Ambulance Cover in Queensland

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How does ambulance cover work in Queensland?

Who provides Queensland’s free ambulance service?

Do non-residents also get covered?

Are Queensland residents covered in other states?

Do other states have free ambulance cover?

Where can I compare health insurance policies?

Long story short

Free ambulance services in Queensland

Queensland residents receive free emergency and non-emergency ambulance services, covered by the state government.

Costs for non-residents

Visitors to Queensland may be charged up to $1,459.09 for emergency services and over $540.49 for non-emergency services, although exemptions exist for certain people.

Private health insurance can help

For tourists visiting Queensland, private health insurance with ambulance cover may reduce or eliminate high ambulance costs.

Queensland residents covered Australia-wide

Queenslanders, including their children and dependents are covered for ambulance services nationwide. Just submit the invoice to QAS with proof of residency for claims.

Queensland has a lot going for it: warm weather, beautiful beaches and free ambulance services for every resident. That’s right—the state government actually covers the cost of emergency ambulance transport for Queenslanders.  

It’s a pretty great deal, and it’s why so many private health insurers don’t actually offer ambulance cover to residents of Queensland because it generally isn’t required.  But it’s still worth digging a little deeper into the topic to find out how the state ambulance services work and how far your cover can go. 

How does ambulance cover work in Queensland? 

The Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS) prioritises emergencies. Residents receive emergency pre-hospital treatment and transport free-of-charge. 

The fees for non-emergency transport are also covered. However, there usually needs to be a good reason behind it.  For instance: 

• If you can only travel by stretcher
• If you need to be monitored while travelling
• If you need active management while travelling
• If you’re too embarrassed by your condition to go on public transport
• If your condition would cause serious concern to other people on public transport 

For non-emergencies, you will need your doctor to sign a medically authorised transport request at least 24 hours in advance. Otherwise, the Queensland Ambulance Service may refuse to send out the ambulance.

Helpful tip:

It never hurts to be prepared for an emergency. This can be as simple as writing down your list of medications, medical conditions, and allergies, and keeping it in your wallet, or putting it down as a note in your phone. Just make sure it’s something you can easily find and give to the paramedics if you ever need an ambulance. This will ensure that they can give you efficient treatment (if necessary, of course!).

Dr. Jill Gamberg

GP, Coach and Lifestyle Medicine Coach

Who provides Queensland’s free ambulance service? 

Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS) provides all emergency and non-emergency ambulance transport in the Sunshine State. These fine folks operate under the Queensland Government’s Department of Health and provide one of the largest ambulance services in the world. 

However, while the ambulance ride might not cost you a cent, it could be a different story once you arrive at the hospital. If you choose to get treated as a private patient, then you could end up with some steep, out-of-pocket expenses. This is where private insurance hospital cover can be particularly useful, as an eligible policy can help cover the costs of your treatment. 

Getting treated as a public patient in a public hospital is also an option. If you opt to go public, then all your in-hospital treatment costs will be covered so long as you hold an eligible Medicare Card.  

Do non-residents also get covered? 

Queensland is a pretty popular place for other Australians to visit. Melburnians and Sydneysiders are partial to taking a break from their cold weather and enjoy some sun for a change! 

Unfortunately, visitors to Queensland may get hit with a big bill if they ever need to use the ambulance services there. We’re talking hundreds, maybe even thousands of dollars just for a trip to the hospital.¹Queensland Government – Queensland Ambulance Treatment and Transport

For interstate visitors just to get treatment in an ambulance and not even need a lift to the hospital, it could still cost more than a hundred dollars at minimum. And the cost really blows out to well into the thousands for visitors who do actually need to be taken to the hospital!²As above

Yes, these costs are definitely steep for any sun seeking tourist looking to visit Queensland. However, certain people might be exempt from having to pay them, including: 

• Under-25s who are full-time students at a Queensland educational institution
• Under-25s who are full-time students at an educational institution in another state or territory but have one parent who resides in Queensland
• People who hold a Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) Card
• People covered by a workers’ compensation claim under the Workers’ Compensation and Rehabilitation Act 2003 or Motors Accident Insurance Fund

Private health insurance is an option for those visitors who normally live in different states and territories. So long as your policy covers you for interstate ambulance services, you can forward the QAS invoice to your insurer for payment.

Are Queensland residents covered in other states? 

Okay, so let’s say you’re a Queensland resident visiting another state or territory. Suddenly, you fall sick or get injured and need to use the local ambulance services. What happens next? 

Well, first of all, we hope you feel better soon! Secondly, there is some good news: Queensland residents are covered for free emergency ambulance services across Australia. Any children or dependents you have (including full time students under 25) will also be covered.  

You’ll be required to forward your ambulance invoice to the QAS. They’ll also require some proof that you were a resident of Queensland at the time, for example, a driver’s licence, bank statement or statutory declaration. 

Do other states have free ambulance cover? 

Queensland is pretty exceptional. Tasmania is the only other state that offers free ambulance services for all residents. 

If you live anywhere else in Australia, then chances are that you’ll need to pay for an ambulance if you ever need emergency services somewhere down the track. Although you can avoid this if you take out ambulance cover through a private insurer (or with your state ambulance service). 

Certain people, like those who hold a Pensioner Concession Card, might also be eligible for ambulance services at a reduced cost—or no cost at all. Check out our main article on ambulance cover to find out how it works in your state or territory. 

Where can I compare health insurance policies? 

Many insurers offer ambulance cover as part of their hospital or extras cover. Comparing policies from different providers can also be a great way to find suitable cover at an affordable price. 

iSelect can help here, too. You can compare health insurance policies from a range of providers using our online comparison tool. Or, if you prefer, give our friendly team a call on 1800 784 772. It may only take a few minutes to find a great deal!