Singles Health Insurance
Health insurance is available for singles, couples and families. Singles health insurance can be found from around $23 a week* for combined cover.
Key takeaways
- Singles health insurance is available for hospital and extras cover, or combined cover.
- The cost of singles health insurance starts at $23 a week* for combined cover.
- For couples without kids, a couples policy is usually priced at close to double a singles policy, so two individual singles policies typically cost about the same as, or more than, a couples policy. It pays to compare both before deciding.
*Prices are based on a single individual with less than $105,000 income, $750 excess and living in Sydney.
Singles health insurance isn't just for young people. It's for anyone who needs cover for one person, whether you're 22 or 72, single or in a relationship. Singles health cover allows you to personalise your cover, ensuring you're only covered for the things you need.
Finding the right singles health insurance policy is simple when you know what to consider. In this guide, we'll cover how singles health insurance works, what it costs and what to look for depending on your age and life stage.
How does health insurance for singles work?
Health insurance comes in two types, hospital and extras. Private hospital insurance covers treatments performed in private hospitals, like a torn ACL or chemotherapy. Extras health insurance covers health treatments outside of hospital, such as dental appointments and prescription glasses.
You can buy these policies separately or together. So you can mix and match between different insurance companies if you like, or keep things simple and stay with one brand.
Who is singles health insurance for?
Singles health insurance is private health insurance for one person, but that "person" comes in a lot of different forms. Here's who typically looks for a singles policy:
- Young adults (18–29): Usually taking out cover for the first time, either coming off a parent's policy or responding to the Lifetime Health Cover deadline. Typically looking for affordable basics with good dental and mental health benefits.
- Singles in their 30s and 40s: Often higher earners crossing Medicare Levy Surcharge thresholds, or people who want more comprehensive cover as their health needs evolve.
- Newly single Australians: People who've recently separated, divorced or been widowed and need to transition from a couples or family policy to their own cover.
- Older singles (50s, 60s and beyond): Managing more complex health needs independently, often with a focus on hospital cover for elective procedures, specialist access and chronic condition management.
Must read
Turn 31 this year? After your 31st birthday, a 2% Lifetime Health Cover loading is added to your premiums for every year you delay getting hospital cover.
How much does singles health insurance cost?
The cost of private health insurance varies on the level of cover you need. Below are the average prices of a few different levels of cover, based on our analysis from April 2026 (based on single hospital policies from all states, $750 excess, with no surcharges or rebate applied).
- Gold hospital policies had an average cost of $281.56 per month
- Silver hospital policies had an average cost of $153.47 per month
- Bronze hospital policies had an average cost of $97.80 per month
- Basic hospital policies had an average cost of $78.70 per month
- The average cost of an extras policy was $12.07 per month
If you're taking out a new policy or switching providers, you should check what health insurance deals and sign-up offers are available. For example, it's common for insurers to offer several weeks free if you sign up to a combined policy.
What is the cheapest health insurance for singles?
While the cheapest of its class, a Basic health insurance policy offers very little value for the price. It will help you avoid the Medicare Levy surcharge, but you may have to pay high out of pocket costs whenever you do need real medical care. On the other hand, a bronze policy covers will cover a wide range of common hospital treatments at an affordable price and is a great entry point for new private health customers.
The cheapest Basic hospital policy you'll find will be around $78.63 per month, while Bronze policies start at roughly $92.54 per month.
Want to know more about cheap health insurance? Check out our page on budget cover.
Hot tip
You don't have to bundle your hospital and extras cover with the same insurer. Splitting your cover can sometimes get you better policies for less overall.
Do younger singles get a discount on their private health cover?
Yes, to make private cover more accessible, the Australian Government introduced the Youth Discount. This initiative allows insurers to offer a percentage-based discount on hospital premiums for members aged 18 to 29. The discount is tiered based on the age you are when you first take out an eligible hospital policy. According to PrivateHealth.gov.au, the savings are structured as follows:
- Aged 18 to 25: 10% discount
- Aged 26: 8% discount
- Aged 27: 6% discount
- Aged 28: 4% discount
- Aged 29: 2% discount
Once you have secured this discount, it remains on your policy until you turn 41. At that point, it is gradually phased out by 2% each year. This makes joining before age 26 a powerful long-term financial strategy for singles.
What to look for in singles health insurance
There's no one best health insurance that will suit all Australian singles. Instead, you'll need to consider a range of factors to decide if a particular policy is right for you.
- Benefits. Don't bother with benefits you won't use. You can use the tiers as a guide for hospital insurance but you have to dig a little deeper with extras.
- Limits. For extras insurance, you'll have annual limits on the amount you can spend each year for different health categories. If dental is important to you, make sure there's a high limit.
- Waiting periods. Waiting periods mean you won't be able to claim for a set period after buying your policy. They vary between extras policies, so look for shorter waiting periods where you can.
- Cost. Cost shouldn't be your only consideration but it is an important one. Don't choose a policy that will over-stretch you. The most expensive isn't necessarily the best.
- Gap Cover. Look for policies which offer gap cover. This means you're less likely to have huge out of pocket expenses for healthcare treatments.
- Rebates. Check to see if your policy entitles you to government rebates. This could bring down the cost of your policy when it comes to tax time.
- Discounts. Most funds offer sign-up deals for new customers. Keep an eye on these as it could reduce the overall cost of your policy or provide a decent incentive.
- Flexibility. See if your insurer will let you pause premiums or set up a payment plan if you hit financial hardship.
Sign-up deals for singles health insurance
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