Singles Health Insurance

Finding the best health insurance for singles is easy. After all, you only have to choose what's right for you - not anybody else. This guide will help you do just that.

We'll explain the difference between hospital and extras cover, offer tips on getting a policy which fits your needs, and even share some deals so you can enjoy cheaper premiums.

Compare health insurance for singles

Every policy in this table will cover you for in-hospital and out-of-hospital healthcare. Plus, they all have a $750 excess, so you'll avoid the Medicare levy surcharge.

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Name	Product	Hospital treatments	Extras included	Hide More Info Button	Hide CompareBox	Price per month
ahm lite flexi bronze plus		Ear, nose and throat Joint reconstructions Dental surgery	Routine dental ($800 Combined) Physiotherapy Chiropractic			$124.25	Go to Site More Info	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Medibank Bronze Everyday + Top Extras		Bone, joint and muscle Eye (not cataracts) Hernia and appendix	Ambulance services General dental ($800) Optical($200)			$134.60	Go to Site More Info	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Peoplecare Bronze Hospital & Mid Extras		Eye (not cataracts) Pain management Bone, joint & muscle	Optical ($200) Pharmacy ($300) Ambulance			$137.40	More Info	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Qantas Silver Hospital + Lifestyle Extras		Emergency ambulance cover Dental surgery Palliative care	General dental ($600) Physiotherapy($350) Chiro & Osteo($300)			$159.80	Go to Site More Info	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
AAMI Silver Everyday Hospital Plus + Everyday Active Extras		32 hospital services Heart and vascular system Bone, joint and muscle	$700 General dental $200 Optical $300 Psychology			$169.80	Get 4 weeks free + Waive 2 & 6 month waiting periods.	Go to Site More Info	Compare	loading Fetching your data...

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How does health insurance for singles work?

Health insurance comes in two sections, hospital and extras. Hospital covers treatments performed in private hospitals, like a torn ACL or chemotherapy. Extras 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.

How much does singles health insurance cost?

That'll depend on the level of cover you get. The most basic hospital and extras policy will cost around $90 a month. More comprehensive policies could cost as much as $300 a month.

Individually, extras start at around $15 a month, reaching up to $135 a month. Basic hospital policies start at around $75 a month, reaching up to $195 a month.

Remember though, you can take advantage of deals and sign-up offers. For example, it's common for insurers to offer several weeks free if you sign up to a combined policy.

Is health insurance worth it for singles?

In lots of cases, yes. For extras policies, it's really easy to get more value out of your policy than you'd spend in premiums all year. You just have to be proactive about claiming.

With hospital insurance, you could actually save money by getting a policy. That's because if you're earning over $90,000 and don't have hospital cover, you're hit with the Medicare Levy Surcharge. That surcharge takes at least 1% of your salary or a minimum of $900 a year.

But it's possible to find a hospital policy which costs less than $900 a year. So you not only avoid the tax, you get cover too!

What to look for in singles health insurance

• 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. You never know what's going to happen

Tips for getting the best singles health insurance

• Think about your needs. Do you need high-level cover or just the bare basics? Do you want pregnancy cover or anything that will exempt you from the Medicare Levy surcharge? Figure out what you really want before jumping in.
• Shop around. Don't just choose a policy because it's the one your mum or best friend is on. Different health funds charge different prices. Compare online and you could find a better deal.
• Mix and match. You don't have to get hospital and extras from the same fund. Splitting them up might take a little more time but you could create a package that's more customised to you.
• Look for deals. Lots of funds offer sign-up deals to new customers. This could score you a reduction on your premium, a few weeks' free cover, or a decent gift card.
• Read the PDS. There'll be terms and conditions in there that you should know. We know it's boring, but it's worth it. Plus, insurers have gotten better at writing them in consumer-friendly ways.
• Don't be afraid to ask. If there's anything you're unsure of, get in touch with the health fund and ask. Most funds have Australian-based help centres or online chat systems where you can find an answer quickly.

Best extras insurance for singles

The best extras policy for you will be the one that matches your lifestyle. If you love the gym, look for a policy that covers membership costs. If you struggle with an ongoing injury, look for a policy with a high limit for physiotherapy.

Dental is consistently the most popular extras benefit. In the three months prior to September 2020, more than 11 million dental claims were made. Check out the table below to see which other extras benefits were particularly popular.

• Source

  Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) Private Health Insurance and Membership Benefits report September 2020.

Best health insurance for singles - hospital

Gold hospital policies are the most comprehensive. They cover all 38 clinical categories, including pregnancy and weight loss surgery. But that doesn't mean gold is right for you.

Take a look at what's covered by the different health insurance tiers to get a better idea of which level of cover might be the most appropriate.

We couldn't find any data showing the number of claims per clinical category, but APRA does publish claims data by MBS block groupings. Take a look to get a better idea of which services are most often claimed.

Best health insurance for singles looking to get pregnant

You'll need a gold level hospital policy for at least 12 months before you can claim fertility treatments such as IVF or benefits for pregnancy and childbirth.

Higher level extras policies may also include benefits for pre and post natal healthcare, such as birthing classes or lactation consultants.

You can read more about health insurance for pregnancy and childbirth here.

Best health insurance for single parents

Unfortunately, kids won't be covered under a single's policy. Instead, you have to look for a single parent or family policy.

Don't worry, you won't pay full price for a family policy if you're a single parent. Insurance companies reduce the price, but each brand reduces the cost by a different amount.

You can compare single parent policies from Finder partners using our search tool.

Best health insurance for singles with a pre-existing condition

All hospital policies have to cover pre-existing medical conditions after 12 months. You won't have to pay any more for your policy if you have a health condition either.

In some cases, pre-existing medical conditions might only have a two-month waiting period. This is typically reserved for mental health conditions, rehabilitation, and palliative care.

Cheapest health insurance for singles

Looking at Finder partners, the cheapest combined policy was ahm's starter flexi basic at $85.88 a month as of January 2021.

This policy comes with a $500 excess so it will exempt you from the Medicare Levy surcharge but does come with a relatively low level of cover.

Want to know more about cheap health insurance? Check out our page on budget cover.

Staying on your parents policy

If you're in your early twenties, check to see if you're still covered by your parents' health insurance policy. You might not need to buy your own just yet.

You can usually stay on your parents policy well past your childhood. For example, Medibank lets kids stay on their parents policy until they're 21 and CUA lets them stay until they're 23.

If you're in full-time study, you might be able to stay on even longer. In fact, from April 1, 2021, dependent kids will be able to stay on their parents' policy until they turn 31 - as long as they're not in a de facto relationship.

Deals for singles health insurance

Keep your eyes peeled for sign-up deals or offers. You could save hundreds of dollars just by joining a fund, or switching.

ahm Deals

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Get up to $200 off

Offer applies for new joins on hospital and extras after the first 60 days by February 4. T&Cs apply.

Last verified 15 Jan 2021

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Coupon code ends 5 Feb 2021

Medibank Health Insurance Deals

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Get up to $400 adidas e-gift card + Waive 2 & 6 months waiting periods

Offer applies on eligible combined hospital & extras cover by 28 February. New members only. T&C's apply.

Last verified 5 Jan 2021

Show code

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Coupon code ends 1 Mar 2021

Qantas Health Insurance Deals

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Get up to 130,000 Qantas Points + Skip the waits for 2 & 6 month waiting periods.

Earn up to 130,000 points on top policies, all policies earn Qantas Points. Offer applies for new joins only until Feb 14, 2021. T&Cs apply.

Last verified 1 Jan 2021

Get deal

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Deal ends 15 Feb 2021

AAMI Health Insurance Deals

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Get 4 weeks free + Waive 2 & 6 month waiting periods

Offer applies when joining hospital + extras cover by 28 February 2021.

Last verified 1 Jan 2021

Get deal

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Deal ends 1 Mar 2021

HCF Health Insurance deals

HCF members can get loyalty rewards and discounts across Australian stores

Health fund members can claim 10% off Rebel gift cards, 5% off Woolworths gift cards & more.

Last verified 1 Jan 2021

Get deal