Medical and Travel Insurance
Eligibility for Health Services
Most international students are not entitled to publicly funded health services while in New Zealand. If you receive medical treatment during your visit, you may be liable for the full costs of that treatment. Full details on entitlements to publicly funded health services are available through the Ministry of Health, and can be viewed on their website at www.moh.govt.nz.
Accident Insurance
The Accident Compensation Corporation provides accident insurance for all New Zealand citizens, residents, and temporary visitors to New Zealand, but you may still be liable for all other medical and related costs. Further information can be viewed on the ACC website at www.acc.co.nz.
Medical and Travel Insurance
International students (including group students) must have appropriate and current medical 
and travel insurance while in New Zealand. Below is suggested minimum contents and information to be considered when purchasing your medical and travel insurance policy. Please contact the NZEDS office if you require further assistance.
New Zealand Equine Dentistry School uses Southern Cross Insurance as their preferred insurance provider.
Please see their website for full details and information - Click on the Southern Cross Logo above.
Southern Cross International Student Travel Insurance covers you -
- for unexpected changes or cancellation from the time you leave home to go to the airport until you return home after studying in New Zealand.
- for all medical claims from the time you have departed from your home country.
- while you are in transit travelling from your home country to New Zealand for up to 31 days
- for holidays in Australia and the South Pacific during the period of study for up to 31 days
- while you are in transit (excluding the days that you are in your home country) for a holiday to your home country during the period of study for up to 31 days
High 'Sums Insured' and Medical Benefits
‘Sums Insured’ is the money available in the event of a claim. It is imperative that the ‘sums insured’ are very high so they will not be exceeded in any possible claim.
‘Medical Benefits’ generally range from general practitioner visits and prescriptions through to major hospitalization (public and private), optical cover and emergency dental cover.
Southern Cross applies no excess to medical claims.
Emergency Evacuation / Repatriation
‘Repatriation’ represents the cost of getting the student home.
Medical Evacuation is where the student becomes seriously ill or injured and needs to be accompanied home with medical professionals. Southern Cross offers unlimited cover for medical evacuation. For pre existing medical conditions contact a medical assessor at Southern Cross prior to purchasing your policy to discuss.
If an immediate member of a student’s family, living in the students home country, becomes critically ill or dies from an unexpected event (excludes pre existing conditions), students will be able to claim the cost of one way transit either to their home country or return from their home country, to New Zealand to continue their studies.
Immediate family members include spouse, fiancé or fiancée, parents, grandparents, siblings, children and grandchildren. It also includes brother or sister in law and son or daughter in law. It does not include aunties, uncles and cousins.
Accompanying Relative Cover
If an international student in New Zealand becomes seriously ill or dies, Southern Cross International Student Travel Insurance policy, covers actual and reasonable costs up to a maximum of NZ$50,000 for up to two immediate family members to travel to New Zealand and for their accommodation and living costs.
Personal Effects
Southern Cross has two International Student Travel Insurance Policies available;
- StudentEssentials: Covers a student for unexpected cancellation of travel and medical costs.
- StudentMax: covers a student for unexpected cancellation of travel and medical costs plus baggage and personal items such as laptop computers, ipods and iphones, instruments and sporting equipment.
Proof of ownership is required and the policy covers claim values up to NZ$1500 per item up to a total of NZ$25,000. There is an excess of NZ$200 for all claims on personal effects and for laptop computers the excess is NZ$500.
For specific items that are valued at an excess of NZ$1500 please contact customer services at the Southern Cross Contact Centre on +64 9 379 4970.
Personal Liability Cover
Claims can be made if a student causes accidental damage or loss to a person’s property or if a student’s negligence causes bodily injury (including death) of another person while in New Zealand.
It is a condition of the policy that the student does not admit fault or liability to any other party prior to obtaining written consent from Southern Cross.
Mental Illness
Unexpected mental illness is covered by the Southern Cross International Student Travel Insurance Policy. It does not include pre existing conditions. Actual expenses up to a maximum on NZ$20,000 per year is covered.
Students with Dependants
Students travelling with family should contact the Southern Cross Contact Centre for information and quotes for policies covering family members and dependents.
New Zealand Equine Dentistry School has the following requirements for International Student Medical and Travel Insurance Policies that must be followed;
- The policy must be in English
- A copy of the policy must be forwarded to the NZEDS office prior to the start of the course.
It is important that students read the insurance policy wording before purchasing a policy. The Southern Cross International Student Travel Insurance Policy wording can be found on their website www.scti-online.co.nz/ispublic/legal/ISWording20110127.pdf Take care to read the Schedule of Benefits and Sub Limits on pages 4 & 5 and note the General Exclusions on pages 13 & 14.
