Is Australian Unity the health fund for you?
Australian Unity is a national health care, financial services and retirement living organisation that provides its services to more than half a million Australians. Australian Unity have been in the industry for over 175 years and offer a variety of health insurance services.
Compare the full policy range offered by Australian Unity
Australia Unity Health Insurance options
Combined hospital and extras
Australian Unity offers four different hospital and extras packages including: Basic Starter, Smart Start, Smart Essentials and Smart Combination.
Basic Starter
- Basic Starter includes hospital cover for accidents (no excess payable) and some specified procedures, emergency ambulance transportation (one per year), cover for hospital doctor’s bills up to the amount listed in the Medicare Benefit Schedule (please note doctors can charge an amount that exceeds the MBS which will not be covered) and joint reconstructions and investigations up to specified limits. Also includes up to $1,000 per year for a combination of extras including general and preventative dental, physio, chiro, natural therapies, remedial massage, dietetics and podiatry.
Smart Start
- Smart Start includes hospital cover for accidents and day surgeries (no excess payable), emergency ambulance transportation, day surgery and procedures and eye procedures (cataracts and lens procedures). Also includes up to $1,300 per year for a range of extras including general dental, optical, physio, chiro, natural therapies and travel vaccinations.
Smart Essentials
- Smart Essentials includes cover for accommodation and theatre fees, day surgery and procedures (no excess payable), emergency ambulance transportation, joint reconstructions and investigations, surgical prostheses, rehabilitation, sterilisations, heart-related services and hospital care and rehabilitation at home. Also includes up to $2,150 per year for extras including general and major dental, optical, physio, chiro, osteo, myotherapy, natural therapies and remedial massage.
Smart Combination
- Smart Combination includes hospital cover for a range of common procedures, heart-related services and some specialised services including hip and knee replacements, cataract and lens procedures and renal dialysis. It also provides cover of up to $2,725 per year for a combination of extras including general and major dental, optical, physio, chiro, osteo, myotherapy, natural therapies and remedial massage.
Hospital only cover
Australian Unity also offers hospital and extras cover as standalone products. Australian Unity Hospital Covers include Basic Hospital, Basic+ Hospital, Mid Hospital, Mid Hospital with Pregnancy, Gold Hospital and Platinum Hospital
Basic Hospital
- Basic Hospital affordable hospital cover with no excess for accidents plus emergency ambulance transportation, appendix, tonsil, adenoid and wisdom teeth removal, joint reconstructions and investigations, surgical prostheses and hospital care and rehabilitation at home.
Basic+ Hospital
- Basic+ Hospital includes accommodation and theatre fees, day surgery and procedures, emergency ambulance transportation (including two ambulance attendances per year where you are not taken to hospital), joint reconstructions and investigations, surgical prostheses, sterilisations and hospital care and rehabilitation at home.
Mid Hospital
- Mid Hospital includes all the benefits offered under Basic+ Hospital cover plus the inclusion of cover for heart-related services.
Mid Hospital with Pregnancy
- Mid Hospital with Pregnancy includes all the benefits offered under Mid Hospital cover plus cover for pregnancy.
Gold Hospital
- Hold hospital offers a high level of cover for accidents, a range of everyday procedures, heart-related services and some specialised services.
Platinum Hospital
- Platinum Hospital a high level of hospital cover including all the benefits of Mid Hospital cover plus hip and knee replacements and revisions, cataract and lens procedures and renal dialysis.
Extras only cover
Australian Unity’s standalone extras covers include Basic Extras, Bronze Extras, Silver Extras, Gold Extras and Platinum 80%.
- Basic Extras. Basic Extras covers up to $950 per year on extras including general and preventative dental, optical, physio, chiro, osteo, natural therapies, remedial massage, pharmacy and travel vaccinations.
- Bronze Extras. Bronze Extras provides up to $1,200 per year for the most common extras including general and preventative dental, physio, chiro, osteo, natural therapies and remedial massage, and crowns, bridges and dentures.
- Silver Extras. Silver Extras offers cover for a broad range of services and allows you to claim up to $3,400 per person.
- Gold Extras. This high level extras option covers you for a broad range of extras and will allow you to claim back up to $6,730 per person.
- Platinum 80%. This policy entitles you 80% back on all included extras and offers the highest limits of all the extras policies with cover for up to $8,500.
Are there any additional benefits?
It is important to Australian Unity that they find the right cover for your situation and that you’re only paying for services you need. These are some of the additional benefits that come with being an Australian Unity Insurance policy holder:
- Lifestyle packages. Australian Unity lifestyle packages have been created to motivate you to stay fit and healthy. The packages give you money back on a variety of different services that keep you healthy
- 30-day money back guarantee. If you are unsatisfied with your cover over the first 30 days, Australian Unity offers a 30-day cooling-off period.
- No excess for kids. With Platinum Hospital, Gold Hospital, Mid Hospital and Mid Hospital with Pregnancy there is no excess for your kids if they visit the hospital.
How can I pay less for health insurance?
There are a number of ways that you can use to help you save on your Australian Unity Health Insurance:
- Suit your cover to your needs. Australian Unity offers a variety of options for health insurance, so it is important to choose the right cover. Australian Unity have a build your own policy options, which will allow you to tailor a policy to your needs.
- Pay your premiums up front. If you pay your premiums six months in advance, you're eligible to a 2% discount.
- Direct debit discount. If you set up a direct debit for your premiums, you're eligible for a 4% discount.
- Increase your excess. Increasing your excess will reduce your premiums. If you're healthy and less likely to make a claim on your insurance you will end up paying less in the long run.
Can I get cover if I'm not an Australian citizen?
Australian Unity have two options for those on working visas: Budget Workers Cover and Workers Cover Plus. These policies cover benefits including:
- In-hospital doctor and specialist consultations
- Overnight accommodation, day surgery and theatre fees in public hospitals
- Medically necessary ambulance services
Australian Unity also offer three levels of overseas visitors health cover on non-working visas: Basic, Mid and Top Overseas Visitors Cover. Benefits include:
- Accommodation and theatre fees
- Assistance with medical fees
- Day surgery
- Emergency room fees
- Emergency ambulance
- Prosthesis
How do I go about making a claim?
Making a claim with Australian Unity Health Insurance is easy, here are the options available to you:
- App or online. Australian Unity allows you to claim up to $300 per claim either through its mobile claiming app by uploading photos of receipts, or by logging into your online account.
- Mail, email or fax. Download and complete a claim form from the Australian Unity website, attach your receipts to the form and post, email or fax it back to the insurer.
- On the phone. You can phone Australian Unity to have your claim processed over the phone.
- On the spot. You simply need to swipe your Australian Unity membership card on the spot at the health care provider.
Get the Australian Unity Claims app
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Hi there
I am staying at Perth under visa category Sub-class 489 (Family sponsor), Currently I am working as civil engineer in perth too. I am looking for couple health insurance to cover everything, Can you help me on this.
Regards
Muhammad
Hi Muhammad,
Thank you for your question.
You have contacted finder.com.au, a comparison and information service and not actually Australian Unity Health Insurance.
Australian Unity does provide cover for 489 visas, in order to apply for a cover, please head to our health insurance for 489 visa holders page.
All the best,
Zubair
Is LHC paid monthly or just on joining
Hi Annette,
Thanks for getting in touch. The LHC is a 2% loading applied to your premiums if you’ve not taken out cover by 1 July following your 31st birthday and this loading remains in affect until you’ve held hospital cover for 10 consecutive years. This 2% loading on your insurance premium increases for every year you are aged over 30 (e.g. at age 40 you will pay 20% more, at age 50 you’ll pay 40% more and so on). For more information, please consult our guide to the LHC.
I hope this was helpful,
Richard
does my extras cover podiatry
Hi Barry,
Thanks for getting in touch. It will depend on your extras policy. Both Gold and Silver Extras from Australian Unity provide a $300 (excludes orthotics) and $350 benefit for podiatry respectively.
All the best,
Richard
can you please confirm that you will be continuing my 410 visa policy and that of my partner.
Thank you
Hi Derick,
Thanks for your question. finder.com.au is a comparison service and not an insurer. If you would like to speak with Australian Unity, you can do so by calling 13 29 39.
All the best,
Richard