How do I suspend my health insurance cover?

It's usually easy to temporarily suspend your health fund membership. If you're suspending due to financial hardship, get in touch with your health fund. Once the suspension ends, you'll need to start making premium payments again within 30 days. If you're suspending cover while you travel overseas, make sure your travel dates are locked when you contact your health fund. Your suspension must be approved before you depart, as you can't apply for a backdated suspension.

Am I covered while my policy is suspended?

No, you will not receive any cover for health care expenses you incur while your policy is suspended. This means that you will not be able to make any hospital or extras claims. Of course, you will also not be required to pay any premiums during this time. However, despite the fact that no cover is provided, you are still considered to be a member of the fund during this time. As a result, you will be able to easily resume cover when the suspension period ends.

How do I restart my policy?

You'll need to restart cover within 30 days of the end of the suspension date, otherwise your policy could be cancelled. Your fund will probably remind you when cover is due to be resumed or will automatically reinstate cover at your requested date. If you've been overseas with an unconfirmed return date, inform the health fund that you are back in Australia within 30 days of your return (you will usually need to provide a passport, flight ticket or boarding pass as proof). If you are no longer experiencing financial hardship and can afford to resume cover, you can let your health fund know at any time. Once you've restarted your policy, your level of cover, benefits and waiting periods will all be the same as they were before the suspension.

What if my fund won't suspend my cover?

The rules for suspending your membership vary from one health fund to the next. So if your fund refuses to let you suspend your policy, contact other funds to find out whether they would be willing to grant a suspension. If suspending your membership is not an option, remember that you may be able to let cover lapse for a limited period – remember, you're allowed a combined total of 1,094 days without any cover without it having any effect on your LHC loading.

Does my fund need to approve my health cover suspension?

You will need to get permission from your fund to suspend cover, so you'll need to have an acceptable reason to ask for this option. Financial hardship and overseas travel are the two most common reasons for taking a break from cover, but your health fund may also allow a suspension in other specific circumstances.

Is there a limit to how many times I can suspend my cover?

There may be a limit on how many times you can suspend your health insurance in a calendar year. Either once or twice per year are the most limits. Check with your health fund to find out if there are any other special conditions you need to meet.