cookiestar

New job, need to avoid paying the extra 1% Medicare levy, so I'm looking to see who you guys recommend as the best value/cheapest private insurer. Is Medibank one of the best value or should I be looking elsewhere? This is for a healthy couple in their 30s with no kids.

If the insurance could have dental and optical cover too that would be "bonza"

looky

From my experience comparing private health insurances a while back, most with similar level of cover are comparable in price. Just choose one company you feel comfortable with and take its lowest level of hospital cover (cheapest), choose to pay excess and leave out the extras cover, that will give you the cheapest rate you can get.

I have both hospital and extra cover but haven't taken any advantage of the extra after all these years. Dental and optical are covered under extra cover. To be honest, even with optical cover in Australia you will still be paying a lot of money(getting ripped off) for a pair of glasses you can get for much less overseas. So just plan your overseas holiday and get your prescription glasses there.

Medibank private is one of the more popular one due to its history.

cookiestar

Thanks for the advice.

So Medibank have a good reputation?

How likely am I to get something with a dental coverage?

Wol

We changed recently from MBF - they comprehensively screwed up quite a few claims, and our hospital told us they have more trouble with them than anyone else.

We are now with HCF.

looky

I am not sure how good it is, I haven't had the need to claim anything yet (touch wood) but its one of the biggest health insurance company.

Private health insurance comes in two parts, there is the hospital cover which is the main health cover and then there is an extra cover which covers optical/dental and other health services.

If you get a packaged plan it will have these two combined into one or you could mix & match the level of hospital cover (basic/regular/premium etc.) and extra cover (basic/regular/premium etc.) by yourself according to your needs. For example, a person might get premium hospital cover and basic extra cover.

Go to the health insurance companies website and have a look.

Grayling

None of them will cover everything.....you will always have to pay something especially for dentistry.

we recently compared several different ones and ended up with medibank simply because they had an office nearby.

they were all very similar in cost and what they covered.....and what they did not cover

G

cookiestar

There's a Medibank place in the Westfield here, so I'll go and have a chat with them tomorrow. To be honest, hospital cover isn't something I really want, but dental is. Even if it is just to keep the cost of treatment down, and we still have to shell out an excess.

All this stuff that you have to learn how it works. Living in a new country is great fun

looky

Just give them a call or have a look on their website. They have all the plans there, there is nothing the person in the office can give you that is not on the website. Also ask them if your employer entitles you to corporate discount of 5%.

LOL you can't have private health insurance without hospital cover. Like I said if dental is more important than hospital cover than choose the cheapest hospital cover with excess and the premium extra cover.

JackTheLad

Put your 'premiums' into a high interest savings account monthly.

If shit happens, pay to go private from your savings account.

Trust me, its cheaper. Unless of course you are the kind of family that shit happens to on a regular basis

If you are religious, don't you realise insurance is just a form of gambling?

If you are not religious, why are you gambling. The insurance companies always win? Thats why they make huge profits.

JTL

cookiestar

It's all new to me. I must sound a bit green, huh

Having looked at a couple of the insurers mentioned on here there are a few options. Thanks.

mulben

This site could help somewhat .......
http://www.privatehealth.gov.au/

fish.01

Not sure if I have understood exactly what you meant but you can get private health insurance without hospital cover. ie just extras. It obviously won't meet the govt requirements for avoiding the medicare levy surcharge (if income greater than $73,000 for single or $146,000 for couple/family) but you can get it.

looky

.

Susan Wareham McGrath

This site might be helpful: http://www.iselect.com.au/

Cheers
Susan

ABCDiamond

You can, but it doesn't help with the Medicare Levy Surcharge.

In some cases it may be best to get a cheap Hospital plan, and a separate company for Dental cover.