nib Ambulance Cover

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Last Updated 17/10/2024
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Added a summary, updated the average emergency claim amount, updated the amount to pay for emergency road transport.
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Written by

Francis Taylor

Last Updated 17/10/2024

What changed?

Added a summary, updated the average emergency claim amount, updated the amount to pay for emergency road transport.
Our aim is to help you make better informed decisions. That’s why iSelect’s content is produced in accordance with our fact-checking and editorial guidelines.

Find out more about how we make money.

View our Privacy Policy.

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Long story short

1
Ambulance costs in Australia

The average emergency ambulance claim amount for nib customers in 2023 financial year was over $1,000—coverage can save you from these fees.

2
nib’s ambulance cover options

nib offers emergency ambulance cover across all its hospital and extras policies, except for residents of TAS and QLD, who receive government-funded support.

3
What nib ambulance cover includes

Rest assured! nib will take care of emergency transport to a hospital, call-out fees, and hospital transfers, regardless of which level of cover you choose.

4
Waiting period is minimal

After just a short 1-day waiting period post-sign-up, you can receive coverage almost immediately.

As the cost of ambulance services in Australia isn’t covered by Medicare, you may need to pay a fee if you need to be transported or treated by ambulance, and  don’t have private health insurance. 

Although this fee depends on which state you live in (with some state governments covering the amount), it can be costly—in fact, nib found the average emergency ambulance claim amount for their customers for the 2023 financial year was a hefty $1,000.1nib – How much does it cost to call an ambulance? \

Having ambulance cover included as part of your private health insurance  means you may avoid the fees involved, if you find yourself needing emergency ambulance services. 

Who is nib? 

nib is one of Australia’s fastest-growing health insurers, providing a range of private health insurance solutions to over 1.5 million Australian and New Zealand residents. 

In addition, nib provides private health insurance to more than 180,000 international students and workers in Australia, as well as cover for Aussie travellers overseas. 

What ambulance cover options does nib offer? 

nib provides emergency ambulance cover hospital cover options, as well as all its extras cover options. 

This means if you choose nib Hospital cover (whether as a single, couple, family, single parent family, or overseas student/visitor/worker), you’ll have emergency ambulance cover within Australia included in your policy.  

Similarly, if you opt for any one of nib’s extras options (with or without hospital cover), emergency ambulance cover will be included as part of your policy. This applies to all of nib’s extras cover options.

Keep in mind that if you’re a resident of Queensland or Tasmania, then you won’t be covered for ambulance services under these policies. This is because the ambulance services in these states are provided by a state ambulance scheme. 

What am I covered for with nib ambulance cover? 

When you take out hospital or extras cover with nib, emergency ambulance cover will be included in your policy, regardless of which level of cover you choose. 

This means if you need immediate medical attention and can’t be transported in another way due to your condition, you’ll be covered for: 

  • Emergency ambulance transport to hospital, provided by a state or territory ambulance service paid at 100% of the cost (with no hospital excess applicable for this service if your ambulance cover is part of a nib Extras cover option)2 nib – Ambulance 
  • Emergency ambulance call-out fees (when you receive treatment at the scene but don’t need to be transported to hospital).
  • Transport between hospitals when the transfer occurs due to the original hospital not specialising in the required treatment. 

What isn’t covered by nib ambulance cover? 

The following are not covered by nib ambulance cover: 

  • QLD residents who have ambulance services provided by their state ambulance schemes.
  • TAS residents who are covered under state ambulance schemes in TAS and when travelling in mainland Australia except SA or QLD.
  • Pension and health care card holders who have ambulance services provided by their state ambulance scheme.

Ambulance transportation not described by the provider as an ‘Emergency’.

What is the waiting period for nib ambulance cover? 

The waiting period for nib ambulance cover is one day, so you can use your cover almost immediately. 

Can I get nib ambulance cover where I live? 

If you live in the following states or territories, you might be able to get unlimited emergency ambulance cover with nib: 

State or Territory Emergency Ambulance Cover 
VIC 
NSW 
ACT 
SA 
NT 
WA 
QLD 
TAS 

How do I make a claim for my ambulance costs with nib? 

We’ve got good news for you—in most cases, your ambulance bill will automatically get paid by nib. However, even if you end up receiving a bill, you’ll only need to make a claim for nib to cover the costs. You can do this by: 

  • Logging into your nib member account
  • Using the nib app to make a claim 

To make a claim, you’ll also need to upload the receipt for your ambulance service. If you end up paying the bill, you can also contact nib on their phone line and they’ll reimburse you. However, this won’t apply if you’re a resident of Queensland or Tasmania, since you’re already covered by a state ambulance scheme. 

Do I need ambulance cover? 

Unless you live in Queensland or Tasmania (where the cost of ambulance services is covered by the state government), or are exempt from paying ambulance fees in your state, you could benefit from taking out ambulance cover – as this means you won’t have to pay the cost of emergency ambulance services. 

For example, residents of Victoria may have to pay over $1,358 for emergency road transport and even more for air transport3Victoria State Government | Department of Health – Ambulance Fees—so nib ambulance cover in Victoria could prove to be a valuable investment. 

How do I take out nib Private Health Insurance? 

If you’d like to find out more about purchasing private health insurance – including ambulance cover with nib, call the iSelect team now on 1800 784 772  We can help you compare policies from our range, and help you choose the cover that’s suited for your needs.

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