Healthcare Reimbursement in New Zealand: Who Pays for What Depending on Your Situation

Healthcare reimbursement in New Zealand combines three levels. The first is the public system run by Health New Zealand, reserved for citizens, residents and holders of a work visa of 2 years or more. The second is ACC, which compensates accidental injuries to everyone, visitors included. The third is private insurance, local or international, or the French protection available to expatriates through the CFE.

There is no coordination between the French Sécurité sociale (the French national health insurance system) and the New Zealand system: the CLEISS ranks New Zealand among the countries with no bilateral agreement. The starting point is therefore the visa, which determines the insurance to take out. The following paragraphs review each situation, and the table at the end of the page brings them together. The guide to healthcare reimbursement abroad complements this reading, and the page on the New Zealand healthcare system details how it works locally.

A Working Holiday holder cannot access publicly funded care: Immigration New Zealand classes it among the temporary visas, whose holders pay for their own care. The France visa requires comprehensive medical insurance for the whole stay; proof (an insurance certificate or an approval letter) may be requested after lodging, including for hospital cover. The CLEISS adds that private insurance covering illness, maternity, disability and medical repatriation is compulsory. ACC covers accidents in part, while illness and repatriation are a matter for insurance (see working holiday insurance and proof of working holiday insurance).

According to its membership form, the CFE offers a Visa Vacances Travail contract (working holiday visa cover) in which New Zealand is among the eligible countries, with membership before age 30 and a duration of one year. It reimburses at French rates, and so only partially on the spot: it is combined with private insurance rather than replacing it, and its compliance with the visa requirement should be confirmed before joining.

Work visa of 2 years or more: the holder is eligible for publicly funded care, the visa counting from its first day in the country, or by adding up time already spent legally in the country. Their partner must meet the criteria themselves, except for maternity care; a child aged 17 or under is eligible if their parent or guardian is (Health New Zealand). With a visa of under 2 years, private insurance is necessary. A GP consultation still has to be paid for even by an eligible person, at a subsidised rate when registered.

Seconded employee: an employer established in France can keep its employee in the French scheme, under domestic legislation, despite the absence of an agreement. The period is 3 years, renewable once, with dual status: French affiliation and possible local contributions. Abroad, care is reimbursed up to what the French scheme would have covered, on presentation of paid invoices, with no French family benefits for children, and the CLEISS recommends a top-up policy in countries with high medical costs. After 3 years renewed once, the employee becomes an expatriate (see seconded or expatriate and seconded employee).

Local contract: subject to New Zealand law, it follows the visa and insurance rules above; the employee loses the protection of the French scheme and can join the CFE voluntarily (see local contract).

Self-employed worker: access to public care depends on the visa, so in practice on residence or a visa of 2 years or more. The CFE, which insures all French citizens living abroad whatever their status, or private insurance takes over, often with liability insurance suited to the activity.

Spouse and children: the spouse of a work visa holder can obtain a partner work visa of the same length, but their public cover is checked separately. The CFE covers the spouse and dependent children on the family contract, children up to age 20. The partner of a Working Holiday holder cannot rely on that visa to apply for their own. The page on expat family insurance details the options.

Tourist: France Diplomatie considers it essential to hold an assistance contract or insurance covering all medical costs. ACC covers accidents occurring during the stay; illness, the journey home and treatment after returning are a matter for travel insurance. A long-stay travel insurance covers accidents, illness, hospitalisation and repatriation.

Student: Immigration New Zealand requires insurance for travel and for necessary care, from the start of the course until the visa expires, with an exemption for doctoral students. The contract must comply with the Code of Practice on support for international students and suit the institution: it covers care in New Zealand (diagnostics, prescriptions, surgery, hospitalisation), transport out of the country in the event of serious illness or injury, and death, including funeral costs and travel for relatives (NZQA; Immigration New Zealand). Details in student insurance abroad.

French retiree: the Temporary Retirement Visitor Visa requires acceptable travel or health insurance for the stay, and the Parent Boost Visitor Visa insurance of at least NZD 250,000 a year for emergency care, among other cover (see the page on retiring in New Zealand). The CFE offers RetraitExpat Santé, provided you have contributed at least 15 years to the French basic scheme, New Zealand not being on the list of countries exempted from this condition. See also retirement insurance abroad and the guide to a retiree’s health insurance.

The CFE ranks New Zealand in zone 5, with no direct payment for hospital care, the lowest reimbursement level of its scale. Its 2026 benefits apply to care provided from 1 January 2026: 19% of the actual cost for a hospital stay in medicine, intensive care or surgery, 20% for chemotherapy, 32% for radiotherapy and 15% for technical procedures (X-ray, scan, MRI). A consultation is reimbursed at 70% of a €30 flat rate, or €21 (see CFE reimbursements). Medical transport remains reimbursable abroad only in the European Union, the EEA and Switzerland, with prior approval. The contribution is quarterly, depending on age and family make-up (see CFE contributions).

A membership lodged less than three months after moving takes effect with no waiting period; beyond that, the waiting period is 3 months from age 18 to 45 and 6 months after 45, and one year after a cancellation not linked to a return to France. International health insurance at first euro reimburses actual costs up to the contract’s limits. The medical questionnaire, exclusions for prior conditions, waiting periods and medicine limits should be read before signing; see CFE or private insurance and the waiting period.

• Consultation: each general practice sets its own fees; registration, free for eligible people, gives access to a subsidised rate, and children aged 13 and under are seen free of charge. A visitor pays the casual rate. The CFE reimburses €21 on a €30 flat rate.
• Hospital stay: free for an eligible person in a public hospital; a person who is not eligible pays all costs, hence the role of a high annual ceiling in international insurance (see coverage ceiling). The CFE reimburses 19% of the actual cost and pays a flat rate of €1,500 per eye for cataract surgery.
• Medicines: usual co-payment of NZD 5 per prescription medicine, free for under-14s, Community Services Card holders and those aged 65 and over, subsidy card after 20 medicines a year per family (Health New Zealand). The CFE applies reduced rates by zone, with a possible limit at the French rate for very expensive products.
• Dental: basic care free up to age 18 for eligible people, paid for afterwards, with a contribution from ACC for accidents. The CFE reimburses 60% of a €23 flat rate per consultation, or €13.80; temporary prostheses are excluded (see out-of-pocket cost).
• Optical: an optometrist consultation normally has to be paid for, and public help with glasses is aimed at low incomes. The CFE reimburses 60% of modest flat rates for frames, lenses and contact lenses.
• Maternity: care is funded for eligible people; a pregnant woman who is not eligible, on a temporary visa, shows at least NZD 9,000 for her healthcare costs (Immigration New Zealand). The CFE pays a flat rate of €3,164.11 for a vaginal delivery and €3,573.64 for a caesarean, mother’s and baby’s care included; maternity daily allowances require six months of membership of the option.

On return, a CFE member requests cancellation from their personal account, downloads the end-of-cover certificate, then files form 1106 (adult) or 3705 (minor child) with the Assurance Maladie (the French national health insurance fund) office for their place of residence. The CFE provides for rights to be maintained for up to three months from the return, for care in France. If the person takes up work again, Assurance Maladie rights open immediately; with no work, they open after three months of stable residence in France.

To prepare this return, see the guide to returning to France, the page on reducing the waiting period and return-to-France insurance. Expavy compares these covers for your situation through the diagnostic.