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4.2 million ambulance call outs
Ambulance cover can seem a little confusing, but it’s well worth getting right.
There were 4.2 million ambulance call outs in Australia across 2020-21, showing just how many people rely on our emergency services.1Report on Government Services 2023 – 11 Ambulance Services (Under ‘Size and Scope’)
Ambulance cover is different in every state
Ambulance cover is treated differently in almost every state.
Separate ambulance cover in Victoria could cost around $50 for a single person, and $100 per year for a family.2Victorian Department of Health – Ambulance fees Depending on what level of Ambulance coverage you need, you could save money by including ambulance cover within your health insurance policy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Ambulance Cover?
In an emergency, calling 000 and the resulting trip to hospital are traumatic enough, but imagine receiving a bill afterward. This is where ambulance cover comes into play, often covering expenses like hospital transport and being treated by paramedics. When sickness or injury strikes, our Australian emergency services have your back, but in the heat of the moment, you don’t want to have to worry about the potential bills that could follow calling for help.
Ambulance cover helps reduce the stress of the whole ordeal, helping to cover any large bills left when the dust settles. The cost of an emergency road transport in Victoria can be over $1,300,1Victoria State Government Department of Health – Ambulance fees while membership in states like Victoria, can cost as little as $49.94 annually for a single person2.
What are the benefits of having Ambulance Cover?
One of the most important things to remember about Ambulance services is that they’re not covered by Medicare. This includes both emergency transport and other ambulance services which you may need.
The main benefit of having Ambulance Cover is that it insures you against the costs of ambulance services. For example, emergency road transport by ambulance in New South Wales can cost you at least $415.2Ambulance NSW – Accounts and Fees
Does health insurance include Ambulance Cover?
Will my Ambulance Cover still apply if I’m interstate?
As mentioned earlier, depending on which state you live in, you may not have 100% Australia-wide ambulance cover, or you may not have ambulance cover at all.
In Queensland and Tasmania, Ambulance Cover is covered by the state Government—but only if you’re a resident. Therefore, if you live in VIC, NSW, SA, NT, ACT, or WA, you’ll need to purchase Ambulance Insurance either through a private health fund, or through a state ambulance service.
Whether you qualify for a discount, and whether or not you need cover at all depends on the state you live in. Therefore, it’s important to remember that in many cases Ambulance Cover only applies while you’re in your home state, and may not apply if you’re interstate. You’ll need to review the individual aspects of your policy to better understand how your cover is affected by interstate travel.
Will I be covered for ambulance services in another state?
In very specific cases, yes.
Most ambulance services cover particular areas. These areas are called ‘operational boundaries’ and may include suburbs outside of their home state or territory.
For instance, Ambulance Victoria operates within certain areas of New South Wales and South Australia, such as Albury, Frances and Mount Gambier.3Ambulance NSW – Accounts and Fees The SA Ambulance might also operate within certain areas of Victoria, but this is ultimately at their discretion.4SA Ambulance Cover – Ambulance Cover Brochure (Page 6)
If you’re thinking of getting an ambulance membership for a different state or territory, it’s important that you speak with that state or territory’s ambulance service first to ensure that they will cover you—especially if any emergency trips are likely to take you interstate. Or, if you get ambulance cover on a health insurance policy, it might be worth speaking to the provider to check which state or territory’s ambulance services they’ll cover.
Ambulance Cover and Health Insurance
When selecting a policy with ambulance cover, there are a number of things you might want to keep in mind. These can include:
- Interstate Travel: Look at whether the policy covers you for interstate emergency transport. Whether or not you need to have this is ultimately your choice, but just keep in mind that an interstate ambulance trip could be quite costly.
- Non-Emergency Cover: Another consideration is whether the policy only covers you for emergency situations, or if it also includes coverage for non-emergency situations. Different health funds can define an ‘emergency’ differently, so this is something you’ll want to get clarity on.
- Call-Out Fees: As mentioned before, some policies may or may not cover you for the ‘call-out’ fee. So it’s important to investigate whether the policy will cover you if you just need treatment—but not transportation—in an ambulance.
- Other Considerations: Lastly, there are three final points to consider in relation to Ambulance Cover. The first is if there are any waiting periods. Secondly, you need to discover if there are any co-payments towards the ambulance fee? Thirdly, you need to find out if the Ambulance Cover will also cover air ambulance, as well as transports provided by State-approved private providers, or other private providers.
What’s the cost of Ambulance Cover?
Like we discussed earlier, ambulance costs can vary from state to state. The table below breaks down the various costs of emergency transport. This gives you an idea of what you could pay if you’re not covered, and you require emergency ambulances services. It’s important to remember that the figures below are the base costs for getting an ambulance and you could be charged a lot more. For example, in NSW the call out fee for an emergency is $415 but the maximum you could be charged for an ambulance transportation is $6,797.5NSW Government: NSW Ambulance – Accounts and Fees
State | Emergency Transport | Charge Per KM |
ACT6ACT Government: ACT Emergency Services Agency – Fees and charges | $1,032 | +$14/km for every km travelled outside the ACT |
NSW7NSW Government: NSW Ambulance – Accounts and Fees | $415 | +$3.74 variable rate p/km |
QLD8Queensland Government – Interstate Ambulance Treatment and Transport Information for Queensland Residents | Free | N/A |
VIC9Victorian Department of Health – Ambulance fees | $1,306 (metro) and $1,927 (for regional) | N/A |
SA10SA Ambulance Services – Fees and charges | $1,085 | +$6.20 p/km |
WA11St John WA – Ambulance Fees | $1,072 (for urgent or life-threatening services) | N/A |
TAS1211 Tasmania Government: Department of Health – Ambulance costs if you live in Tasmania | Waived (in most cases) | N/A |
NT13news.com.au – How much does an ambulance cost in every Australian state?[/mfn] | $815 | +$5.25 p/km after the first 10 kms |
Disclaimer: All above information has been sourced from Australian state ambulance authority websites. All figures are accurate as of 7/03/2023, except for the Northern Territory’s figures which are accurate as of 27/02/2022.
Are you eligible for free Ambulance Cover in your state?
Each state offers different Ambulance Cover concessions. For instance, pensioner concession card holders are often granted free ambulance cover. Additionally, residents in Queensland and Tasmania have state-funded Ambulance Cover. Take a look at the table below to view the arrangements for your state.
State | Concession Ambulance Cover Arrangements |
Australian Capital Territory (ACT)147 ACT Government: ACT Emergency Services Agency – Fees and charges | Most Health Care Concession Card and Pensioner Concession Card holders are entitled to free emergency ambulance services within the ACT. However, if you’re not eligible for a concession and you’d like Ambulance Cover, you can purchase it from a private health fund, or through the state ambulance service. |
New South Wales (NSW)1513 NSW Government: NSW Ambulance – Exemptions from NSW Ambulance Fees | Some free ambulance transport services are available to Health Care Concession Card, Pensioner Concession Card, Commonwealth Seniors Health Card, Gold Card and White Card holders. However, if you’re not eligible for a concession and you’d like Ambulance Cover, you can purchase it from a private health fund, or through the state ambulance service. |
Northern Territory (NT)1614 St John NT – Ambulance Cover | If you hold a NT Centrelink Pensioner Concession Card or Health Care Card, you’re entitled to free ambulance transport services within the Northern Territory. However, if you’re not eligible for a concession and you’d like Ambulance Cover, you can purchase it from a private health fund, or through the state ambulance service. |
Queensland (QLD)178 Queensland Government – Interstate Ambulance Treatment and Transport Information for Queensland Residents | Queensland residents aren’t charged for ambulance services. The state government covers these costs. |
South Australia (SA)189 SA Ambulance Services – Fees and charges | If you’d like Ambulance Cover, you can purchase it as part of your health insurance policy, or through the state ambulance service. If you hold a valid SA Pension Concession card at the time of the ambulance service, you may be eligible for concession of the gazetted fees. |
Tasmania (TAS)1911 Tasmania Government: Department of Health – Ambulance costs if you live in Tasmania | Tasmanians aren’t charged for ambulance services, which are covered by the state government. Additionally, as a Tasmanian your ambulance costs are also covered in other states with the exception of NSW, SA, and QLD |
Victoria (VIC)2015 Ambulance Victoria – FAQs (Are persons holding a Centrelink Health Care card or Pensioner Concession card covered for ambulance transport?) | If you’re a Pensioner Concession Card and Healthcare Card holder, then you’re entitled to free clinically necessary ambulance services in Victoria. However, if you’re not eligible for a concession and you’d like Ambulance Cover, you can purchase a health insurance policy that includes ambulance cover, or through the state ambulance service. |
Western Australia (WA)21Government of Western Australia: Department of Health – HealthyWA[/mfn] | Western Australians who are over 65 and receive a pension are eligible for free ambulance services. Western Australians over 65 who do not receive a pension can still get a 50% discount off the cost of their ambulance services. If you’re not eligible for these discounts and you’d like Ambulance Cover, you can purchase a health insurance policy which includes ambulance cover, or through the state ambulance service. |
All Of Australia21Australia Government: Department of Veterans’ Affairs – Ambulance transport | If you hold a Veterans Gold Card or a Veterans White Card, you might be eligible for free emergency state ambulance services—as well as some non-emergency services. |
Would you like to learn more about Ambulance Insurance?
If you’re thinking of purchasing a health insurance policy which includes some ambulance coverage, feel free to give us a call on 1800 784 772 or start your comparison online. We’d be happy to walk you through options available from our range of policies and providers*
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