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Pros
Basic Plus Starter is the cheapest plan on Finder to cover joint reconstruction, lung and chest; and miscarriage and termination of pregnancy.
It's popular. Bupa is the second-largest health insurer by market share, just behind Medibank.
Flexibility – with Bupa FLEXtras, you can pick the extras you'll actually use.
Bupa had proportionally fewer complaints than other funds including HCF and nib*.
Cons
Bupa is for-profit, which might matter to some people who want to look for a not-for-profit health fund.
Gold Complete may not be the best value option for top tier cover. While it's very comprehensive and costs around $189.99 a month, Bupa's Silver Plus Advanced covers most Gold tier treatments from around $156.25 a month.
Well done, Bupa
A great effort from Bupa! This health insurer has been highly commended at the 2023 Finder Awards across several health insurance categories: Basic Hospital, Basic Extras and Medium Extras.
Bupa health insurance is Australia's second-biggest health fund, has over 4 million members and provides good value Basic, Bronze and Silver policies.
Bupa is good if:
You want good value for your money, particularly its Basic, Bronze and Silver Plus policies.
You want an insurer with good customer service – Bupa receives a lower percentage of complaints than its overall market share. This is not the case for many other funds.
You appreciate some flexibility with your insurance. Bupa FLEXtras lets you choose either 4 or 6 extras that will suit your needs, and you can opt for a standard or higher annual claims limit.
We update our data regularly, but information can change between updates. Confirm details with the provider you're interested in before making a decision.
We update our data regularly, but information can change between updates. Confirm details with the provider you're interested in before making a decision.
We update our data regularly, but information can change between updates. Confirm details with the provider you're interested in before making a decision.
We update our data regularly, but information can change between updates. Confirm details with the provider you're interested in before making a decision.
Compare prices from 30+ Aussie funds in under 30 seconds.
Bupa health insurance complaints
We looked at the 2022 Ombudsman health insurance complaints. Here's how Bupa stacked up:
Its customer service is among the best compared to other large funds. With a market share of 24.7%, only 23.6% of total complaints were about Bupa. This is a better complaint ratio than most of Australia's other large funds including HCF and nib.
While it has few complaints compared to market share, it's not number 1. Medibank and HBF scored better.
This chart shows the weighted volume of complaints received by each health fund, according to the Commonwealth Ombudsman. The lower the number, the better. Only non-restricted funds with a national market share of at least 0.1% are included here. Bupa is eighth overall in this ranking. The weighting ensures that funds are compared fairly; larger funds serve more customers so can potentially get more complaints.
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.
Bupa frequently asked questions
Most Bupa policies have government mandated waiting periods before you can claim a particular benefit. Here are some of the waiting periods on Bupa hospital cover:
12 months. Pre-existing conditions, pregnancy and birth (obstetrics).
2 months. All other treatments as well as psychiatric treatments for pre-existing conditions, palliative care and rehabilitation.
Waiting periods also apply for Bupa extras coverage.
12 months. Purchase of Health aids and appliances, orthodontics and major dental.
2 months. Most other extras services.
No waiting period. Emergency ambulance service.
There are several ways you can claim on your Bupa health insurance policy:
On the spot. Simply swipe your membership card and pay any difference. Around 20,000 service providers around Australia accept Bupa membership cards.
By post. Fill out a claim form, attach your receipt and invoice and then post it to Bupa Reply Paid 990, Adelaide SA 5001. Payments will then be made to you by EFT if you've provided your details on the form or by cheque if you haven't.
Online. To make a claim for services that you've already paid for, sign into your myBupa account and enter the details on your receipt. Your reimbursement will be automatically paid to your nominated account.
With the myBupa app. The myBupa app allows you to claim for some treatments quickly, available for both Android and Apple devices.
Fund
Android
iOS
Bupa
The policy can be suspended for a given period of time if a member is travelling overseas for a longer period or facing financial hardships or imprisonment. The benefits will not be provided during this time. The maximum period for suspension varies from 12 months in financial hardship to 2 years for overseas travel.
If the premiums are not paid by the due date, the policy is considered to be in arrears. If the arrears are more than two months Bupa may cancel the policy.
The premiums can change if the level of cover is changed. Also, if you move to a different state, there might be a different premium. The premiums are changed to reflect the changes in the circumstance. Additionally, there's a national increase in premiums for all providers on the 1st of April each year.
Yes, Bupa offers a range of visitors health cover designed to suit those on working, non-working, student and holiday visas.
Online tools and calculators, such as an online health assessment and Parent and Baby Wellbeing Program.
Self-management programs for conditions like Osteoarthritis Healthy Weight For Life Program and asthma.
Member Support programs like the phone-based Bupa Health Coaching Program.
Health management extras services. Health Management is a feature on some extras cover policies. It provides you with benefits towards the costs of certain approved health-related programs, including the Chemotherapy Choices Program and the Dietitian Health Coaching Service.
Gary Ross Hunter is an editor at Finder, specialising in insurance. He’s been writing about life, travel, home, car, pet and health insurance for over 6 years and regularly appears as an insurance expert in publications including The Sydney Morning Herald, news.com.au, The Telegraph, Explore Travel and Escape. Gary holds a Kaplan Tier 1 General Insurance (General Advice) certification and a Kaplan Tier 1 Generic Knowledge certification which meets the requirements of ASIC Regulatory Guide 146 (RG146).
Finder is giving away a $200 Mastercard gift card to one Finder member who writes a review that is verified and published on productreview.com.au between 27 November 2023 and 01 January 2024.
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If you’re looking for private health insurance in Victoria, compare the most popular health funds in your state and how much it costs to take out cover.
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