Thanks.

It is not a requirement for a Visitor visa that the applicant hold travel insurance. However the applicant must have adequate funds, or access to adequate funds, to support themselves during their stay in Australia.

Visitor visa applicants 70 years of age and over are however expected to provide evidence of private health insurance covering their proposed period of stay in Australia.

Hope this answers your question.

bridge

Not required yet recommended. If u plan to work or study for more than a month then u will need a work or student visa. In these circumstances insurance was necessary for my gf's relatives. Good Luck

As others have said it is not a requirement for a standard vistors visa, however keep in mind that Australian medical services can be very expensive because Medicare will not cover her and medicine may be expensive as they are not government subsidised. If anything serious happens to her you could be up for many thousands.

My gf had an anaphylactic reaction in Adelaide and 1 night in Flinders Medical Centre cost $1450 (free for us residents). She had insurance this time and we expect it to be paid.

She had another stay in hospital recently and doesn't have travel insurance this trip so I'm going to have to foot a probably >$1000 bill when it arrives (this time I took a gamble and lost).

As jayinoz said, it is recommended, just the same as it is recommended you have car, house and life insurance but its always your choice.