Why it is non negotiable for a French citizen
Australia has reciprocal health care agreements with eleven countries. France is not one of them. Check whether your own country is on the list.
In practice, a French passport gives no right to Medicare. No partial cover, no safety net. Whatever you do not get covered, you pay for.
And the amounts have nothing in common with French prices. A consultation, an X ray after a scooter fall, a few days in hospital: the bill climbs into thousands of Australian dollars, with no solidarity cap behind it.
French social security, for its part, does not follow you. As soon as you leave to work abroad outside Europe, you leave the system. The European health card is useless here.
The six criteria to compare
Every policy shows a monthly price. That is not where the difference lies.
The medical cost limit
It is the most important figure. Look at the total limit and check that it is counted in hundreds of thousands of euros, not tens of thousands.
Repatriation
Check that it is unlimited and that it includes repatriation of remains, an unpleasant topic but one that costs families a lot when it is not covered.
The excess
The amount you pay yourself on each claim. A low excess on a slightly more expensive policy is often the best calculation.
Paying costs upfront
Some policies pay the hospital directly, others reimburse you afterwards. The difference is huge when you have to pay several thousand Australian dollars upfront.
The sports you do
The line nobody reads. Many basic policies exclude motorbikes, scooters, diving, competitive surfing or high altitude hiking. If you plan to ride a scooter or dive, check it before you sign, not after.
Duration and extension
A working holiday lasts twelve months, sometimes twenty four. Check that the policy covers the real duration and that it can be extended without taking out a new one.
The classic traps
Sub limits. A policy can show a generous overall limit and cap dental at a few hundred euros, or optical at almost nothing.
Work related exclusions. Some leisure policies do not cover accidents that happen during work. On a working holiday, you will work, often in physical jobs.
The initial waiting period. A policy taken out after arrival may cover nothing for several days.
Residence. Some policies require you to live in France when you take them out. So do it before you leave.
What I chose
I went with Chapka, for about 400 € for the working holiday year.
Why that one: it is the one most clearly tailored to working holiday makers in Australia. The policy is written for that exact case, not for a two week trip with an option added on.
Its dedicated plan is called Cap Working Holiday. It covers up to 24 months, accepts 417 and 462 visas, and stays open up to age 35 for Australia. Chapka is a French insurer and its website is in French.
See Chapka's working holiday insuranceRemember to enter my code when you sign up.
400 € looks like a lot when you plan your budget. Over the year, it is about 33 € a month, and it is the one departure cost where saving money can cost you a lot.
The insurers I list, with discount codes when there are any, are on my travel resources page. For the comparison method in detail, it is all in my travel insurance comparison.
Frequently asked questions
Is insurance compulsory for the Australian working holiday visa?
It is not required to get the visa, contrary to what you often read. It is, however, essential in practice, because France is not one of the countries with a reciprocal agreement with the Australian health system. A French citizen therefore has no public cover there.
Does Medicare cover French working holiday makers?
No. Eleven countries have a reciprocal agreement with Medicare, and France is not one of them. Without private insurance, all medical costs are paid by the traveller.
How much does a hospital stay cost in Australia without insurance?
A night in hospital runs into thousands of Australian dollars, and an evacuation from a remote area can exceed several tens of thousands. That is exactly the risk travel insurance covers, and the reason why the medical cost limit is the first criterion to look at.
Can you take out insurance once you are already there?
Some insurers accept it, others do not. Those that do often apply a waiting period during which nothing is covered. Taking it out before you leave is simpler and cheaper.
Are surfing, diving and farm work covered?
Not automatically. Many policies exclude so called risky sports and, more surprisingly, manual work. Yet the 88 days are done precisely on farms or building sites. That is the line to check before you sign, not after.
Shall we prepare your working holiday together?
Everything written here is free and detailed. But between reading the steps and putting your own application together, there is a step that many people take weeks to make.
I can do it with you: the visa application and its timeline, choosing your insurance, your starting budget, the first days' paperwork and the strategy for finding a job. We start from your departure date and what you have already done.
One single package, built around your departure, with a price decided after a first call. That call is free and commits you to nothing.
The links and codes mentioned
The banks, insurance, eSIMs and booking platforms I use are all on one page, with my referral codes.
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