Are combined policies cheaper than separate extras and hospital policies?

No, combined policies aren't always cheaper than taking out separate extras and hospital policies but they are more convenient and sometimes you can save with one-off joining deals. It's often cheaper to take out seperate extras and hospital policies because you have more freedom to select the services you are most likely to need.

Do I need extras and hospital cover from the same fund?

No. You're under no obligation to take out extras and hospital cover with the same health insurer. Splitting extras and hospital policies is often better value for money because you're getting cover for services you're likely to use and it can often be cheaper than a combined policy.

How much are combined policies?

The average cost of a combined hospital and extras policy is $282.13 *. How much you pay may differ depending on the fund you choose and the level of cover you select. *Average prices are updated monthly, in line with Finder's database of health insurance policies. Prices are based on a single individual with less than $101,000 income and living in Sydney with a $750 excess.

What does a typical combined hospital and extras policy cover?

When funds create their own packaged cover, it's common for them to pair a hospital policy with an extras policy on a similar rung. For example, if you're getting basic hospital, a health fund will typically package that with its lowest extras option. Funds will also package policies that they think are suited to someone's life stage. In many cases, these will be placed in categories such as young and singles, family cover, couples cover and seniors cover.

What is the difference between hospital cover and extras cover?

Hospital cover helps pay for treatment when you are admitted to hospital as a private patient. That can include things like theatre fees, a portion of your doctors fees, accommodation and some diagnostic tests. Extras cover pays a portion of the cost of out of hospital services that Medicare usually does not pay for. That can include dental, optical, physio, chiro and similar day to day health services.

Is it better to get hospital and extras as a bundle or separately?

It depends on how you use health services. Bundles can be convenient and may come with sign up perks like weeks free or gift cards, but they sometimes include extras you will never claim. Taking separate hospital and extras cover lets you fine tune each component. You can pair a cheaper hospital policy with a richer extras policy or vice versa. It is worth comparing both options and checking how much you will actually claim in a year.

Can I get combined health insurance with no waiting periods?

No health fund can completely remove waiting periods because they are set by law for some services, like pregnancy and pre existing conditions. Funds can choose to waive or reduce some waiting periods on extras such as general dental or physio, especially for new members on combined cover. Hospital waiting periods for major services like joint replacements or pregnancy almost always still apply, even if there is a sign up deal.

How do waiting periods work on combined policies?

Hospital and extras waiting periods sit side by side on a combined policy. You need to serve the hospital waiting periods before you can claim on those in hospital services and the extras waiting periods before you can claim on dental, optical and other extras. If you are upgrading from an existing policy and keep the same level of cover, your previous waiting periods usually carry across so you do not need to re serve them. Any new services or higher limits will often have new waiting periods.

Will combined cover help me avoid the Medicare Levy Surcharge?

Only the hospital component of a combined policy helps you avoid the Medicare Levy Surcharge. To avoid the surcharge you need an appropriate level of hospital cover for every day in the financial year where your income is above the threshold. Extras cover does not count for the surcharge at all, even if it is part of a combined policy.

Does combined hospital and extras cover affect the Lifetime Health Cover loading?

Yes, but only because it includes hospital cover. Lifetime Health Cover loading is based on whether you hold eligible hospital insurance after 1 July following your 31st birthday. If your combined policy includes hospital cover that meets the rules, it counts as holding hospital insurance and can stop the loading increasing or remove it over time. Extras only policies do not affect Lifetime Health Cover.

Can I change the extras on my combined policy without changing my hospital cover?

Sometimes. Some funds build flexible bundles where you can move between different extras options while keeping the same hospital policy. Others only sell fixed packages so changing your extras means changing your whole combined product. Before you switch, ask your fund if downgrading or upgrading the extras component will trigger new waiting periods and check whether any sign up bonus will be affected.

Are dental and optical always included on combined cover?

Most combined policies include at least basic dental and optical extras, but it is not guaranteed. Some low cost bundles keep premiums down by offering a limited extras list or very low annual limits. If dental and optical are important, look at the extras table for that policy and check the annual limits, any per visit limits and waiting periods, not just whether the benefit is listed.

What should I look for when comparing combined health insurance?

Compare the hospital and extras components separately. For hospital, check the tier, the excess, any exclusions or restrictions and whether your regular hospitals are in the fund network. For extras, check which treatments are included, the annual limits, percentage back per visit and waiting periods. Then look at the total premium, any discounts for paying annually or direct debit and whether introductory offers actually save you money after the first year.

Is combined cover worth it if I am young and healthy?

It can be, but only if you will actually use the extras and want hospital cover for tax or peace of mind reasons. Many younger people choose basic or basic plus hospital to avoid tax penalties and then decide whether extras is worthwhile based on how often they see a dentist, physio or optometrist. If you rarely use extras it might be cheaper to just hold hospital cover and pay for the occasional check up out of pocket.

Can I customise a combined policy for my family?

Many funds offer family bundles tailored to different life stages, such as young families or families with teens. You can usually choose the hospital tier and then pick from a few extras options with different limits for dental, orthodontics and physio. If the fund will not let you adjust the package enough, you can build your own combination by pairing a separate family hospital policy with a stand alone extras policy that fits your needs.

What happens to my cover if I move interstate?

Your combined policy usually remains valid when you move states, but the price and hospital agreements can change. Funds often set region based premiums and have different networks of contracted hospitals in each state. You should tell your fund when you move so your premium and rebate can be updated and then check which hospitals near your new home are contracted for your level of cover.

Can I claim on Medicare and my combined cover at the same time?

Yes. For eligible in hospital services Medicare typically pays part of the doctors bill through the Medicare Benefits Schedule and your hospital cover can pay some or all of the rest, depending on gaps and agreements. For extras like dental or physio there is usually no Medicare benefit, so you claim directly from your health fund up to the relevant annual limit or per visit cap.

Are pre existing conditions covered on combined policies?

Pre existing conditions can be covered, but hospital benefits for them generally have a 12 month waiting period. A health fund medical adviser decides whether a condition is pre existing based on your medical history. Extras cover usually has shorter waiting periods and often does not distinguish between pre existing and new conditions, as long as the service itself is included on your policy.

Do combined policies cover pregnancy and birth?

Only if your hospital component includes pregnancy and birth. This is generally on silver plus or gold level cover, not on basic or bronze. You must also serve a 12 month waiting period before you are admitted for the birth. Extras can sometimes include benefits for things like antenatal physio or lactation consultants, but these vary between funds, so check the extras list and limits carefully if you are planning a baby.

Combined hospital and extras cover

Who’s this health cover for?

Compare combined hospital and extras policies side by side to see if one fund offers better value for both types of cover
Check that your hospital tier and extras inclusions align with your lifestyle and income to avoid paying for benefits you won’t use
Look beyond bundled deals since mixing hospital and extras from different funds can often lower your monthly cost

*Prices are based on a single individual with less than $101,000 income, $750 excess and living in Sydney.

The table below lists some combined health insurance policies from Finder partners, covering accidents, emergency ambulance, dental and more. All prices are based on a single individual with less than $101,000 income and living in Sydney.

10 of 985 results

Treatments	Price
Bronze Hospital Plus $750/$1500 Excess + Smart Start Extras Bronze$750 excess	Hospital Joint reconstructions Ear nose and throat Blood Back neck and spine +22 other treatments covered Extras General dental Major dental Optical Hearing aids +4 other treatments covered	$28.47 per week	ENDS SOON! $500 VISA CARD REWARD 1 Click here 2 Buy an eligible HBF policy 3 Get card from Finder Ends by. T&Cs apply.	+	Intro offer: Get up to 12 weeks free, plus up to $200 in gift cards and waived waiting periods on eligible extras. For new members who join by 12 May 2026 and maintain hospital and extras cover. T&Cs apply.	Go to Site View details Compare product selectionCompare	loading
Silver Plus Classic Hospital + Freedom 50 Extras Silver$500 excess	Hospital Lung and chest Back neck and spine Cataracts Joint replacements +26 other treatments covered Extras General dental Major dental Optical Hearing aids +3 other treatments covered	$31.44 per week	Intro offer: Get up to 10 weeks free + the 2 & 6 month waits waived on extras + up to $850 Everyday Reward dollars based on your level of cover. New members only. Ends 1 Apr 2026. T&Cs apply.	Go to Site View details Compare product selectionCompare	loading
simple bronze plus + choosable 50 – teeth Bronze$750 excess	Hospital Joint reconstructions Ear nose and throat Blood Back neck and spine +20 other treatments covered Extras General dental Major dental Optical Hearing aids +1 other treatments covered	$24.20 per week	ENDS SOON! $300 VISA CARD REWARD 1 Click here 2 Buy an eligible ahm policy 3 Get card from Finder Ends by. T&Cs apply.	+	Get up to 12 weeks free when you join by 31 Mar 2026 on eligible combined hospital and extras cover. T&Cs apply.	Go to Site View details Compare product selectionCompare	loading
Starter Hospital $750 Excess with Daily Co-Pay (Basic) + Easy Extras Basic$750 excess	Hospital Rehabilitation Joint reconstructions Dental surgery Hernia and appendix Extras General dental Major dental Optical Hearing aids +4 other treatments covered	$21.06 per week	Get up to 12 weeks free, plus choose between a $400 gift card or waits waived on eligible extras. For new members who join by 31 Mar 2026 and maintain eligible combined cover. T&Cs apply.	Go to Site View details Compare product selectionCompare	loading
Starter Hospital $750 Excess (Basic) + Easy Extras Basic$750 excess	Hospital Rehabilitation Joint reconstructions Dental surgery Hernia and appendix Extras General dental Major dental Optical Hearing aids +4 other treatments covered	$21.18 per week	Get up to 12 weeks free, plus choose between a $400 gift card or waits waived on eligible extras. For new members who join by 31 Mar 2026 and maintain eligible combined cover. T&Cs apply.	Go to Site View details Compare product selectionCompare	loading
ambulance & accident hospital (basic) + choosable 50 – teeth Basic$750 excess	Hospital Rehabilitation Joint reconstructions Dental surgery Hernia and appendix Extras General dental Major dental Optical Hearing aids +1 other treatments covered	$21.45 per week	ENDS SOON! $300 VISA CARD REWARD 1 Click here 2 Buy an eligible ahm policy 3 Get card from Finder Ends by. T&Cs apply.	+	Get up to 12 weeks free when you join by 31 Mar 2026 on eligible combined hospital and extras cover. T&Cs apply.	Go to Site View details Compare product selectionCompare	loading
ambulance & accident hospital (basic) + black 50 saver Basic$750 excess	Hospital Rehabilitation Joint reconstructions Dental surgery Hernia and appendix Extras General dental Major dental Optical Hearing aids +2 other treatments covered	$21.89 per week	ENDS SOON! $300 VISA CARD REWARD 1 Click here 2 Buy an eligible ahm policy 3 Get card from Finder Ends by. T&Cs apply.	+	Get up to 12 weeks free when you join by 31 Mar 2026 on eligible combined hospital and extras cover. T&Cs apply.	Go to Site View details Compare product selectionCompare	loading
Medibank Basic Accident and Ambulance + Healthy Living Extras Basic$750 excess	Hospital Rehabilitation Joint reconstructions Dental surgery Hernia and appendix Extras General dental Major dental Optical Hearing aids	$21.93 per week	Intro offer: New members can get up to 12 weeks free when they join & maintain eligible Hospital & Extras cover by 9 Apr 2026. T&Cs apply.	Go to Site View details Compare product selectionCompare	loading
HCF ACCIDENT ONLY BASIC + HCF STARTER EXTRAS Basic$750 excess	Hospital Rehabilitation Joint reconstructions Dental surgery Hernia and appendix Extras General dental Major dental Optical Hearing aids +4 other treatments covered	$22.18 per week	Get up to 8 weeks free after the first year, plus 2 month waiting periods waived, on eligible combined cover. Ends 20 Apr 2026. T&Cs apply.	Go to Site View details Compare product selectionCompare	loading
Basic Hospital Accident Only $750/$1500 Excess + Smart Start Extras Basic$750 excess	Hospital Rehabilitation Joint reconstructions Dental surgery Hernia and appendix Extras General dental Major dental Optical Hearing aids +4 other treatments covered	$22.22 per week	ENDS SOON! $500 VISA CARD REWARD 1 Click here 2 Buy an eligible HBF policy 3 Get card from Finder Ends by. T&Cs apply.	+	Intro offer: Get up to 12 weeks free, plus up to $200 in gift cards and waived waiting periods on eligible extras. For new members who join by 12 May 2026 and maintain hospital and extras cover. T&Cs apply.	Go to Site View details Compare product selectionCompare	loading

Showing 10 of 985 results

What are hospital, extras and combined cover?

Hospital only

Hospital cover pays for hospital treatment during illness or injury, including accommodation, surgery and other costs.

Extras only

Extras helps pays for non-hospital treatments that are not covered by Medicare, including optical, dental, physio and more.

Combined

Hospital and extras covers both types of treatment, giving you comprehensive coverage for a huge range of medical costs.

Do I need both hospital and extras cover?

Not everyone needs a combined policy, and you may not even need health insurance at all. However, there are some life stages where people generally start to think about whether they need life insurance.

If you're young and healthy, you may only need basic hospital cover, but may still want comprehensive extras, like dental and physio. If you're older, then hospital cover may be a higher priority for you. Other important differences include the following:

Earn over $90k? Not having sufficient hospital cover when your income is above a specified level attracts a Medicare Levy Surcharge, while extras does not.
Turning 31? You are charged a Lifetime Health Cover (LHC) loading of 2% for every year you don’t take out hospital cover after you turn 31 years of age. Extras policies don't have this penalty applied.

What can you claim on combined hospital and extras cover?

A combined hospital and extras policy covers you for in-hospital services that are also covered by Medicare. You can be claim for up to 38 services depending on the level of cover you choose (e.g. basic, bronze, silver or gold).

Extras, on the other hand, lets you claim in-hospital services that typically aren't covered by Medicare. This can include things such as dental, physiotherapy, opticals and remedial massage.

How to mix and match

Mixing and matching your hospital and extras options is the best way to get the most out of your benefits. Say for example you're young and healthy and don't need a high level of hospital cover but still want peace of mind knowing that you have hospital cover. Add to this that you like to get a remedial massage, need glasses and are fastidious about your teeth and see the dentist a couple of times a year. In this hypothetical situation, you can choose a basic tier hospital policy with comprehensive extras.

To go a step further, when you're comparison shopping, make sure you're looking beyond just one provider for both options. You might find a better deal by taking out your hospital with one fund and your extras with another.

13 of 13 results

Name
Get 6 weeks free after your first month of hospital cover Ends 31 March 2026 For new members who join by 31 March 2026 on eligible hospital cover. T&Cs apply. Get deal		loading Fetching your data...
Get 4 weeks free after your first month of extras cover Ends 31 March 2026 For new members who join by 31 March 2026 on eligible extras cover. T&Cs apply. Get deal		loading Fetching your data...
Get up to 12 weeks free, plus up to $200 in gift cards Ends 12 May 2026 Plus waiting periods waived on eligible extras. For new members who join by 12 May 2026 and maintain hospital and extras cover. T&Cs apply. Get deal		loading Fetching your data...
Get up to 12 weeks free Ends 31 March 2026 Join by 31 Mar 2026 on eligible combined hospital and extras cover. T&Cs apply. Get deal		loading Fetching your data...
Get up to 12 weeks free Ends 31 March 2026 Plus choose between a $400 gift card or waits waived on eligible extras. For new members who join by 31 Mar 2026 and maintain eligible combined cover. T&Cs apply. Get deal		loading Fetching your data...
Earn up to 200,000 Qantas Points with waiting periods waived on extras Ends 31 March 2026 Points will be awarded based on your level of cover over 15 months. Waiting periods applies to hospital and extras combined products only. T&Cs apply. Get deal		loading Fetching your data...
Get up to 12 weeks free Ends 09 April 2026 New members can get up to 12 weeks free when they join & maintain eligible Hospital & Extras cover. T&Cs apply. Get deal		loading Fetching your data...
Get up to 8 weeks free + a $50 gift card + 2 and 6 month waits waived on Extras Ends 30 June 2026 For new members only. Excludes Healthy Living Extras. T&Cs apply. Get deal		loading Fetching your data...
Want 6 weeks free plus up to $200 in gift cards? New members only. T&Cs apply. Get deal		loading Fetching your data...
Get up to 10 weeks free Ends 01 April 2026 Get up to 10 weeks free + the 2 & 6 month waits waived on extras + up to $850 Everyday Reward dollars based on your level of cover. New members only. Ends 1 Apr 2026. T&Cs apply. Get deal		loading Fetching your data...
Get up to 8 weeks of free extras cover Ends 31 March 2026 Join by 31 Mar 2026 on eligible extras cover. T&Cs apply. Get deal		loading Fetching your data...
Get up to 8 weeks free Ends 20 April 2026 Get up to 8 weeks free after the first year, plus 2 month waiting periods waived, on eligible combined cover. T&Cs apply. Get deal		loading Fetching your data...
Get up to 10 weeks free Plus, 2 month waits waived on extras when you join on combined cover. For new members only. T&Cs apply. Get deal		loading Fetching your data...

Showing 13 of 13 results

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Frequently asked questions

The average cost of a combined hospital and extras policy is $282.13 *. How much you pay may differ depending on the fund you choose and the level of cover you select.
*Average prices are updated monthly, in line with Finder's database of health insurance policies. Prices are based on a single individual with less than $101,000 income and living in Sydney with a $750 excess.
When funds create their own packaged cover, it's common for them to pair a hospital policy with an extras policy on a similar rung. For example, if you're getting basic hospital, a health fund will typically package that with its lowest extras option.
Funds will also package policies that they think are suited to someone's life stage. In many cases, these will be placed in categories such as young and singles, family cover, couples cover and seniors cover.
Hospital cover helps pay for treatment when you are admitted to hospital as a private patient. That can include things like theatre fees, a portion of your doctors fees, accommodation and some diagnostic tests.
Extras cover pays a portion of the cost of out of hospital services that Medicare usually does not pay for. That can include dental, optical, physio, chiro and similar day to day health services.
It depends on how you use health services. Bundles can be convenient and may come with sign up perks like weeks free or gift cards, but they sometimes include extras you will never claim.
Taking separate hospital and extras cover lets you fine tune each component. You can pair a cheaper hospital policy with a richer extras policy or vice versa. It is worth comparing both options and checking how much you will actually claim in a year.
No health fund can completely remove waiting periods because they are set by law for some services, like pregnancy and pre existing conditions.
Funds can choose to waive or reduce some waiting periods on extras such as general dental or physio, especially for new members on combined cover. Hospital waiting periods for major services like joint replacements or pregnancy almost always still apply, even if there is a sign up deal.
Hospital and extras waiting periods sit side by side on a combined policy. You need to serve the hospital waiting periods before you can claim on those in hospital services and the extras waiting periods before you can claim on dental, optical and other extras.
If you are upgrading from an existing policy and keep the same level of cover, your previous waiting periods usually carry across so you do not need to re serve them. Any new services or higher limits will often have new waiting periods.
Only the hospital component of a combined policy helps you avoid the Medicare Levy Surcharge. To avoid the surcharge you need an appropriate level of hospital cover for every day in the financial year where your income is above the threshold.
Extras cover does not count for the surcharge at all, even if it is part of a combined policy.
Yes, but only because it includes hospital cover. Lifetime Health Cover loading is based on whether you hold eligible hospital insurance after 1 July following your 31st birthday.
If your combined policy includes hospital cover that meets the rules, it counts as holding hospital insurance and can stop the loading increasing or remove it over time. Extras only policies do not affect Lifetime Health Cover.
Sometimes. Some funds build flexible bundles where you can move between different extras options while keeping the same hospital policy. Others only sell fixed packages so changing your extras means changing your whole combined product.
Before you switch, ask your fund if downgrading or upgrading the extras component will trigger new waiting periods and check whether any sign up bonus will be affected.
Most combined policies include at least basic dental and optical extras, but it is not guaranteed. Some low cost bundles keep premiums down by offering a limited extras list or very low annual limits.
If dental and optical are important, look at the extras table for that policy and check the annual limits, any per visit limits and waiting periods, not just whether the benefit is listed.
Compare the hospital and extras components separately. For hospital, check the tier, the excess, any exclusions or restrictions and whether your regular hospitals are in the fund network.
For extras, check which treatments are included, the annual limits, percentage back per visit and waiting periods. Then look at the total premium, any discounts for paying annually or direct debit and whether introductory offers actually save you money after the first year.
It can be, but only if you will actually use the extras and want hospital cover for tax or peace of mind reasons. Many younger people choose basic or basic plus hospital to avoid tax penalties and then decide whether extras is worthwhile based on how often they see a dentist, physio or optometrist.
If you rarely use extras it might be cheaper to just hold hospital cover and pay for the occasional check up out of pocket.
Many funds offer family bundles tailored to different life stages, such as young families or families with teens. You can usually choose the hospital tier and then pick from a few extras options with different limits for dental, orthodontics and physio.
If the fund will not let you adjust the package enough, you can build your own combination by pairing a separate family hospital policy with a stand alone extras policy that fits your needs.
Your combined policy usually remains valid when you move states, but the price and hospital agreements can change. Funds often set region based premiums and have different networks of contracted hospitals in each state.
You should tell your fund when you move so your premium and rebate can be updated and then check which hospitals near your new home are contracted for your level of cover.
Yes. For eligible in hospital services Medicare typically pays part of the doctors bill through the Medicare Benefits Schedule and your hospital cover can pay some or all of the rest, depending on gaps and agreements.
For extras like dental or physio there is usually no Medicare benefit, so you claim directly from your health fund up to the relevant annual limit or per visit cap.
Pre existing conditions can be covered, but hospital benefits for them generally have a 12 month waiting period. A health fund medical adviser decides whether a condition is pre existing based on your medical history.
Extras cover usually has shorter waiting periods and often does not distinguish between pre existing and new conditions, as long as the service itself is included on your policy.
Only if your hospital component includes pregnancy and birth. This is generally on silver plus or gold level cover, not on basic or bronze. You must also serve a 12 month waiting period before you are admitted for the birth.
Extras can sometimes include benefits for things like antenatal physio or lactation consultants, but these vary between funds, so check the extras list and limits carefully if you are planning a baby.

Sources

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More resources on Finder

Combined hospital and extras cover

Health insurance comes in hospital and extras cover, and you can buy them as a combined policy.

Key takeaways