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Orthodontics is covered by extras health insurance. Even a mid-range policy could cut the cost of your braces by hundreds of dollars a year, while giving you heaps of other benefits too.
Health insurance with orthodontics cover starts at around $50 a month and policies always have a year-long waiting period before you can claim any money back.
We know that might seem like a long time, but health insurance with orthodontics cover can lead to some serious cost savings.
Of course, with a 12-month waiting period, it's better to get started sooner, rather than later.
The table below shows some extras policies from Finder partners, all of which cover orthodontics with a 12 month waiting period.
Want to see more options than those featured above? Just fill in your details in below and we'll let you compare more than 20 different options, all with orthodontics cover.
Tip: Select 'comprehensive dental cover' when asked what's most important to you.
Orthodontics insurance helps towards the cost of orthodontics treatments, such as braces, aligners and retainers. It isn't usually referred to as orthodontics insurance though.
Instead, cover for orthodontics is found inside some extras health insurance policies. This is the type of health insurance you should be looking for if you want cover for orthodontics.
Just be aware, not every extras policy will cover orthodontics. Always pay close attention to the benefits and features included, and use the Finder table to compare policies side by side.
Some health insurance policies include cover for braces, but not all of them. If you're looking for help with braces, you need to look for an extras health insurance policy which includes orthodontics cover.
If you have orthodontics cover, you'll be able to claim back some of the costs related to braces. However, it's unlikely the full cost of your braces will be covered. That's because health funds will either pay a percentage of your bill up to a certain amount or they will pay a set amount which is usually less than the cost of treatment.
For example, your fund might pay 80% of your bill up to a maximum of $800, or they might offer an $800 benefit, regardless of whether your bill cost $800 or $8,000.
However, because braces are usually pretty expensive, it's unlikely the benefit from your health insurance will cover the full amount.
Remember, once you buy health insurance for orthodontics, you still have to wait a year before you can claim any money back for braces or other orthodontic treatments.
Orthodontics is covered by extras health insurance. You pay a regular fee, known as a premium, and in exchange you can claim some money back whenever you spend cash on certain healthcare treatments.
You won't get 100% of the cost of your orthodontics treatments back. That's because health insurance only covers a percentage of the cost, or a set amount. The amount varies between different funds, different policies, and different treatments but you can find out what it is in your product disclosure statement (PDS).
There are also waiting limits, annual limits, and lifetime limits to be aware of when taking out health insurance for orthodontics. Every extras policy applies a 12 month waiting period on orthodontics claims. That's because insurance companies need to be sure you're not just buying a policy to make a big claim and then cancel.
Annual limits determine the maximum amount you can claim back for orthodontics treatments in any year. Usually, this is several hundred dollars and may even increase the longer you hold your policy, although not always.
Lifetime limits are also important to pay attention to. They tell you the most you'll ever be able to claim for orthodontics treatments, no matter how long you hold your policy for. Almost all funds have a lifetime limit on orthodontics and they apply across funds too. That means you won't be able to switch funds and access more orthodontics treatment, unless you buy a more comprehensive policy with a bigger limit.
The best health insurance for orthodontics may be different depending on how much treatment you need done, what your budget is, and any other benefits you're likely to claim.
Follow these steps and they should help you find the best policy for you:
That's a tricky one. According to Orthodontics Australia, braces can cost anywhere from $6,000 to $15,000 for a 15-18 month treatment. That includes the cost of regular consultations.
However, health insurance with orthodontics cover can make a big dent in that bill. As that treatment is spread over an extended period, you'll be able to claim your annual limit up 3 times.
That's because, for most health funds, benefit limits renew in January. So if you made a payment in late 2020 you would also be able to make a payment in early next year. You could then make another payment early in the year after.
That means, if you had an annual limit of $800, there's potential to claim as much as $2,200 off the cost of your braces. But that's not all.
If you have health insurance with orthodontics cover, your policy will also cover routine dental treatment and will have separate limits. So some of the treatment you have, including X-rays and exams, will be covered by routine dental rather than orthodontics.
Depending on how many check-ups you need over the course of your treatment, you could end up claiming another couple of hundred dollars back. Hooray!
Orthodontics is usually defined as specialist dentistry treatment which aligns teeth and jaws. Treatments include braces, plates and retainers.
You may need orthodontic treatment for crooked teeth, a bad bite, gaps between your teeth, teeth that stick out, or even if you have issues speaking, breathing or chewing.
In addition to more traditional braces, Invisalign should also be covered by health insurance with orthodontic benefits. Just be aware, Invisalign can be more expensive than traditional methods for similar treatments, so you could be left with greater out-of-pocket expenses.
There are two types of limits that may be applied to the orthodontics cover under your extras insurance - annual limits and lifetime limits.
With extras insurance, each specific benefit has an annual limit. That means you won't be able to claim more than a certain amount every year. If your annual limit for orthodontics is $800, that's the most you'll be able to claim until your benefit limit resets. Limits usually reset in January, but some funds reset in June.
Sometimes, your annual benefit may increase every year, for a certain number of years. For example, you may have $500 annual benefit which increases to $700 the following year and $900 the year after that. This isn't always the case, but it's something to keep an eye out for.
Most funds apply lifetime limits to orthodontics. That means, no matter how long you hold your policy for, you'll never be able to claim over a certain amount on orthodontics treatments.
Importantly, this lifetime limit applies across funds. That means you won't be able to switch funds and access more orthodontic benefits. The only way to access more money back would be to take out a more comprehensive policy and increase your limit amount.
Waiting periods are applied to orthodontics because orthodontics treatments can be a major expense. If there was no waiting period, there is a risk people would sign up to a health fund just to make a claim worth several hundred dollars and then leave after a week.
If that happened, health funds would quickly start losing money and would have to put the price of their policies up for everybody else, making them unaffordable.
Health funds will have several types of extras policy which include different levels of orthodontic cover. We've featured some examples in the table below.
Health fund | Which policies include cover for orthodontics and what are the benefit limits*? | Find out more |
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![]() | The orthodontic benefit limit in HIF policies is a lifetime limit that forms part of the overall annual limit. The limit also increases annually and caps after 5 years.
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![]() Restricted fund** |
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*Unless otherwise stated, all benefit limits are per person.
**Restricted funds only provide cover to members of specific industries, groups and organisations. In some cases family members may also be eligible to join.
Picture: GettyImages
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Health insurance policy with maximum orthodontic cover
Hi Thea,
Thanks for reaching out.
As we can’t recommend a specific insurance company to our users, you’d be best to compare your options by filling out the form above with your details then click on ‘Search Policies’. The maximum Orthodontic treatment and insurance benefits offered by private health insurers differ from one another depending on the level of cover you get. Typically, if you stay longer with your insurer, they will also maximise the benefits for you.
Cheers,
May