does defence health have travel insurance

Defence Health Travel Insurance

Our verdict: defence health offers a broad range of add-on options but its covid-19 cover isn’t particularly strong..

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Summary of Defence Health International Comprehensive policy

How does defence health travel insurance cover covid-19, what policies does defence health offer, here's a breakdown of defence health travel insurance features, standard features, optional add-ons, how to make a defence health travel insurance claim, here's the bottom line about defence health travel insurance, frequently asked questions, request travel insurance quotes and compare policies.

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• Rental car excess insurance is included as standard, up to $6,000
• There's a wide range of customisations available, including adding pre-existing medical conditions, adjusting benefit limits, and altering the excess.
• Cover for pregnancy stops at 24 weeks, but we found 11 brands that extend cover beyond this gestation period.
• There's no loss of income benefit, but we found 12 brands that do offer it.

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Table updated September 2023

Defence Health offers some cover for expenses related to COVID-19, but it's not the strongest in the market. Here's what you can expect:

• Overseas emergency assistance, medical care and hospital expenses if you're diagnosed with COVID-19.
• Cancellation or amendment costs if you or your travelling companion are diagnosed with COVID-19.
• Additional expenses if you or a travelling companion are diagnosed with COVID-19.
• Costs to return home if you are given medical advice that you should do so.
• Costs to return home if a relative or business partner is hospitalised or dies due to COVID-19.

There are some scenarios that are not covered by Defence Health including costs incurred as a result of mandatory quarantine or isolation, border closures or government travel bans.

Also, if you were diagnosed with COVID-19 before heading on your trip but you went anyway, you won't be covered for any COVID-related overseas medical expenses.

Defence Health offers five insurance policies to travellers. Comprehensive, Essentials, Domestic, Multi-Trip and Non-Medical.

Comprehensive

Non-Medical

The insurer of this product is Allianz Australia Insurance Limited. It comes with a cooling-off period of 14 days and choice of $200 standard excess for international plans.

These are some of the main insured events that Defence Health will cover. These benefits apply across all international policies.

• Overseas emergency assistance
• Overseas medical treatment
• Lost, damaged or stolen property
• Trip cancellation or amendment
• Additional accommodation and transport
• Rental vehicle excess
• Theft of money
• Loss, theft, or damage of travel documents
• Luggage and travel delay
• Emergency dental costs
• Kidnap and hijack
• Personal liability
• Permanent disability
• Accidental death

Defence Health also offers four add-ons that provide cover for a wider range of risks.

• Adventure Pack. Provides cover for a wider range of riskier activities, including deep sea fishing, outdoor rock climbing and riding a motorbike with the appropriate licence.
• Cruise Pack Extends your insurance policy to cover cruises and a range of cruise-specific risks such as marine rescue and cabin confinement.
• Snow Pack. Extends your cover to include snow activities and covers snow-specific risks such as piste closure and avalanches. Only available to under 75s.
• Increased Item Limits Cover. Increase the claims limit of specific items if you're travelling with more expensive belongings.

Unfortunately, travel insurance doesn't cover everything. Generally, Defence Health will not pay your claim if it relates to:

• Unlawful, wreckless or unreasonably unsafe behaviour by you
• Behaviour while you were drunk or under the influence of drugs
• Expenses related to a pre-existing medical condition not listed on your insurance document

li>An act of war, invasion or revolution

• Insolvency of a travel agent , tour operator or accommodation provider
• Mandatory quarantines or isolations
• An act of war, invasion or revolution
• IF you travel against medical advice
• Childbirth or pregnancy complications from the 24th week of gestation or if you have had previous pregnancy complications
• A multiple pregnancy or one where the conception was medically assisted
• An elective medical or dental treatment , cosmetic procedure or body modification (including tattoos or piercing)
• Self-inflicted injury or illness, suicide or attempted suicide

Make sure you review the Defence Health PDS for a detailed breakdown of what won't be covered, found under its list of general exclusions .

You can make a claim online via the Defence Health claims portal. You should have your policy number, personal details and travel itinerary ready, as well as any relevant receipts, medical records, and police reports.

You can also call the Defence Health claims team on 1800 622 499 (Weekdays 8:30am-6pm AEST).

Defence Health offers a broad range of options to customise your policy, including Cruise Cover, Cover for Pre-Existing Medical Conditions, Snow Cover, and Adventure Cover. You can also increase item limits and adjust your excess.

However, if you want comprehensive cover for risks related to COVID-19, you might want to look elsewhere as Defence Health offers limited protection.

In most cases, you, your travelling companion, a relative or business partner would need to be diagnosed with COVID-19 to make a claim.

If you're still not sure about Defence Health, you can compare other travel insurance companies here .

How many dependants can I insure on my travel insurance policy?

You can insure up to 10 dependants on a Defence Health travel insurance policy. They must be your child or grandchild (including step-child, adopted child, foster child and child you care for under a legal guardian arrangement), aged under 25 years old, not employed full-time, and accompanying you for 100% of the journey.

Is there an age limit for Defence Health travel insurance?

Defence Health's Comprehensive, Domestic and Non-Medical plans, as well as the optional Cruise Pack, are available to travellers of all ages. The Essentials and Multi-Trip plans, as well as the Optional Snow Pack and Adventure Pack, are only available to travellers under 75.

Do I have to work for the Australian Defence Force to buy a Defence Health travel insurance policy?

No. As long as you meet the other requirements listed in the PDS, you can purchase a policy.

Add kids under the age of 1 by typing a “0” 0 traveller(s)

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Nicola Middlemiss

Nicola Middlemiss is a contributing writer at Finder, with a special interest in personal finance and insurance. Formerly a business and finance journalist, Nicola has written thousands of articles helping Australians better understand insurance and grow their personal wealth. She has contributed to a wide range of publications, including Domain, the Educator, Financy, Fundraising and Philanthropy, Insurance Business, MoneyMag, Mortgage Professional, Yahoo Finance, Your Investment Property, and Wealth Professional. Nicola has a Tier 1 General Insurance (General Advice) certification and a Bachelor's degree from the University of Leeds. See full bio

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4 Responses

I insured once before with Defence…Insurance and fortunately did not need to make any claims. I am about to travel with my adult daughter on an Intrepid trip to Turkey. My extended family member was in the defence forces. (He is a nephew of my husband.) Am I still able to use Defence..Insurance for my daughter and myself even though the family link is somewhat distant?

Thank you for your question. You have contacted finder.com.au, a comparison and information service and not Defence Health Travel Insurance.

Generally, extended families are eligible for Defence Health Travel Insurance. You will need to check with Defence Health Travel Insurance about the area in which you plans on traveling as some places in Turkey are designated as do not travel and reconsider your need to travel

Please make sure though to read the eligibility criteria, features and details of the policy, as well as the relevant Product Disclosure Statement PDS/T&C’s of the policy before making a decision and consider whether the product is right for you. If necessary, speak to the insurance brand to verify any details.

All the best, Zubair

Have a house in New Zealand and often stay for extended periods.Am I still covered by defence health for illness or hospitalisation.

Thanks for getting in touch.

While Australia has a reciprocal health agreement with New Zealand , meaning you have access to some parts of their public healthcare system, your health insurance doesn’t cover you for medical expenses incurred overseas.

If you’re looking for added protection, you may wish to consider taking out travel insurance.

All the best, Richard

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Travel insurance: worth the cost

You know what they say: if you can’t afford travel insurance, you can’t afford to travel. That’s because leaving home without travel insurance could cost you much more than you imagine.

You don’t have to be engaging in ‘risky’ activities or adventures for things to turn pear-shaped. Accidents and medical emergencies can happen to anyone – and usually when you least expect them. The cost to you personally when they happen overseas can quickly sky-rocket.

Travel insurance can cover a range of potentially costly and inconvenient events while you’re travelling. Lost or stolen luggage, cancelled flights and lost deposits can all add up to thousands of dollars – the cost of which can be covered by travel insurance.

Every policy is different in the value and conditions of cover – so it is important to read the ‘fine print’ in the Product Disclosure Statement. But the most important feature to look for in any travel insurance policy is ‘unlimited cover’ for emergency assistance, medical and hospital expenses while overseas. 

You want a memorable holiday for the right reasons. Wherever you’re planning to travel, comprehensive travel insurance gives you the peace of mind to keep the good times rolling.

Defence Service Homes Insurance is proud to announce we have partnered with Defence Health to provide travel insurance. Defence Health offers comprehensive travel insurance tailored to the needs of veterans, Australian Defence Force members and their families.

For more information, visit our travel insurance page or contact the Defence Health Travel team on 1800 622 499. 

Disclaimer: The travel insurance mentioned is arranged by Defence Health Ltd ABN 80 008 629 481 AFSL 313890. This insurance is issued and managed by AWP Australia Pty Ltd ABN 52 097 227 177 AFSL 245631 trading as Allianz Global Assistance for the insurer Allianz Australia Insurance Limited ABN 15 000 122 850 AFSL 234708. Terms, conditions, limits and exclusions apply. Defence Health, Allianz and/or Allianz Global Assistance do not provide any advice on this insurance based on any consideration of your objectives, financial situation or needs. Where advice is provided by Defence Health Ltd, it is provided on behalf of Defence Health Ltd and not on behalf of the insurer Allianz or its agent Allianz Global Assistance. Allianz and/or Allianz Global Assistance are not responsible for any such advice. Before making a decision please consider the Product Disclosure Statement. If you purchase a policy, Defence Health will receive a commission which is a percentage of your premium. You can ask for more details before purchasing a travel insurance product.  

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Compare Defence Health health insurance

How defence health rates for member complaints, gap cover and ambulance..

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Checked for accuracy by our qualified fact-checkers, verifiers and subject experts. Find out more about fact-checking at CHOICE .

On this page:

Who is Defence Health?

Who can join defence health, does defence health get many complaints from members, how good is defence health's gap cover, how many hospital agreements does defence health have in each state, does defence health offer any discounts, does defence health offer ambulance cover, does defence health offer family policies that cover adult children, does defence health let you claim online or in-app.

Defence Health is a nonprofit restricted membership health fund for the Australian Defence Force and the wider defence community. It's part of Members Health, an alliance of nonprofit and mutual health funds.

Phone:  1800 335 425

Email: [email protected]

Website: defencehealth.com.au

Current or former members of the Australian Defence Force, reservists, civilian employees of Department of Defence (or related departments), employees of Defence contractors, and some family members of any of the above.

Defence Health has a High  complaints rating.

When we score policies we give each fund a complaints rating, based on the number of complaints and serious disputes the Ombudsman deals with. We take into account the size of the fund, so big funds don't get automatically penalised for having more complaints. The ratings are Low, Medium and High. A Low rating is better than a High rating – it means the fund has fewer complaints and fewer serious disputes for its size.

A medical gap is the difference between Medicare's recommended fee and what your doctor actually charges for a treatment or service.

Health funds have agreements with particular doctors and hospitals to cover all of the gap, which are called 'no gap agreements', or part of that gap, which are called 'known gap agreements' (these will have lower out-of-pocket costs, usually less than $500).

Our graphic below displays the CHOICE gap rating, which takes into account the percentage of services where members either paid no gap or a known gap, compared to the state average.

Rating scale

• Well above average
• Above average
• Below average
• Well below average.

Defence Health gap cover rating by state

Australian capital territory, new south wales, northern territory.

Above average.

South Australia

Western australia.

The benefit amount your fund pays you for hospital services depends not only on the type of cover you buy, but also whether your fund has an agreement with the hospital where you're treated. 

The table below shows how many hospital agreements Defence Health has in your state compared to the fund with the highest number (the industry maximum). Note that public hospitals don't have agreements with specific funds and are generally treated as though they're agreement hospitals.

Defence Health hospital agreements

In the australian capital territory this fund has....

5 private hospital agreements out of an industry maximum of 6.

8 day hospital agreements out of an industry maximum of 9.

In New South Wales this fund has...

91 private hospital agreements out of an industry maximum of 92.

91 day hospital agreements out of an industry maximum of 105.

In the Northern Territory this fund has...

1 private hospital agreement out of an industry maximum of 1.

2 day hospital agreements out of an industry maximum of 2.

In Queensland this fund has...

50 private hospital agreements out of an industry maximum of 58.

47 day hospital agreements out of an industry maximum of 54.

In South Australia this fund has...

20 private hospital agreements out of an industry maximum of 20.

25 day hospital agreements out of an industry maximum of 31.

In Tasmania this fund has...

2 private hospital agreements out of an industry maximum of 8.

6 day hospital agreements out of an industry maximum of 9.

In Victoria this fund has...

67 private hospital agreements out of an industry maximum of 71.

71 day hospital agreements out of an industry maximum of 80.

In Western Australia this fund has...

21 private hospital agreements out of an industry maximum of 23.

20 day hospital agreements out of an industry maximum of 29.

While Defence Health does not offer any discounts for prepaying your annual premium or paying by direct debit, there are youth discounts available on some hospital policies, and these are transferable (which means you can transfer a discount from another fund to one of these policies).

All Defence Health extras, hospital and combined policies have emergency ambulance cover.

Depending on where you live, you may not need a policy with ambulance cover. 

• Queensland and Tasmania:  Emergency ambulance services are covered by the state government. 
• New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory:  All hospital policies come with emergency ambulance cover – so you'll be covered with any hospital or combined policy you select. 
• South Australia, Victoria and the Northern Territory: You can buy emergency ambulance cover directly from the ambulance service. Alternatively, some health fund policies will cover ambulance in your state or territory or refund at least part of the cost of the ambulance service cover. 
• Rural Western Australia: You can buy emergency ambulance cover directly from the ambulance service. Alternatively, some health fund policies will cover ambulance or refund at least part of the cost of the ambulance service cover. 
• Metropolitan Western Australia: If you want to be covered for ambulance you need to buy a health insurance policy with ambulance cover.
• Adult children are covered on family policies for free until they turn 21.
• Full-time students are covered on family policies for free until they turn 25.
• Adult children younger than 25 can be covered on extended family policies for an extra cost. 

You can claim online for general dental, some major dental, physiotherapy, chiropractic, osteopathy, podiatry, alternative therapies, psychology, dietitian, optical, occupational therapy and speech therapy. Members can also claim via an app (iOS and Android) for all extras.

Stock images:  Getty, unless otherwise stated.

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Real Travel Insurance Help for Military Families

Because the orders always change, amiright?

There’s a bucket-list vacation you and your spouse want to take. You’ve been squirreling away money. You’ve got an “Amah-zing Vacation” board on Pinterest. You’ve been Googling, and planning and dreaming. Lots and lots of dreaming. Dreaming about that vacation is what’s getting you through allergy season and the end of the school year right now.

Or maybe that’s just me.

But you’re afraid to start buying plane tickets and booking hotels because you don’t want to lose your deposits, or worse — the full payments — if and when your spouse’s orders change and leave gets revoked. And if you don’t purchase soon, that incredible fare or deal you found will be as gone as that pint of Ben & Jerry’s you thought you’d carefully hidden in the back of the freezer.

Good news, fearful travelers! There are two ways to book that dream trip and still be protected, and one of them is probably not what you think.

First things first, the obvious one: Buy travel insurance.

But there’s a catch. Buying travel insurance is great advice — for civilian families. Travel insurance policies cover most of the things that could happen — to civilians — that would prevent them from being able to take dream trips.

“With my military family clients, I make it a point to reiterate that they make sure to read the fine print very carefully. Many travel insurance policies only allow military to cancel their trips if called to duty for a natural disaster, not a combat zone deployment or simple TDY or leave revocation,” Casey Coté told me. She’s a military spouse herself and a travel agent , so she knows exactly where we’re coming from with these fears.

I called a certain travel insurance company to ask about that leave-gets-revoked scenario. (I’m not going to name-check that company here because it turns out their policy is pretty standard and other companies impose the same limitations):

Me: Your policy says it covers military who have to cancel because they are called to war. How do you define “war”?

Representative: We cover it if they have to go to war or if they are called up to respond to a national disaster.

Me: Yes, but how do you define “war”?

Representative: What do you mean? We define it as “war."

Me: But what if my husband got sent to a place that isn’t officially a “war zone." Like, what if he got sent to Syria? We’re not technically at war there. Would that be covered? Or what about a humanitarian mission?

Representative: I have no idea. We would have to review that on a case-by-case basis after it happened.

Me: You mean after we’ve purchased this expensive trip and this expensive travel insurance policy, you would decide later if the insurance policy would actually cover us? That doesn’t really sound like insurance to me.

Representative: I’m sorry, Ma’am. I wish I had a better answer for you. We do cover illness and death in the family.

Me: Okay, so what about non-war orders? What if my husband doesn’t get sent anywhere to fight but something comes up and his orders are changed? Would that be covered?

Representative: Again, I really don’t know. We’d have to have a letter from the commander explaining the situation and then we’d consider it on a case-by-case basis.

Me: Again, that doesn’t really sound like insurance.

Coté says this case-by-case basis thing is really common with travel insurance companies.

“When you start peeling away the layers of jargon on these policies and ask in-depth questions, agents freeze up and have no clue what to tell you,” she said.

Coté also said that many travel insurance policies have a "cancel for work reasons" clause that should cover military duty — emphasis on the “should” — but sometimes doesn’t.

“I've run into some travel insurance companies who give me the runaround when I mention that scenario, because the word ‘military’ seems to change everything,” Coté said.

TravelGuard is the travel insurance company Coté said she most often recommends to both military and non-military clients. She said TravelGuard's “cancel for any reason” clause seems more cut and dry than most, the coverage limitations are clearly defined and the staff in the call center are typically able to answer coverage questions.

Section 2 of TravelGuard’s Gold Plan benefits explanation states that TravelGuard will reimburse the full cost of the trip if, among other things, “the Insured or Traveling Companion is called to active military service or military leave is revoked or reassigned.”

But even with that clearly spelled out, you can never be too careful, Coté said.

“As I recommend to all my clients, if you are unsure of any part of the policy or do not fully understand any of the certificate jargon, call the insurance company before purchasing your policy and sort those questions out, and be as specific as possible when describing your travel and military needs. Only they can shed light on specific terms as they relate to your travel needs. If you need to buy a more comprehensive plan to cover your needs, then do so. It may come at a higher cost, but that cost will likely outweigh the risk of traveling without having all possible travel snafus covered,” she said.

There’s one other option for travel coverage that you may not have thought of: Your credit card.

Useful for more than just running up debt and jimmying the lock when your toddler locks himself in his bedroom, your credit card might — emphasis on the “might” — offer you some travel protection.

I stumbled across this tidbit of information when planning a trip recently and called my credit card company to ask. No dice. Mine offered some travel protection, but not the kind that would cover our military concerns.

So I started digging and discovered Chase’s Sapphire card was mentioned on several travel websites as the best card to have when traveling, for a number of reasons.

There may be other cards that offer the same, similar or even better travel benefits, I’m certainly not saying Chase is the only one. Also, it’s worth noting that I’m specifically talking about the Chase Sapphire card. Other Chase cards do not feature the same travel protection.

Here’s why I like the Chase Sapphire card: The insurance on the Chase Sapphire card specifically covers any change in military orders. And they cover it for both the card holder and a traveling companion, not just an immediate family member. The Chase Sapphire card also covers multiple people in a family — so if the service member has to cancel, the entire family can recoup the costs. It covers cancellations and interruptions for other reasons, too. And, yes, I called Chase, spoke to several representatives, and confirmed all of this, right before I applied for the card.

The representatives did tell me that the amounts can change from cardholder to cardholder and that there’s a cap on the amount it will cover. For the card I got, that cap is $10,000 per person with a maximum of $20,000 for a family — which is more than enough to cover any trips we plan on taking.

In any case, before you buy travel insurance or make any big purchases on a credit card that offers travel protection, take 15 minutes to call to talk to the representatives, and then get them to email you the information they report so that you’ll have it in writing. Hopefully you’ll never need it, but you’ll sure be glad to have it if you do.

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Defense Base Act (DBA) Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

English Español العربية فارسی

Division of Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation (DLHWC)

DISCLAIMER: The Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) were created solely to assist employees and employers in gaining a general understanding of portions of the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act (LHWCA), as extended to the Defense Base Act (DBA). These FAQs may not constitute the complete or official opinion of the Department of Labor, the Office of Workers' Compensation Programs, or the Division of Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation on any subject. This page does not necessarily contain an exhaustive or current treatment of the DBA and should not, under any circumstances, substitute for a party's own research into the statutory, regulatory, and case law authorities on any given subject addressed by the following FAQs. The FAQs are an informational tool, not a final authority, and should not be cited or otherwise considered an authoritative statement of agency policy. Additional sources of information, including the statutes and implementing regulations, can be accessed on the Laws, Regulations & Related Materials section of our website.

• What is the Defense Base Act (DBA) ?
• Who is covered under the DBA ?
• What does "public work" mean ?
• Is work performed pursuant to a grant covered under the DBA ?
• Who administers the DBA ?
• Where should new Defense Base Act claims be filed ?
• What types of benefits are available under the DBA ?
• How is the rate of compensation determined ?
• Are there any payment provisions specific to aliens and non-U.S. residents ?
• What should I do if I get injured at work ?
• How do I obtain medical treatment for my injuries ?
• How do I obtain compensation for my disability ?
• How do I give notice of my injury to my employer ?
• How do I file a claim for compensation based on my injury ?
• How do I obtain death benefits ?
• What should an employer do upon notice of an employee's injury ?
• What services do the OWCP district offices provide ?
• What if the parties to the claim are unable to resolve their dispute(s) informally ?
• How do I contact the OWCP district office ?
• How do I file documents from overseas without access to a fax machine ?
• What are the insurance requirements under the DBA ?
• Who is authorized to write DBA coverage ?
• Must an employer acquire DBA coverage for foreign nationals ?
• What if an employer fails to secure payment of compensation as required by the DBA ?
• Does the Department of Labor regulate DBA insurance premium rates ?
• What is a waiver ?
• How does one obtain a waiver ?
• Can an employer voluntarily provide DBA benefits even if a waiver is in place ?
• What is the employer posting requirement under the DBA ?
• Why is the Form LS-241 or LS-242 not available for download from the internet ?
• Where can I obtain Longshore forms ?
• Where can I obtain more general claims information ?

1. What is the Defense Base Act (DBA)?

The DBA is an extension of the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act (LHWCA) which provides disability compensation and medical benefits to employees and death benefits to eligible survivors of employees of U.S. government contractors who perform work overseas. With a few exceptions, the DBA incorporates the provisions of the LHWCA. See the Longshore FAQs for additional information.

2. Who is covered under the DBA?

The DBA covers the following employment activities:

• Work for private employers on U.S. military bases or on any lands used by the U.S. for military purposes outside of the United States, including those in U.S. Territories and possessions;
• Work on public work contracts (see FAQ 3) with any U.S. government agency, including construction and service contracts in connection with national defense or with war activities outside the United States;
• Work on contracts approved and funded by the U.S. under the Foreign Assistance Act, which among other things provides for cash sale of military equipment, materials, and services to its allies, if the contract is performed outside of the United States;
• Work for American employers providing welfare or similar services outside the United States for the benefit of the Armed Services, e.g. the United Service Organizations (USO); and
• Any injury or death occurring to any such employee during transportation to or from the place of employment, where the employer or the U.S. provides the transportation or the cost thereof.

If any one of the above criteria is met, all employees engaged in such employment, regardless of nationality including U.S. citizens and residents, host country nationals and local hires as well as third country nationals (individuals hired from another country to work in the host country), are covered under the Act.

The DBA does not apply to the injury or death of (1) an employee subject to the provisions of the Federal Employees' Compensation Act; (2) an employee engaged in agriculture, domestic service, or any employment that is casual and not in the usual course of the trade, business, or profession of the employer; and (3) a master or member of a crew of any vessel

3. What does "public work" mean?

"Public work" is defined in the Act as any fixed improvement or any project, whether or not fixed, involving construction, alteration, removal or repair for the public use of the United States or its allies. However, "public work" is not limited to construction. It includes any project or operation under service contracts and projects in connection with the national defense or with war activities.

4. Is work performed pursuant to a grant covered under the DBA?

Section 1651(a)(4) of the DBA covers employment under a "contract entered into with the United States" where such work is to be performed outside the continental United States for the purpose of public work. The Department of Labor agrees with the decision of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in University of Rochester v. Hartman (Vishniac), 618 F.2d 170 (2nd Cir. 1980), that work performed pursuant to a grant is not covered under section 1651(a)(4) because Congress has enacted statutes to distinguish grants from contracts. Similarly, work performed pursuant to a cooperative agreement is not covered under 1651(a)(4).

Section 1651(a)(5) of the DBA, however, covers employment under a "contract approved and financed by the United States" if such work is to be performed outside the continental United States under the Foreign Assistance Act. Thus, if the recipient of the federal funding (whether provided pursuant to a contract, grant or cooperative agreement) hires a contractor or subcontractor to perform work that is financed by funds supplied under the Foreign Assistance Act, it is likely covered by the DBA under Section 1651(a)(5). The Benefits Review Board has recognized that Section 1651(a)(5) does not require the injured employee to have been working under a contract to which the United States is a party. See Delgado v. Air Serve International, 47 BRBS 39 (2013). It is sufficient that the claimant's employment was performed under a contract that was "approved and financed" by the United States.

5. Who administers the DBA?

The U. S. Department of Labor (DOL), Office of Workers' Compensation Programs (OWCP), Division of Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation (DLHWC), administers the DBA through three Districts: Eastern District , which has suboffices in: Boston, Massachusetts; New York, New York; and Norfolk, Virginia; Southern District , which has suboffices in: Jacksonville, Florida; New Orleans, Louisiana; and Houston, Texas; and Western District , which has suboffices in: Long Beach, California; San Francisco, California; and Seattle, Washington.

6. Where should new Defense Base Act claims be filed?

OR (if unable to fax):

• Fax to the Case Create Fax: (202) 513-6814 - this is the preferred method for receiving "case create" forms.
• Mail case create forms to the Jacksonville DLHWC Office. The Jacksonville Office is the Central Case Create site and will create cases for all injuries/deaths under the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act (LHWCA), and its extensions, for all district offices regardless of where the injury occurred or where the injured worker resides.

U. S. Department of Labor Office of Workers' Compensation Programs Division of Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Charles E. Bennett Federal Building 400 West Bay Street, Room 63A, Box 28 Jacksonville, FL 32202

Alternatively, use Longshore's Secure Electronic Access Portal (SEAPortal) to electronically upload documents directly to the OWCP case create or case file. The SEAPortal can be found at this website: https://seaportal.dol.gov .

See the Document Submission and Communication with OWCP FAQs for specific information on where to submit new claim forms and how to submit documentation to OWCP/DLHWC.

7. What types of benefits are available under the DBA?

The Defense Base Act provides disability and medical benefits to covered employees injured in the course of or arising from employment and death benefits to eligible survivors of employees killed in the course of employment or who died of causes arising from employment. Compensation for total disability is two-thirds of the employee's average weekly earnings, up to a current maximum weekly rate. Compensation is also payable for partial loss of earnings.

Death benefits are paid at the rate of one-half of the employee's average weekly earnings to a surviving spouse or one child, or two-thirds of average weekly earnings for two or more eligible survivors up to the current maximum weekly rate. The Defense Base Act also incorporates the LHWCA's provision for payment of reasonable funeral expenses up to $3,000.

Permanent total disability and death benefits are subject to annual cost of living adjustments.

The injured employee is also entitled to medical treatment by a physician of his/her choice, as the injury may require.

The LHWCA minimum benefits rate does not apply to DBA claims.

8. How is the rate of compensation determined?

Compensation benefits are two-thirds of an employee's average weekly wage (AWW), up to a maximum rate per week.

• For more information on maximum compensation rates, visit the National Average Weekly Wages (NAWW) section on our website.

The AWW used should reasonably represent the annual earning capacity of the employee. Documents that may be considered to calculate the AWW include the employment contract, W-2 tax forms, payroll documents and Social Security records. In computing wages overseas, allowances generally include: foreign housing, cost of living adjustments, completion awards/bonus, vacation or holiday pay, overtime, and per diem so long as it is not duplicative of other allowances provided.

9. Are there any payment provisions that are specific to aliens and non-U.S. residents?

Yes. There are two such provisions:

a. Cases involving aliens and non-U.S. residents can be resolved by commuting benefits paid for permanent disability and death. In such cases, a one-time lump sum payment may be issued by the employer/carrier representing half of the present value of future compensation as determined by OWCP. Medical benefits may not be commuted.

b. Death benefits may be paid only to the surviving spouse or child or children, or if no surviving spouse or child or children, to dependent parents.

10. What should I do if I get injured at work?

• You should notify your supervisor or employer representative immediately or as soon as possible.
• If you require medical attention for your injury, you should obtain treatment as soon as possible.
• You are entitled to select a physician of your choice to treat the effects of your injury. You should ask your employer for a Form LS-1 , Request for Examination and/or Treatment, which authorizes medical treatment. However, in a medical emergency, you may request authorization from your employer or its insurance carrier after obtaining emergency treatment.

See Longshore FAQs for additional information.

11. How do I obtain medical treatment for my injuries?

If you need medical treatment for your work injury, ask your employer to authorize treatment by a doctor of your choice. If it is an emergency or if you are unable to contact your employer, go to the nearest hospital or physician, but be sure to let your employer know as soon as possible.

Cost of medical transportation and/or repatriation for medical care (if necessary) is the responsibility of the DBA insurance carrier.

12. How do I obtain compensation for my disability?

If you are disabled more than 3 days, payments are to be issued 14 days from the date your employer first has knowledge of your loss in wages. However, payment is not overdue until 14 days after that date. This provides the carrier 28 days to issue the first payment. Thereafter, payments should be paid in bi-weekly installments except when the employer or insurance carrier disputes liability for benefits and files a Notice of Controversion, Form LS-207. See Longshore FAQ 23 describing the Notice of Controversion.

If you do not receive your initial compensation check in a timely manner, contact the district suboffice handling your claim for assistance as there could be additional compensation due for the late payment of benefits.

13. How do I give notice of my injury to my employer?

Give written notice of your injury to your employer on Form LS-201 (Notice of Employee's Injury or Death) within 30 days. Additional time is provided for certain hearing loss and occupational disease claims.

14. How do I file a claim for compensation based on my injury?

File a written claim for compensation with the OWCP on Form LS-203 (Employee's Claim for Compensation) within one year after the date of injury or last payment of compensation, whichever is later. The time for filing claims in occupational disease cases is within two years after the employee or eligible survivor is aware of the relationship between the disease, death or disability and his/her employment.

If you already have an OWCP file number, you should electronically upload your claim form to your case file using Longshore's Secure Electronic Access Portal (SEAPortal). The SEAPortal can be accessed at this website: https://seaportal.dol.gov . Alternatively, you can submit the form to our Central Mail Receipt site. If you do not have an OWCP file number, you should:

• Mail case create forms to the Jacksonville DLHWC Office which is the program's designated Central Mail Receipt site and will create cases for all injuries/deaths under the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act (LHWCA), and its extensions, for all offices regardless of where the injury occurred or where the injured worker resides.

See the Document Submission and Communication with OWCP FAQs for specific information.

15. How do I obtain death benefits?

Give written notice of the employee's death to the employer on Form LS-201 (Notice of Employee's Injury or Death) within 30 days. File a written claim for compensation on Form LS-262 (Claim for Death Benefits) with the OWCP within one year after the date of the employee's death.

16. What should an employer do upon notice of an employee's injury?

The employer should notify its insurance carrier or, if it is self-insured, its claims administrator, as soon as it has knowledge of an injury. Medical treatment, if needed, should be authorized immediately. Form LS-202 (Employer's First Report of Injury or Occupation Illness) must be filed (submitted via SEAPortal, faxed to Case Create Fax: (202) 513-6814 (for new claims that have not been previously assigned a case number) or mailed to the Jacksonville Suboffice) within 10 days of the injury if it causes loss of one or more work shifts. Additional forms and notices, as well as medical reports, should be filed with the OWCP as regulations require.

17. What services do the OWCP offices provide?

• The OWCP/DLHWC maintains records of injuries and deaths reported under the LHWCA and its extensions and reviews claims to determine whether appropriate benefits are paid promptly and accurately in compliance with the Act's provisions.
• Claims staff provides information and technical assistance regarding entitlement to compensation, medical benefits and vocational rehabilitation benefits to employers, insurance carriers, and injured employees.
• Should claim disputes arise, the OWCP/DLHWC assists the parties to resolve the disputes by conducting informal conferences and making written recommendations regarding benefit entitlement. If the parties cannot resolve their differences and any party requests a formal hearing before the Office of Administrative Law Judges (OALJ), the OWCP/DLHWC refers the case for a formal hearing.
• Vocational rehabilitation services are provided to permanently disabled employees in appropriate cases. See the Vocational Rehabilitation FAQs for more detail.
• The OWCP/DLHWC also administers the "Special Fund" which pays disability compensation to injured employees or their survivors in certain circumstances. See Longshore FAQ 41 for additional information about the Special Fund.

18. What if the parties to the claim are unable to resolve their dispute(s) informally?

If the parties are unable to resolve their dispute(s) informally, they may request referral of the claim to the Office of Administrative Law Judges (OALJ) for formal hearing. Decisions rendered by the Administrative Law Judge may be appealed to the Benefits Review Board (BRB) and thereafter, depending on where the claim is administered, to the U.S. District Court or to the U.S. Court of Appeals.

19. How do I contact the OWCP District Suboffice?

The DBA jurisdictional boundaries and the corresponding District Suboffice contact information can be found on the Longshore Defense Base Act Jurisdiction page for claimants residing outside of the U. S. For all others, the contact information can be found in the Contact Us section on the DLHWC website.

20. How do I file documents from overseas without access to a fax machine?

You can use Longshore's Secure Electronic Access Portal (SEAPortal) to electronically upload documents directly to the OWCP case file. The SEAPortal can be found at this website: https://seaportal.dol.gov .

To learn more about the SEAPortal, see the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on the SEAPortal site.

21. What are the insurance requirements under the DBA?

The insurance requirements under the DBA are identical to those found in the LHWCA. The Longshore Act requires every employer (including contractors and subcontractors) either to secure insurance for the payment of workers' compensation benefits provided under the Act or to be permissibly self-insured. If a subcontractor fails to secure the payment of compensation, the contractor will be liable and will be required to secure the payment of such benefits.

22. Who is authorized to write DBA coverage? <

The OWCP is responsible for the authorization of insurance carriers and self-insurance of employers. To view a list of authorized Carriers and Self-Insured Employers visit the Insurance Carrier section on our website.

23. Must an employer acquire DBA coverage for foreign nationals?

Yes. Benefits under the DBA are payable regardless of nationality. Therefore, employers should secure insurance coverage for all of their employees working outside the United States under a U.S. government contract, including U.S. citizens and residents, host country nationals (local hires), and third country nationals (hired from another country to perform work in the host country).

24. What if an employer fails to secure payment of compensation as required by the DBA?

An employer who fails to secure the payment of compensation under the Act through an insurance carrier or to obtain authorization to be self-insured may face criminal prosecution and be subject to imprisonment and/or fines. If the employer is a corporation, the president, secretary and treasurer can be prosecuted individually and may be personally and severally liable for compensation and other benefits.

If the employer is not insured, an injured employee also may elect to either claim compensation under the Act or sue for damages for his/her injury under general tort law. In such a lawsuit, the employer may not rely on the customary tort defenses that the employee is prevented from recovery by (1) his/her own contribution to the cause of the injury or (2) his/her own negligence or wrong-doing.

25. Does the Department of Labor regulate DBA insurance premium rates?

No. The Department of Labor has no authority to regulate insurance premium rates. All authorized carriers are regulated by the states in which they operate.

26. What is a waiver?

The Secretary of Labor may waive application of the Defense Base Act with respect to any contract, work location, or class of employees upon the written request of the head of any department or other agency of the United States. It is Department of Labor policy that waivers do not apply to citizens or legal residents of the U.S. or to employees hired in the U.S. In addition, once granted, the waiver is only valid if alternative workers' compensation benefits are provided to the waived employees pursuant to applicable local law. If there are no local workers' compensation laws, the waiver has no effect and local and foreign nationals working under a U.S. contract are covered under the DBA.

27. How does one obtain a waiver?

The request for waiver can be made by submitting a request for DBA waiver package, by the head of a department or agency of the United States government. The package can be mailed to the Director, OWCP, U.S. Department of Labor, OWCP, Division of Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation, 200 Constitution Avenue NW, Rm C-4319, Washington, DC 20210. The package can also be sent by e-mail to [email protected] .

A complete waiver package includes the following:

• Form BEC 565, Request for Waiver - Defense Base Act
• A translated copy of the applicable workers' compensation law for the country in question.
• Website addresses if the information was obtained via the internet.
• A comparison of the workers' compensation benefits available in the country compared to DBA benefits, to include a specific reference to the section of the country's workers' compensation law for each relevant provision. The DBA Comparison Chart that may be used as the outline for that analysis. While use of the attached excel chart is not a requirement, an analysis of all benefits listed on that chart is required.

Also, please note that OWCP/DLHWC may also consider other pertinent factors not on that chart and that the items on that chart are not necessarily an exhaustive list.

28. Can an employer voluntarily provide DBA benefits even if a waiver is in place?

Yes. There is no prohibition against providing DBA coverage for waived employees.

29. What is the employer's posting requirement under the DBA?

The DBA incorporates the LHWCA's provision that every employer who has secured compensation under the Act must keep posted in a conspicuous place in and about its place of business Form LS-241 (Notice to Employees) or LS-242 (Notice to Employees for Self-Insured Employers). Such notice must also contain the name and address of the employer representative to whom notice of injury is given, and the carrier, if any, with whom the employer has secured payment of compensation and the date of the expiration of the policy.

30. Why is the Form LS-241 or Form LS-242 not available for download from the internet?

The Forms LS-241, Notice to Employees and LS-242, Notice to Employees (for Self-Insured Employers), are controlled forms and are not available to the general public. The employer receives the LS-241 from its insurance carrier upon confirmation of insurance coverage or renewal. The self-insured employer receives the Form LS-242 from the OWCP upon confirmation of its self-insurance authorization. For further information, contact the OWCP Longshore National Office at (202)693-0038 or [email protected] .

31. Where can I obtain Longshore forms?

Most Longshore forms can be found in the Forms section on our website.

Forms are also available at any Longshore District Suboffice. To request a form, or for additional information and assistance on how to complete the forms, contact the District Suboffice where your claim is administrated. Office contact information can be found in the Contact Us section on our website.

32. Where can I obtain more general claims information?

With a few exceptions, the DBA incorporates the provisions of the LHWCA; therefore, additional claims information can be found in Longshore FAQs starting with question 6.

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Policy conditions for gold, silver, and bronze basic cover

The introduction of the clearly defined basic, bronze, silver, and gold tiers of hospital cover also means that people know what they’re signing up for and what their cover includes.

Each tier of cover available in Australia must include the same minimum clinical categories. As the government mandates : ​ ​

“If a policy covers a certain clinical category, then it must cover everything described as part of the category – not only some things. For example, ‘bone, joint and muscle’ category, or ‘heart and vascular system’ category – they must cover all  of the treatment within that category.