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Compare health insurance with Health Insurance Finder™

Health Insurance Finder® helps you compare health insurance from 40+ funds in Australia.

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Why compare health insurance with Finder?

No contact details required to see prices

You won't receive any callbacks from Finder if you compare with us.

See prices for nearly every fund in Australia

Our database has offers from 30+ providers and is updated daily.

Free to use—No markup guarantee

You pay the same price as buying directly from the insurer.

How it works

1

Tell us about yourself

Answer some simple questions about yourself and what kind of cover you need. It takes less than a minute.

2

Compare the results

Compare relevant policies from our database based on the factors you care about most, including price.

3

Apply for a policy

Click straight through to the provider's site and apply for your chosen policy.

Thousands of Australians compare health insurance with Finder every month

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Compare health insurance policies from 40+ funds in under a minute

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What is private health insurance?

Private health insurance helps with the cost of healthcare in a private hospital. It lets you avoid public waiting lists, choose your own doctor and can provide you with your own private room. Not all policies are created equal, so it's important to compare health insurance and find the best health cover for you. There are two main types of cover: hospital and extras.

What does private health insurance cover that Medicare doesn't?

Private health insurance give you access to the same hospital services covered by Medicare – but you get access to your own doctor, private room and waiting times are significantly shorter.

Extras insurance cover does cover healthcare costs that aren't typically covered by the public healthcare system, such as dental, physiotherapy and optical.

If you go to a private hospital as a private patient, Medicare will pay 75% of the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) fee. Your health insurance covers the other 25%, plus accommodation costs and theatre fees. Sometimes there's a gap between the MBS fee and the total cost of your procedure. You may need to pay this unless your health insurance has no gap cover.

How much does private health insurance cost?

The cost of private health insurance varies, but we crunched the numbers from 40+ Australian funds to see what you'll have to pay for hospital and extras cover per month, depending on the level of cover you choose.

TierAverageTreatments included
Basic$86
Bronze$100
  • 18 categories including joint reconstructions and ENT
Silver$150
  • 26 categories including dental and podiatric surgeries
Gold$193
  • 38 categories including joint replacements and pregnancy
Extras coverAverageIncluded benefits
Core$32
  • At least General Dental and Ambulance Cover
Medium$67
  • At least Major Dental, Optical and Physio
Comprehensive$116
  • Treatments like Orthodontics and Hearing aids

Prices quoted are based on a single 30 year-old in Sydney, earning less than $97,000 with a $750 hospital excess from June 2022. Extras categories used the same methodology as the 2022 Finder Health Insurance awards.

Why compare health insurance with Finder?

  • We don't ask for your phone or email to see prices.

  • With 1 click, you can open your results to nearly every fund in Australia.

  • You pay the same price as going direct – we charge no fees.

4 benefits of health insurance

Hospital
Choose your hospital

Enjoy a private room during your stay. You can even choose your preferred doctor.
Waiting list
Skip waiting lists

Public lists can stretch months or years. Go private and be seen in days or weeks.
Percentage
Save on tax

If you earn over $93k, private hospital insurance can shave money off your tax bill. Easy.
Heart
Peace of mind

Rest easy knowing you're top of the list if things go wrong. You'll be back to normal in no time.

Learn more about private health insurance

Hospital Cover

Hospital cover helps pay for a range of hospital treatments in a private hospital. This can include joint reconstructions, hernia operations and childbirth.

Extras Cover

Extras cover helps towards out-of-hospital healthcare. This includes trips to the dentist, eye care by an optomotrists, physiotherapists and natural therapies.

Do you need health insurance?

Take our 30 second quiz to see if you need private health insurance at all. It's an important product, but not everybody needs it.

Health insurance rebate

The private health insurance rebate makes health insurance cheaper for most people. Your exact rebate is determined by your age and income.

Private health and tax

Whether you're a high earner or turning 30, there are a few things you need to know about private health insurance at tax time.

How much is health insurance?

The price of health insurance can vary a lot based on your age, income and your lifestyle.

Switching health funds

Switching health funds is quick and easy. You can transfer your waiting periods, while potentially saving money with new sign-up deals.

Annual Limits

Extras benefit limits place a cap on the amount you can claim. They typically reset every 12 months. A higher limit may mean a more expensive policy, but not always.

Waiting Periods

Waiting periods apply to both extras and hospital policies - you'll need to serve these before claiming a benefit. Some extras policies let you skip some waiting periods.

Public vs private health insurance comparison

Not sure if private health insurance is worth it? Here are some key differences between the public and private healthcare systems in Australia:

Public system Private health insurance
DoctorA public hospital will allocate a doctor for you. You don't get to choose.You can choose which doctor you see.
Private roomYou'll likely end up in a shared room in a public hospital.Insurance gives you access to a private room if there's one available.
Waiting listsWaiting lists for elective treatments can range from a few weeks to a few years.Private insurance usually involves a shorter wait. For some procedures, you may even be able to pick your date.
Treatment typesMedicare doesn't cover most dental, hearing aids or other out-of-hospital treatments.Extras can give you cashback on out-of-hospital services such as optical, dental, psychology and hearing aids.
Ambulance costsIn most cases, Medicare won't pay for your ambulance except in Queensland and Tasmania.Most health funds include cover for an emergency ambulance, even on Basic policies.

Compare hospital cover tiers

Gold Medal
Gold

Gold cover includes all hospital treatment categories, including joint replacements, pregnancy and insulin pumps.
Silver Medal
Silver

Silver cover includes at least 26 hospital treatments, including lung and chest, dental and podiatric surgery.
Bronze Medal
Bronze

Bronze cover includes at least 18 hospital treatments, including joint reconstructions, gynaecology, and ENT.
Basic Hospital
Basic

Basic cover often has only limited inclusions, but it can help avoid the Medicare Levy Surcharge and Lifetime Health Cover loading.

Frequently asked questions about health insurance

More guides on Finder

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