Adding a baby to your health insurance

Adding a baby to Medicare

Health insurance is great, but if you haven't added your baby to Medicare, get that sorted first. Medicare is Australia's public health system and will cover most of their health needs, as well as add them to the immunisation register, and a bunch of other helpful stuff.

You can register your baby for Medicare by filling in the Newborn Child Declaration, which you'll get from your midwife when you give birth. Make sure your midwife or doctor signs it, then submit it through MyGov.

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Adding a newborn to your existing health insurance policy

Good news! It's pretty easy to add a baby to your current private hospital policy. You just need to call your health insurer and they'll sort out the details. What's also nice is any waiting periods you've served on your policy will automatically transfer to bub, so long as you register them quickly enough.

There are some important details to know though. How much your premiums will change, as well as how soon you want to register your baby, change depending on your current coverage type. Each option is broken down below.

1. Single health insurance policies:

If you're on a singles health policy, you'll need to upgrade to a single parent policy. This will have higher premiums than your old policy, but it won't be quite as expensive as a family policy would. You typically have just 2 months after birth to change your policy for them to be covered without waiting periods. Some funds give you a little longer - Bupa, for example, allows 90 days. Check with your fund.

2. Couples health insurance policies:

If you and your partner are covered by a couples policy, then you'll need to upgrade to a family policy. This will be slightly more expensive than your current policy, but probably not by a huge amount. You'll need to do this within a month or 2 of your baby's birth to have them covered without waiting periods. The exact deadline changes by fund.

3. Family and single parent health insurance policies:

If you're already on a family health cover or single parent health cover, then all you need to do is to register your baby on your policy. Your premiums should be largely unaffected. Just get in contact with your health fund within 12 months of your baby's birth in order to have your served waiting periods applied to them as well. This deadline changes between brands - Bupa, for example, gives you 12 months from your baby's date of birth to add them without waiting periods.

How long can children be covered under my policy?

How long your children can stay on your health insurance policy is up to your health fund, and funds set their own dependant ages. A 'child dependant' is usually covered into their late teens or early twenties. Since the rules changed in 2021, a fund can also choose to cover a dependant up to the age of 31 whether or not they are studying, and there is no age limit at all for a dependant with a disability - defined as a National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) participant aged 18 or over. Read more about health insurance dependent ages by fund here.

What does private health insurance cover for kids?

Adding your baby to your private hospital insurance policy is generally a good move. If shouldn't increase your premiums by too much, but your baby will be covered as an inpatient at private hospitals in Australia. If you have an extras policy, your baby may also be able to benefit from it too, although more likely when they get a little older. Some extras treatments can be partially covered for children by specific government schemes though - make sure you check what's available in your state.

Frequently asked questions

• What documents or information do I need to add my baby to health insurance

  You will typically need your baby's full name, date of birth and gender. Once your baby is registered with Medicare, you may also need their Medicare number. Some funds might ask for a copy of the birth certificate. It is best to check with your specific health insurer for their exact requirements.

• What if my baby needs medical treatment immediately after birth

  If you have appropriate hospital cover for pregnancy and birth, your baby will generally be covered for any immediate medical treatment they need while still in hospital after being born. This usually includes care in a special care nursery or neonatal intensive care unit. Once your baby is born, remember to register them with your health fund within the specified timeframe to ensure ongoing cover and the transfer of waiting periods.

• Does private health insurance cover my baby's GP visits or vaccinations

  Generally, private health insurance does not cover routine GP visits or standard vaccinations for your baby. These services are typically covered by Medicare, Australia's public health system. Your private hospital cover is for inpatient treatments in a private hospital, while extras cover helps with things like dental, optical and physiotherapy.

• Can I add an adopted child to my private health insurance policy

  Yes, you can add an adopted child to your private health insurance policy. The process is similar to adding a biological child; you will need to contact your health fund once the adoption is finalised. Your fund will be able to advise on the specific documentation required and any applicable deadlines for adding them without serving waiting periods.

• How does adding twins or multiple babies affect my health insurance policy

  If you are having twins or multiple babies, you will need to upgrade your health insurance policy to a family or single parent policy as applicable. While adding one child to an existing family or single parent policy often has little premium impact, adding multiple children from a single or couples policy will lead to higher premiums. Ensure you register all your babies with your health fund within the specified timeframe to benefit from the transfer of your waiting periods.

• Does private health insurance cover my baby's specialist appointments such as a paediatrician

  Private hospital insurance generally does not cover outpatient specialist appointments, including those with a paediatrician. Medicare usually covers a portion of the consultation fee for specialist visits. If your baby requires inpatient treatment from a specialist in a private hospital, your hospital cover would then contribute towards the hospital costs and potentially some of the specialist fees, depending on your policy and whether the specialist has an agreement with your fund.

Written by

Tim Bennett

Insurance expert

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A seasoned journalist with over 10 years of experience in news, politics and finance reporting, Tim has previously held roles at the ABC, SBS and Fairfax Media. Tim’s expert insights have been quoted in The Australian, The Daily Telegraph, The Courier Mail and more. He regularly appears on TV and radio, and has been interviewed on 7 News, Sunrise, SBS News, ABC Local, 3AW and 5AA. Tim is passionate about simplifying complex insurance topics for Australian consumers. He holds a Bachelor of Arts (Politics) from Macquarie University and a Tier 1 General Insurance (General Advice) certification, which meets the requirements of ASIC Regulatory Guide 146 (RG146). If you’re interested in a media interview with Tim, please reach out to our PR team at aupr@finder.com. See full bio

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