 in hospital bills", says Sydney based Jaspreet Kaur in this interview with SBS Punjabi.


Sharing this good-news-story, SBS Punjabi listener Jaspreet Kaur tells us that before she and her husband were to come to Australia on a student visa, they thought long and hard about which health insurance they should choose.

 "Honestly, we come from a fairly average family in Punjab, and when we found out that we'll have to pay Rs 1,80,000 just for a cover, we questioned it. Thankfully, we took a loan from a family person and paid that full amount - and today we're so so glad we did that," says Jaspreet.

 Last year, Jaspreet became pregnant and there was nobody here in Australia who could guide them about what to expect in the coming months. She and her husband weren't even aware of what proportion of medical expenses would be covered by the private health insurance they bought from India.

 "But I was pleasantly surprised after all the tests, hospital visits and doctors consultation - I was never out of pocket by any amount. So much so that when our baby girl was born earlier this year and she needed some post-natal care, even those expenses were fully covered".

 "Just last week we received the final bills from the hospital and it totalled up to nearly $20,000. Thank god, all of it was covered by our insurance."

 "I just want everyone here on a student visa to ensure that they have a good health while they stay in Australia. Many times we question the need for it , or may regard it as a waste of money. But my story shows you clearly how useful it is. There is no way my husband and I could have afforded to pay $20,000 bills - we feel so lucky that we had a good cover and want everyone to take inspiration from this."

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