Singles Health Insurance

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Updated 14/12/2023
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Written by

Mel Basta

Updated 14/12/2023

What changed?

Moderate rewrite for tone and to expand content
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.

Edited by

Laura Crowden

Find out more about how we make money.

View our Privacy Policy.

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I need cover for…

What is Singles Health Insurance?
Should I get Singles Health Insurance while I’m young?
What are the other benefits of Singles Health Insurance?
What are the different types of Health Insurance for singles?
What is Hospital Cover and how could singles benefit from it?
What about Extras Cover for singles?
What is Combined Cover?
How much is Singles Health Insurance?
Can I switch to Couples or Family Cover if my circumstances change?
What if I have pre-existing conditions?
Is Couples Cover cheaper than two singles?
Are there any age-based discounts?
How can I find Singles Health Insurance to suit my life stage?

What is Singles Health Insurance?

Simply put, Singles Health Insurance is Health Cover for one person, rather than multiple people, which you’d find on a Couples or Family Policy.

Just like you can be single at any age, you can get Singles Cover at any age. And just like being single in general, Singles Cover gives you choice. You get to choose which TV show to watch, whether or not to blow your whole salary on a motorbike, AND which Health Insurance Policy is suitable for you, whatever your individual requirements might be.

Should I get Singles Health Insurance while I’m young?

You’re young, free and ready for a spontaneous adventure! But wait – before you sign up for that skydiving class, are you curious which types of Health Insurance might cover you for ankle injuries?

If you’re lucky enough to be young and healthy, you might still want to make a plan for unexpected or non-urgent health issues. If you’re treated for these in the public system, you could have a pretty long wait for treatment. According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, in 2022–23, 50% of public patients in public hospitals waited at least 49 days for elective surgery.1Australian Institute of Health and Welfare – Elective Surgery

Say you do hurt your ankle in that epic skydiving session, and your doctor recommends surgery. Relying on Medicare and the public system, it’s likely you’ll have to wait, but with a suitable Hospital Cover, it’s possible you could get it sorted sooner via the private system and get healing faster.

What are the other benefits of Singles Health Insurance?

Take advantage of Extras: Extras Cover could include some of the things that generally aren’t covered by Medicare. This includes services such as dental, chiro, physio and optical. If you’re going to make regular use of any services like these ones, it could well be worth the Extras premium.

Skip the Medicare Levy Surcharge (MLS): The MLS is a scheme that encourages people to take out Private Health Insurance in order to take some pressure off Medicare. If your taxable income is over $93,000, you have to pay it … unless you have Private Hospital Cover (and meet a few other criteria). Yep, you can get insured and get out of paying a surcharge at the same time.

Skip Lifetime Health Cover (LHC) Loading: Surprise, LHC Loading is another scheme that encourages people – this time, specifically young people – to take out Private Health Insurance. If you wait until you’re 31 or older to take out Hospital Cover, your premiums become more expensive. If you get your ducks in a row before age 31, congrats! No LHC Loading for you.

What are the different types of Health Insurance for singles?

Broadly speaking, there are two categories of Health Insurance: Hospital Cover and Extras Cover. Hospital Cover is for in-hospital treatment as a private patient, and Extras Cover is for out-of-hospital medical treatments that aren’t typically covered by Medicare, like dentistry.

You can choose a policy that offers Hospital and Extras combined. Or if you’re not someone who’s likely to get much value back for Extras like Dental or Optical, then Hospital-Only Cover could be a more suitable option for you. It’s all about balancing out your needs and your budget.

What is Hospital Cover and how could singles benefit from it?

If you need a treatment that’s classified as elective surgery – that is, if it’s medically necessary but can be planned in advance – there are sometimes pretty long waits in the public system. If you have Hospital Cover, the wait time is usually shorter and you can choose your treating doctor and the hospital where you receive care, as long as it has an agreement with your insurance provider. You might also be able to have the privacy of your own hospital room when you’re admitted into a private hospital for treatment.

What about Extras Cover for singles?

Extras Cover provides you insurance for some health services generally not covered by Medicare. Common Extras are services like dental, physio and optical, right through to more personalised options like remedial massage therapy.

It’s worth considering which Extras you will regularly use and how much you might spend on them each year versus what your Extras premium would be. That way, you’ll have a good sense of whether Extras Cover will save you money or not.

What is Combined Cover?

Many Health Insurers offer policies that combine both Hospital and Extras Cover. This is known as Combined Cover, and it’s a common choice for singles who take out Health Insurance.

Combined Cover gives you broader coverage than Hospital or Extras alone, so that means it’s usually more expensive. There are also a lot of different coverage options, so it can be a good idea to shop around and weigh your options before taking out a policy.

How much is Singles Health Insurance?

It depends on the type of cover you want. Some Extras Policies are as little as a few dollars a week, while top-level Combined Policies can come close to a hundred dollars a week.

Many providers also provide different options for your Excess (the amount you agree to contribute up front to your hospital stay). If you opt for a higher excess, that usually means lower premiums (your regular insurance fees).

Can I switch to Couples or Family Cover if my circumstances change?

Yes, switching your level or type of cover is generally a smooth process with most providers.

If your circumstances change, it could be worthwhile comparing options before making the switch.

When you sign up for Health Insurance, there are generally waiting periods before you can access some treatments. If you switch to a similar or lower level of cover with another provider, then you can likely avoid re-serving waiting periods you’ve already served.

What if I have pre-existing conditions?

You can take out a Health Insurance Policy with a pre-existing condition, but bear in mind that providers will most likely impose a 12-month waiting period on benefits for hospital treatment.

This rule is in place to make sure that people don’t just take out policies and cancel or downgrade after they receive treatment, which would transfer the costs to long-term members of that policy.

Is Couples Cover cheaper than two singles?

While it might be more convenient to take out a policy as a couple, it isn’t necessarily cheaper than taking out two individual policies. A Couples Policy often ends up costing more or less the same amount as two Singles Policies. So if you’re a couple with different health needs, you might each benefit from the individualisation of Singles Cover.

Are there any age-based discounts?

There could be! If you’re between 18 and 29, providers can offer discounts of up to 10% off your Private Health Insurance Hospital premiums. The discounts typically stay in place until you turn 41.

You could also have a better shot of being eligible for age-based discounts on a Singles Policy. If you’re covered as a dependent on a Family or Single Parent Policy, those discounts don’t apply. You can either be covered as a dependent or have your own policy and be eligible for an age-based discount, but not both.

How can I find Singles Health Insurance to suit my life stage?

It’s all about balancing the level of cover you want against your budget. With Extras, it makes sense to choose the policy that suits your lifestyle. If you play a lot of sport, you might want to cover physiotherapy, or if you wear glasses and regularly visit the optometrist, you might be interested in Optical Cover.

If you’d like some help finding a suitable policy for your needs, just hop online or give us a call on 1800 784 772, and we’ll help you compare Health Insurance for singles from our range of providers.*

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