Many Australians are overpaying for top tier health cover that’s not suitable for their needs. A recent CHOICE study highlighted many silver plus policies that offer poor value for money, while older Aussies are typically paying top dollar for services such as pregnancy that they’ll never use.
Health Insurance Comparison looks for the best value policies on a quality panel of insurers to make sure you’re not overpaying on your health cover.
All that glitters isn’t gold
In April 2019 the Australian government tried to simplify hospital cover and made health funds classify policies into four easy to understand tiers – Gold, Silver, Bronze and Basic.
You may assume that a Gold policy means you’re getting the best health cover. A Gold policy must cover treatments in all 38 clinical categories – from cataracts to pregnancy.
But, do you need everything in your Gold policy? Probably not. It’s worth comparing to see if there’s a cheaper policy available.
What’s more, many Australians who hold private health insurance haven’t switched policies in the past five years or more. If you’re one of those people, you may be on the wrong policy.
Plus size premiums could be costing you
Gold policies aren’t the only place you could be overpaying. Most funds offer Silver Plus policies that may include items that are usually found in Gold hospital cover, like pregnancy or psychiatric services.
But consumer publication CHOICE found some health funds’ Silver Plus policies were more expensive than Gold cover but came with more restrictions. Essentially, some people on these policies were paying more for less.
We don’t blame you if you’re confused or frustrated trying to work out if you’re getting a good deal or not.
That’s why we’ll show you where you can save and what to avoid. People who compared and switched with us last year saved, on average, $380.79 on their health insurance*. Join the thousands of Aussies who’ve got a better deal and compare today.
Disclaimer: This article is opinion only and should not be taken as medical or financial advice. Check with a financial professional before making any decisions.
* Based on 24,000 policies in 2019.
