Parent Boost Visa Health Insurance Series: Comparing UniMed ParentStay vs Orbit

Planning a Parent Boost Visa?

If you’re applying for the New Zealand Parent Boost Visitor Visa - a pathway that lets you stay near your children or grandchildren for up to five years - one of your top priorities is meeting the mandatory health insurance requirement. This can be confusing and stressful but Cover Yours are here to help and if you would rather email us directly for help please use this contact form and we will be in touch by the following working day.

Immigration New Zealand demands solid private health cover for visa approval and ongoing compliance. The two most popular New Zealand based options available for applicants to consider are:

• UniMed/Accuro - ParentStay
• OrbitProtect - Parent Boost

They were both designed to meet visa requirements.

This comparison is based solely on the published policy wordings:

• OrbitProtect Parent Boost Policy Document (Effective September 2025)
• UniMed ParentStay Health Plan (October 2025 v1)

This article is general information only and isn’t personalised advice. Policy terms may change. Always refer to the full policy wording before making a decision.

This side-by-side breakdown helps you choose the right insurance for your situation - whether you want comprehensive healthcare access or solid emergency cover with strong repatriation benefits.

Remember that you don't have to buy a New Zealand based policy, you just need to prove you have insurance that meets Immigration NZ requirements.

Why You Need Insurance for the Parent Boost Visa

Immigration New Zealand requires that Parent Boost Visa holders have insurance that covers:

• Emergency and acute medical treatment (minimum NZD $250,000 a year)
• Cancer care (minimum NZD $100,000 a year)
• Emergency evacuation and repatriation
• Return of remains

This protects you from potentially devastating medical bills and ensures you are not a burden on New Zealand’s public health system. People on Parent Boost Visas are not eligible for publicly funded healthcare, and may be charged for treatment received in New Zealand. Both policies are designed to:

• Cover emergency hospital treatment in New Zealand
• Work alongside ACC for injury claims
• Arrange medical repatriation where required
• Provide cover for serious medical events during a temporary stay

Both ParentStay and OrbitProtect offer compliant cover to those holding a valid Parent Boost Visitor Visa.

Quick Snapshot: How the Policies Compare

What Each Policy Covers

UniMed ParentStay

Up to $250,000 per Member per policy year.

Covers reasonable charges for emergency treatment in a New Zealand public hospital, including:

• Emergency care
• Public hospital bed and accommodation
• Hospital services and supplies
• Diagnostic tests
• In-hospital prescription drugs
• Ambulance transport
• Follow-up specialist consultations and diagnostics (within 12 months)
• Limited outpatient prescription drugs (up to $1,000)
• Limited allied health follow-up (up to $1,000 combined)

Excludes elective surgery, joint and spinal surgery, revision surgery, pre-existing conditions and private hospital upgrades.

OrbitProtect Parent Boost

Up to $250,000 per policy year.

Covers hospital-related costs when admitted for an unexpected or emergency medical event in New Zealand, including:

• Hospital stays
• Surgery
• Specialist consultations
• Anaesthetist fees
• Related diagnostic tests
• Medications (subject to PHARMAC and Medsafe criteria)
• Ambulance transfers
• GP and nurse follow-up for up to six months after discharge

Excludes elective surgery, joint replacements, spinal surgery, outpatient mental health services, and pre-existing conditions (unless accepted).

What Isn’t Covered

Understanding exclusions is critical before you pay a premium.

Both policies exclude:

• Pre-existing conditions (unless accepted)
• Elective surgery
• Joint replacement
• Spinal surgery
• Cosmetic procedures
• Reproductive health
• Weight loss treatment
• Experimental treatments
• Long-term or continuous care
• Services outside New Zealand
• War, terrorism, substance abuse
• Pandemic/epidemic-related claims

Pre-Existing Conditions - The Reality Check

A pre-existing condition is any illness, injury, symptom, diagnosis, or medical event that existed, occurred, or showed signs before an insurance policy starts. It can include conditions you were aware of, had treatment for, or reasonably should have known about prior to your cover beginning.

Unimed require full medical disclosure at applicantion and dont generally insure pre-existing conditions.

OrbitProtect don't require full medical disclosure at applicantion and dont generally insure pre-existing conditions unless a request is made to review them during application. If a review is requested then a full medical disclosure is required. A review doesn't guarantee cover and costs $45.

Underwriting means:

• Your current conditions will be reviewed
• Insurers may impose specific exclusions (e.g., heart disease, diabetes complications)
• In some cases, insurance may be declined

This matters because health insurance is a visa requirement - a failed policy application can delay or stop your visa.

Best practice:
Submit your health history early in the visa process. If you already have a condition of concern, ask for a risk assessment before completing your visa application.

How to Apply

ParentStay

1. Get Approval in Principle from Immigration NZ
2. Complete application with health and personal history
3. Submit the immigration medical results and any required follow up test results or information
4. Accept offer of terms sent by underwriting
5. Pay the annual premium

OrbitProtect Parent Boost

1. Get Approval in Principle from Immigration NZ
2. Complete the application with your health and personal history details
3. Pay the annual premium
4. If you wish to review pre-existing conditions, select this option during the application, pay $45 and submit immigration medical results and any required follow up test results or information
5. Accept offer of terms sent by underwriting
6. Pay the annual premium

In both cases, your start and end dates should align with Immigration NZ requirements.

Premium Cost Examples

Below are indicative annual premium ranges (in NZD). Final rates depend on age, health, county of origin and underwriting results.

These are examples only. Actual premiums vary with underwriting outcomes. These premium examples come from quotes generated on 28.12.2025.

Choosing the Right Policy for You

Based strictly on policy wording:

• If preference is for cover structured specifically around public hospital emergency treatment → UniMed aligns directly with that model.
• If preference is for wording that does not expressly restrict treatment to public hospital settings → OrbitProtect wording may align.
• If access to a defined outpatient mental health benefit is important → UniMed includes this benefit.
• If continuation provisions for cancer treatment are important → OrbitProtect outlines a separate continuing cancer benefit structure.

No policy guarantees approval of claims. All benefits are subject to terms, conditions, exclusions and eligibility criteria stated in the policy documents.

Final Thoughts

Both ParentStay and OrbitProtect satisfy Immigration NZ’s health insurance requirement - but small differences can matter at claim time.

Base your decision on:

• Your health profile
• Your stay duration
• Your budget and underwriting outcome

When your health insurance aligns with your life goals in New Zealand, you can focus on what matters most: time with your family - watching grandkids grow, celebrating milestones, and building new memories.

Cover Yours Ltd (FSP769531) and Marc Hamilton (FSP306046) are registered Financial Service Providers and you can search the register here. Marc Hamilton is a member of the FSCL Disputes Resolution Service. Cover Yours Ltd and Marc Hamilton’s disclosures can be found here or by emailing marc@coveryours.co.nz