I have been living in Melbourne, Australia for nearly 5 months now and I’m beginning to feel more and more settled here. For me, this is largely because I decided to join a local hockey club. I’ve always played hockey at home, so it’s been great to be able to play out here too.
This blog details the benefits of joining a local club and outlines the kind of travel insurance that you’ll need to play certain sports.
You can also find lots of travel insurance advice on the gov.uk website here.
Playing sports and joining local teams is a great way to integrate into the place you’re living and meet new people. I started the process by looking at several different clubs’ social media pages, as well as researching how far their training ground was from my accommodation.
Once I’d found a club that I thought looked good and was within reasonable distance, I popped them an email explaining my situation and asking if they wanted any players. They came straight back to me and invited me to train that week.
Using social media can be a good way to see what the club is about and whether it suits you. I would definitely recommend emailing different clubs and even trying a few different training sessions to see what works for you.
I joined the club in April, luckily just before the season started. It meant I was able to have two weeks of training before the games began, which allowed me to settle in really well. The girls I play with are all lovely and a few of them also offered to help me find work.
You never know what kind of connections you might make in environments like this! In this case, the hockey club has a partnership with a local bar who often hire people from the club. Luckily, I had managed to find work before I joined, but it was amazing to hear that there was another option if I needed it.
If you’re thinking about reaching out to a club but you’re feeling apprehensive, please go for it! It’s so much fun and absolutely worth putting yourself out there.
Travel Insurance
Sports like hockey do have an element of risk involved which is why you need to have specific health insurance before you start playing. While serious injuries are unlikely and irregular, it is possible that you might need medical attention as a result of an incident playing hockey. If you are not covered by health insurance, then this could cost you a significant amount.
When choosing your travel insurance before your trip there are several different options that cover various things. If you are planning on picking up a sport during your time away or even just taking part in a one-time sporting activity, it’s important to choose insurance that includes these activities.
If you think you might be trying a variety of things over the duration of your stay, it’s important to get comprehensive cover. Even if you aren’t sure yet what you might get up to, it’s better to air on the side of caution and choose a thorough travel insurance package.
But, if you find yourself faced with some activities that weren’t part of your original plan and therefore not in your travel insurance, the majority of providers make it pretty easy to buy add-ons to your policy to make sure you’re covered.
It’s also important to read the small print of your travel insurance to make sure you get compensation for your injuries should you need to use the medical facilities. While your health insurance may cover medical costs up to 5 million pounds, your expenses won’t be covered if your injury was caused by something that is outside of your insurance policy.
For example, if you choose to go rock climbing and were unfortunate enough to break a bone or need stitches, you wouldn’t be able to claim the cost of that treatment unless your insurance policy specifically covers you for rock climbing.
GHIC
Another thing that will help you out, if you ever did find yourself in need of medical care, is your Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC). This card allows you to receive necessary healthcare on the same basis as a resident.
Some British travellers may still have European Health Insurance Cards (EHIC) which can still be used in Europe until they expire. However, if you are travelling anywhere outside of Europe, such as Australia, you will need the GHIC.
This does not mean that you get the healthcare for free: it may require a payment equivalent to that which a local resident would have to pay. Australia’s national health service is different from the NHS in the UK, so some treatments that you may get for free in the UK will not be free in Australia.
Furthermore, the GHIC card is not a replacement for health insurance by any means. It only covers emergency treatment that could not reasonably wait until you return to the UK or routine medical care for long-term conditions. So, while it is good to have in an emergency, it’s not as comprehensive as travel insurance.
All UK residents are entitled to have a GHIC, and you can apply for one online on the NHS website. I applied for mine through the website one month before I left the UK, and it came within 2 weeks. It’s definitely a good idea to have this before you travel.
While you won’t be able to get healthcare free of charge, registering for Medicare while you are in Australia might reduce your costs. Medicare is a national health scheme that provides free or subsidised healthcare for Australians. Because the UK has a reciprocal health agreement with Australia, British citizens are eligible to register for Medicare.
The scheme subsidises a large number of health services and products such as doctor’s appointments and prescriptions, so it’s worth signing up to. You can register for Medicare when you arrive in Australia, and it is a straightforward process.
It’s best to register as soon as you arrive as the processing time can be quite long. I only applied to register a few weeks ago and haven’t received a response yet, so it’s better to send it off as early as possible.
Don’t let the complexity of travel insurance put you off, playing sports is social and good fun and it’s most likely that you won’t need to file any insurance claims at all. But it makes playing a whole lot more enjoyable when you don’t have to worry about the potential costs of an injury.
The gov.uk website has more detailed advice about travel insurance if you want to read further or if you need help planning a trip Down Under view this Australia gap year guide.
By Amy Salmon
#TravelAwareSBA