Utilities
EnergyInternetSolarMobileInsurance
Car InsuranceHome InsuranceHealth InsuranceSingles CoverCouples CoverFamily CoverPregnancy CoverSeniors CoverHospital CoverExtras CoverHospital & ExtrasAmbulance CoverLife InsuranceIncome ProtectionBusiness InsuranceTravel InsurancePet InsuranceOverseas Visitor CoverMoney
LoansCredit CardsA family policy covers two adults and their dependent children under a single premium. Funds do not usually charge more for additional children, which is what makes family cover comparatively good value once you have more than one.
The two things worth getting right are how long your children can stay on the policy, and whether the extras half is built around what your family actually claims.
Children are covered as dependants while they meet the fund's definition, and that definition has been moving. Historically cover ended in the early twenties, or slightly later for full-time students. Reforms since 2021 allow funds to keep non-student dependants on family policies to a higher age, and many now do, but it remains a fund-by-fund choice rather than a universal rule. If you have children approaching their twenties, check your fund's specific age limits — an unexpected transition to their own policy is an unwelcome surprise.
Excess is where family policies differ most. Some funds apply the excess per person per year, some per policy per year, and some apply it per person but cap the total per family. In a year where two members are admitted, the difference between those structures can be several hundred dollars. Check which one applies before comparing premiums, because the cheaper premium is frequently the one with the less generous excess structure.
Family extras usage is far more predictable than singles usage — routine dental for several people, glasses, and often orthodontics at some point. That predictability makes the arithmetic easier. Add up a realistic year, check the per-service limits rather than the headline annual limit, and pay attention to orthodontic waiting periods and lifetime limits, which are long and low respectively.
Most funds offer a single parent tier covering one adult and dependent children at less than the full family rate. It is not always displayed as prominently as the family option, so it is worth asking for specifically rather than assuming the family rate is your only choice.
It depends on the fund. Reforms since 2021 let funds cover non-student dependants to a higher age than the traditional early-twenties cut-off, and many now do, but it is a fund-by-fund decision. Check your own policy's age limits directly.
Generally no. Most family policies charge a flat family rate regardless of how many dependent children are on it, which is what makes family cover better value as the household grows.
Contact your fund as soon as practical after the birth. Most funds cover a newborn from birth if they are added within a specified window, but leave it too long and waiting periods can apply.
Medicare Levy Surcharge thresholds and government rebate percentages are reviewed regularly, so this page does not quote them. For the current figures see the ATO and the government's privatehealth.gov.au.
