Here are some extras health insurance polices from Finder partners with physiotherapy cover. They all have a 2 month waiting period. They also include other benefits such as dental, optical or chiro.
Standard cover (a varied mix of hospital
treatments)
Comprehensive cover for most treatments
Pregnancy and childbirth
Not sure yet. Let me see all the options
What extras cover do you need?
Select as many as you want
Preventative & general dental
Major dental & implants
Optical
Physiotherapy
Podiatry
Non-PBS pharmaceuticals
Chiropractic
Emergency ambulance
Remedial massage
Why compare with us
You'll pay the same price as going direct - we don't
charge fees
We don't ask for your phone or email to see prices
Hang Tight - we're fetching policies just for you!
Comparing quotes from 30+ funds...
How much is physiotherapy without insurance?
Physiotherapists will charge you per appointment, depending on the appointment type. Some treatments will require only a single appointment, but you'll generally need to visit a physio on multiple occasions for most issues. The table below lists some common appointment types and typical costs from Australian physios.
Appointment Type
Typical price
Initial Consultation
$100 - $150
Standard Consultation
$80 - $130
Group Physiotherapy
$25 - $42
Remedial Massage
$100 - $140
Taping Only
$20 - $35
What amount will I be able to claim back?
Depending on the health fund and extras policy you choose, your benefit amount for physio services may be calculated in the following ways.
Set benefit. This means that your rebate will take the form of a fixed dollar amount for claims on eligible services, such as $40 or $50.
Percentage benefit. Alternatively, your rebate may be calculated as a percentage of the total fee charged for the service, for example 50% or 75%.
It is also worth remembering that an annual limit will apply to the maximum rebate you are able to claim per person. Luckily, your extras benefits reset each year.
What physiotherapy expenses are covered?
Health funds cover physio on extras policies, although the benefit amounts provided will depend on the level of cover you choose. For example, a basic extras policy may only provide limited benefits or even exclude physio altogether. However, if included an extras policy will generally cover the physio-related services listed below.
Initial and follow-up consultations.
The development of a treatment plan.
Pilates or hydrotherapy.
Antenatal exercise classes.
Compression recovery items.
Rehabilitation.
Be aware that there are certain physio-related items that are not commonly covered by private health funds. These can include foam rollers, trigger balls and sports tape. Also keep in mind that services and items that can be claimed may differ between health funds and individual extras cover, so make sure to compare the features of each policy closely before making a purchase.
Does Medicare cover any physiotherapy services?
For most out-of-hospital physiotherapy, Medicare does not provide cover, so you'll need to cover the cost either out-of-pocket or with private health insurance. However, there are 2 situations where Medicare can provide benefits for physio-related treatment - during public hospital admittance, and for chronic disease management:
Public hospital admittance. Medicare provides some benefits for public hospital patients who need inpatient physio treatment or rehabilitation.
Chronic Disease Management program (CDM). Medicare may also cover certain physio-related services if they are part of a CDM recommended by at least two allied health professionals and a GP. Eligible chronic diseases can include arthritis, diabetes, cancer, stroke and musculoskeletal conditions.
How much does health insurance cost?
We ask hundreds of Australians what they're paying for health insurance every month. Here's what they told us in April 2024.
Basic: $116
Bronze: $143
Silver: $168
Gold: $209
Price based on 1,000+ responses for single hospital insurance.
Why you can trust Finder's health insurance experts
We're free
Our health insurance engine is completely free to use. You pay the same as buying directly from the health insurer. Better still, we regularly run exclusive deals that you won't find on any other site.
Unlike other comparison sites, we're not owned by an insurer. That means our opinions are our own and you can compare nearly every health fund in Australia on the site (and find a better deal).
We're here to help
Since 2014, we've helped 350,000+ people find health insurance by explaining your options simply. We'll never ask for your number or email to see prices. We're here to help you make a decision.
Frequently asked questions
To cover physiotherapy you'll need extras health insurance. You can get an extras policy that covers physio from as little as around $3 per week. More expensive policies will generally offer a larger benefit for each visit and a larger annual limit.
The cost of physiotherapy without insurance varies depending on the type of appointment, but expect to pay between $90 and $150 for a typical visit.
Medicare only covers physiotherapy during a public hospital visit, or to manage chronic disease management. For most out-of-hospital physiotherapy services, such as sports physio, Medicare does not provide a benefit.
Pensioners may be able to get cheaper services from some clinics - eg Total Physiotherapy charges just $85 for both initial and subsequent consultations to pension card holders.
No matter how active you are or what life stage you are at, there are plenty of reasons why you might be able to benefit from private health insurance cover for physiotherapy:
If you have developed a movement disorder of any kind.
If you are restricted by a chronic illness.
If you are recovering from an injury.
If you play a sport with a risk of physical injury.
.
There are several ways you can claim physiotherapy on your health insurance, but keep in mind that your health fund may not offer all of the following claim options.
On the spot. Use your membership card to submit your claim electronically through HICAPS when you visit your physio.
Online. Use your health fund's online claims service to submit the details of your claim, including a receipt from your physio.
Via an app. Many health funds offer claims apps that allow you to submit a photo of your receipt and claim.
Via email, fax or post. Fill out a claims form, attach a copy of your receipt and email, fax or post it to your health fund.
In person. If your fund operates bricks and mortar branch, visit one of these in person to submit your receipt and claim.
Richard Laycock is Finder’s insights editor after spending the last five years writing and editing articles about insurance. His musings can be found across the web including on MoneyMag, Yahoo Finance and Travel Weekly. Richard studied Media at Macquarie University and The Missouri School of Journalism and has a Tier 1 Certification in General Advice for Life Insurance.
How likely would you be to recommend finder to a friend or colleague?
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Very UnlikelyExtremely Likely
Required
Thank you for your feedback.
Our goal is to create the best possible product, and your thoughts, ideas and suggestions play a major role in helping us identify opportunities to improve.
Important information about this website
finder.com.au is one of Australia's leading comparison websites. We are committed to our readers and stands by our editorial principles
We try to take an open and transparent approach and provide a broad-based comparison service. However, you should be aware that while we are an independently owned service, our comparison service does not include all providers or all products available in the market.
Some product issuers may provide products or offer services through multiple brands, associated companies or different labeling arrangements. This can make it difficult for consumers to compare alternatives or identify the companies behind the products. However, we aim to provide information to enable consumers to understand these issues.
We make money by featuring products on our site. Compensation received from the providers featured on our site can influence which products we write about as well as where and how products appear on our page, but the order or placement of these products does not influence our assessment or opinions of them, nor is it an endorsement or recommendation for them.
Products marked as 'Top Pick', 'Promoted' or 'Advertisement' are prominently displayed either as a result of a commercial advertising arrangement or to highlight a particular product, provider or feature. Finder may receive remuneration from the Provider if you click on the related link, purchase or enquire about the product. Finder's decision to show a 'promoted' product is neither a recommendation that the product is appropriate for you nor an indication that the product is the best in its category. We encourage you to use the tools and information we provide to compare your options.
Where our site links to particular products or displays 'Go to site' buttons, we may receive a commission, referral fee or payment when you click on those buttons or apply for a product. You can learn more about how we make money.
When products are grouped in a table or list, the order in which they are initially sorted may be influenced by a range of factors including price, fees and discounts; commercial partnerships; product features; and brand popularity. We provide tools so you can sort and filter these lists to highlight features that matter to you.
Please read our website terms of use and privacy policy for more information about our services and our approach to privacy.
