Australian Unity Health Insurance Review

Australian Unity health insurance isn't a non-profit but it is member-owned, so it invests in products and services that matter to its customers. It's been around for over 180 years and is Australia's 6th biggest health insurer by market share.

Compare health insurance options with Australian Unity

Who is Australian Unity Health Insurance?

Australian Unity Health Insurance was established in 1840 in response to growing community needs that were not being met. Their aims today are to continue to find and help support the health and financial needs of the community, including both regional and urban areas.

What health insurance options are available?

Generally, you will have to wait 12 months before you can get access to the services included in your hospital cover policy (or 2 months if not pre existing). Most extras policies have between 2 and 12 month waiting periods.

With Australian Unity, there are six different hospital and extras policies available for you to choose from. You'll be able to get cover for the services included in these policies when you sign up, subject to any waiting periods you might need to serve.

Hospital only cover

Australian Unity offers 6 different hospital policies:

• Simple Hospital (Basic Plus). Features include hospital cover for accidents and ambulance.
• Standard Hospital (Bronze Plus). Cover includes the 18 clinical categories required for a Bronze rating as well as some added perks.
• Intermediate Hospital (Silver Plus). This product covers the 26 clinical categories required for a Silver rating and more.
• Classic Hospital (Silver Plus). This top level hospital cover only has 4 exclusions: assisted reproductive services, dialysis for chronic kidney failure, pregnancy and birth and weight loss surgery. It's tailored to those who want comprehensive cover but don't want to pay extra for pregnancy services and other potentially expensive treatments they're unlikely to need.
• Advanced Hospital (Silver Plus). Includes eye (not cataracts), joint replacements and pregnancy and birth.
• Ultimate Hospital (Gold). This policy includes all 38 clinical categories required for a Gold rating.

Extras only cover

Australian Unity's standalone extras covers include Basic Extras, Standard Extras, Intermediate Extras, Comprehensive Extras, Classic Extras and Advanced 80%.

• Basic Extras. Basic Extras covers up to $950 per year on extras including general and preventative dental, optical, physio, chiro, osteo, remedial massage, pharmacy and travel vaccinations.
• Standard Extras. This policy provides up to $1,200 per year for the most common extras including general and preventative dental, physio, chiro, osteo and remedial massage, and crowns, bridges and dentures.
• Intermediate Extras. This policy allows you to claim up to $3,400 per person and offers cover for a broad range of services.
• Classic 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.
• Comprehensive Extras. This top level cover includes all the essentials plus things like sickness travel and accommodation, $150 per person towards travel vaccinations, psychology and more.
• Advanced 80%. This policy entitles you to 80% back on all included extras and offers the highest limits of all the extras policies with cover for up to $8,500.

Combined hospital and extras

Australian Health Unity offers a range of combined policies that include both hospital and extras cover packaged together. Some of these are simply two of the standalone policies brought together. Others include bespoke hospital and extras policies that differ slightly from the standalone types mentioned above. These are outlined below.

• Care 'n' Repair (Basic Plus). This provides hospital cover for accidents and emergency ambulance, plus extras like preventative and general dental, physio and optical.
• Starter Classic Combination (Bronze Plus). This mid-level cover includes joint reconstructions with no excess for accidents and extras such as dental, chiro, physio and optical.
• Starter Choice Combination (Bronze Plus). Another Starter Choice combination provides a little more than the previous package, including chiro, physio, podiatry, orthotics, braces, splints and garments.
• Advantage Classic Combination (Silver Plus). This Silver level policy cover includes all 26 clinical categories required for silver and extras cover including preventative, general and major dental, chiro, physio and optical.
• Advantage Choice Combination (Silver Plus). The second advantage choice policy includes all that silver policies cover plus no excess for accidents and more extras including podiatry, braces, splints and garments.
• Top Choice (Silver Plus). For the top bespoke package available, you'll get cover for most hospital services except things like pregnancy. You'll also get extras cover for preventative, general and major dental, chiro, physio, podiatry, braces, splints and garments.

Member offers

There are a range of offers and perks available for Australian Unity members including:

• Up to 100% back on preventative dental with treatments including x-rays and custom mouthguards.
• Unlike some health providers, with Australian Unity you can keep seeing your favourite providers, from your dentist to physiotherapist.
• Many of Australian Unity's health covers offer Preventative Health Services to help you stay fit and healthy, including fitness training, weight loss and quit smoking programs.

How to make a claim

The claims process for Australian Unity varies depending on the type of service you need to claim.

If you need to make an extras claim you can do so in the following ways:

• On the spot. You can swipe your Australian Unity membership card on the spot by using your health care provider's HICAPS or CSC machine.
• Via the Australian Unity app. Australian Unity's mobile claiming app allows you to upload photos of your receipts to claim up to $300 at a time. The app is available from the App Store and Google Play.
• Online. You can log into your Australian Unity online account to submit your claim.
• Over the phone. You can call Australian Unity on 1800 807 144 to get your claim processed over the phone.
• By mail, email or fax. The final option is to download a health cover claim form from the Australian Unity website, complete the form, attach your receipts and send everything off to the postal address, email address or fax number listed on the form

Overseas visitors or Students

If you're planning on visiting or working in Australia, Australian Unity have options available to make sure you get the right level of health insurance as part of your visa requirements.