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Our experts can help you and your partner get a better deal on health insurance.
Compare couples policies in under 2 minutes, for free
Sit back & save money (we'll even do the paperwork)
Our dedicated Health Insurance experts are here to help. Updated 1 May 2026.
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Couples health insurance allows a couple (generally either de facto or a married couple) to be covered under the same policy. The level of cover and inclusions are the same for both partners.
If your circumstances change, such as separation or divorce, you'll generally need to switch your health insurance to a single policy so your cover reflects your situation.
Couples cover can be handy if you and your partner are likely to claim for similar conditions and treatments. But the thing to remember is that couples health insurance is no different to health insurance for singles. It does not have any additional inclusions by default.
For example, you might assume that health insurance for couples would cover the likes of pregnancy and birth-related claims that some couples might need. But that’s not the case. If a couple wants to include pregnancy in their cover, they would need to choose the appropriate level of cover, just like a single person would.
Around one in five (21%) of people covered by a Hospital policy in Australia have couples cover, according to the most recent health insurance statistics. We recently surveyed more than 1,000 people and 26% of respondents said they were on a couples health insurance policy.
Couples health insurance can be for Hospital-only, Extras-only or combined Hospital and Extras cover. For couples health insurance, each partner will have the same policy type – you can’t mix and match.
This will cover each partner for costs related to being treated as a private patient in a public or private hospital. For example, it might cover the cost of undergoing surgery, including medical costs and related costs like accommodation, transport and even meals while you’re in hospital.
Couples can choose the tier of Hospital cover that suits them (Basic, Bronze, Silver or Gold), with varying inclusions and cover levels depending on what you choose. With a couples Hospital policy, each partner will be covered by the same tier of cover.
If you and your partner want to be covered for pregnancy and birth-related services, you will need to choose a suitable level of hospital cover (usually this means the highest cover levels). There is typically a 12-month waiting period on claims relating to pregnancy and birth.
Extras policies cover couples for certain out-of-hospital treatments and expenses (like dental and optical). Like Hospital cover, the inclusions and limits will depend on what level of Extras cover you choose.
But Extras levels cover is not as clearly defined as Hospital cover, meaning you and your partner will need to pay close attention to what exactly is covered and up to what limit when you’re comparing Extras policies.
Again, under couples health insurance, each partner will need to be covered by the same level of Extras cover. You generally can’t pick certain inclusions to apply only to one partner. To do that you would need to take out separate singles policies.
Depending on the policy, the claim limits on your Extras cover will either be per person, or a total limit for both partners. It’s worth checking this before you sign up and it could impact how likely you are to get maximum value from the policy.
84% of couples on a combined private health insurance policy make at least one claim on their Hospital cover per year. 94% of couples with Extras cover make at least one claim on their policy per year.
Couples policies and singles policies are very similar in terms of what can be covered. In other words, you don’t get anything extra by default for being covered as a couple. In addition, according to analysis by Money.com.au, the base premiums for couples health insurance are typically no cheaper than two singles policies for the same level of cover.
But there are some potential advantages to having couples cover, because of how the government rebate applies to couples and families (including single-parent families) versus single policyholders.
For example, a higher level of government rebate could apply to a couples policy (benefitting both partners) if one of the partners is eligible for a higher rebate.
That’s because, as well as income, the rebate that’s applied is based on the age of the oldest person covered by a policy, and higher rebates apply to people aged 65 or older. So someone under 65 would benefit if the partner they share couples health insurance with is over 65
As well as this, with a couples policy, your rebate is generally assessed based on your combined income, which may mean that together you qualify for a higher rebate covering both partners.
There are also some potential drawbacks to couples health insurance versus singles cover. Most notably, the greater flexibility singles cover offers each individual.
For example, if one partner has complex health needs, that partner could opt for a higher (more expensive) level of cover through a singles policy, while a separate lower (less expensive) level of cover might be sufficient for the other partner.
In that scenario, getting a high level of couples health insurance covering both partners might not be necessary and may cost more than purchasing two singles policies.
For any essentials, you may want to make sure these are covered for you both even if the specific cover is only likely to be used by one partner. For any nice-to-haves, it’s more about weighing up the overall benefit for each inclusion and deciding if it’ll be worth having.
The best way to keep your couples policy premiums low will be to compare private health insurance from a wide range of providers both not-for-profit and for-profit. Be sure to compare policies with the same level of cover so you’re getting an accurate comparison. Also check if it would work out cheaper to get two singles policies, with each policy tailored to your specific needs.
This is important but often overlooked. On Extras cover, your annual claim limits for each area of cover will either be per person or in some cases a total policy limit. If only one person in the couple is likely to use the service or treatment, per person limits will not be ideal.
When you’re confident you’ve chosen an appropriate cover type, it’s worth taking a look at which providers currently have health insurance offers. This could mean saving a decent amount on your first year’s policy, for example. The special offers on couples health insurance are sometimes more generous than those on singles policies.
Chris Whitelaw, General Manager - Health Insurance at Money.com.au
"If you're planning to start or grow your family and want your private health insurance to cover the pregnancy and birth, make sure to choose a policy that includes pregnancy coverage as not all hospital policies do. You'll also need to factor in the 12-month waiting period that usually applies."
Chris Whitelaw, General Manager - Health Insurance at Money.com.au
Couples health insurance typically costs between $223 and $943 per month for hospital cover, with extras cover averaging around $115 per month.
However, it will depend on what level of cover you choose, your income and your age. The provider you choose will also determine how much you pay. It’s worth shopping around, particularly on Extras cover where there is generally more variation in the types of policies providers offer.
Premiums for couples can be expensive, but one of the benefits of private health insurance is that there are various government incentives available to lower the cost, if you're eligible.
Here are some examples to give an idea of the potential cost of couples health insurance based on quotes sourced from some of Australia’s largest health funds.
The table below shows the cost of health insurance for a couple (each partner aged 35) living in NSW, with combined income under $202,000. The cover is for each provider’s most basic level of Hospital cover and a medium level of Extras, covering at least emergency ambulance, general and major dental, optical and physio.
Provider | HCF |
|---|---|
Basic Hospital (per month) | $226.46 (Hospital Basic Plus) |
Extras (per month) | $98.80 (Mid Extras) |
Combined Hospital and Extras (per month) | $246.80 (Hospital Basic Plus and Mid Extras) |
Provider | HBF |
Basic Hospital (per month) | $233.51 (Basic Hospital Plus) |
Extras (per month) | $84.73 (Value 50) |
Combined Hospital and Extras (per month) | $234.67 (Basic Hospital Plus and Flex 50) |
Provider | Bupa |
Basic Hospital (per month) | $237.90 (Basic Plus Starter Hospital) |
Extras (per month) | $114.20 (Core Extras) |
Combined Hospital and Extras (per month) | $267.18 (Basic Plus Starter Hospital and Core Extras) |
Provider | nib |
Basic Hospital (per month) | $245.06 (Basic Care Hospital Plus) |
Extras (per month) | $108.93 (Core Extras) |
Combined Hospital and Extras (per month) | $258.14 (Basic Care Hospital Plus and Core Extras) |
Provider | GMHBA |
Basic Hospital (per month) | $230.70 (Basic Plus Starter) |
Extras (per month) | $135.30 (SmartCare Everyday Boost) |
Combined Hospital and Extras (per month) | $265.25 (Basic Hospital and SmartCare Everyday Boost) |
Provider | Australian Unity |
Basic Hospital (per month) | $235.70 (Simple Hospital Basic Plus) |
Extras (per month) | $118.50 (Focus Extras) |
Combined Hospital and Extras (per month) | $185.60 (Care 'n' Repair) |
Provider | Medibank |
Basic Hospital (per month) | $237.70 (Basic Plus) |
Extras (per month) | $138.10 (Growing Family 70 Extras) |
Combined Hospital and Extras (per month) | $285.16 (Medibank Basic Plus Select and Growing Family Extras) |
| Provider | Basic Hospital (per month) | Extras (per month) | Combined Hospital and Extras (per month) |
|---|---|---|---|
HCF | $226.46 (Hospital Basic Plus) | $98.80 (Mid Extras) | $246.80 (Hospital Basic Plus and Mid Extras) |
HBF | $233.51 (Basic Hospital Plus) | $84.73 (Value 50) | $234.67 (Basic Hospital Plus and Flex 50) |
Bupa | $237.90 (Basic Plus Starter Hospital) | $114.20 (Core Extras) | $267.18 (Basic Plus Starter Hospital and Core Extras) |
nib | $245.06 (Basic Care Hospital Plus) | $108.93 (Core Extras) | $258.14 (Basic Care Hospital Plus and Core Extras) |
GMHBA | $230.70 (Basic Plus Starter) | $135.30 (SmartCare Everyday Boost) | $265.25 (Basic Hospital and SmartCare Everyday Boost) |
Australian Unity | $235.70 (Simple Hospital Basic Plus) | $118.50 (Focus Extras) | $185.60 (Care 'n' Repair) |
Medibank | $237.70 (Basic Plus) | $138.10 (Growing Family 70 Extras) | $285.16 (Medibank Basic Plus Select and Growing Family Extras) |
In 2024–25, couples policies recorded the highest average gross annual premium (GAP) at $5,694 for combined Hospital and Extras cover (about $475 per month). They made up 22.9% of all policies sold, making couples the second-largest customer group after singles, according to the latest Private Health Insurance Intermediaries Association (PHIIA) report.
Depending on your age, either or both of you may be subject to the Lifetime Health Cover loading, which is an extra cost on top of the standard premiums applied to people aged over 31 who have never had private health insurance. For couples, the loading is applied based on the average of the loading for each individual.
For example, let’s say one partner is 35 years old and has never had private health insurance before, but their partner who’s the same age has had cover since they were in their 20s. The LCH loading applied to their couples health insurance would be the average of their individual loadings: 10% + 0% / 2 = 5% premium loading.
This helps bring down the cost of health insurance premiums with tiered rebates based on income (up to an income cap). For couples, the government rebate that applies is based on combined household income, with lower income households qualifying for higher rebate levels. The rebate will be based on the age of the oldest partner on the couples health policy.
| Family income | Rebate % |
|---|---|
$202,000 or less | 24.118% for under 65s 28.139% for ages 65-69 32.158% for ages 70+ |
$202,001 – $236,000 | 16.079% for under 65s 20.098% for ages 65-69 24.118% for ages 70+ |
$236,001 – $316,000 | 8.038% for under 65s 12.058% for ages 65-69 16.079% for ages 70+ |
If either or both partners are under 30 years old when you take out cover, you may qualify for an age-based discount on your couples health insurance. This is offered by some insurers (not all) and is a percentage discount on your policy premiums.
It’s offered as a 2% discount for every year under the age of 30 you are, with the discount you qualify for at the start of your policy applying until you are 41 years old. After that point it phases out gradually. For eligible couples policies, the discount applied will be the average of the discount for the two partners covered.
This is not a cost of your couples health insurance as such, but a cost you might incur if you don’t have a minimum level of Hospital cover.
For couples, the Medicare levy surcharge (MLS) is applied based on the household income thresholds shown below for the 2025/26 financial year (note the family income threshold is increased by $1,500 for each MLS dependent child after the first child).
| Family income threshold | Medicare levy surcharge |
|---|---|
$202,000 or less | 0% |
$202,001 – $236,000 | 1% |
$236,001 – $316,000 | 1.25% |
$316,001 or more | 1.5% |
Some health insurance providers allow you to nominate a higher excess on couples Hospital cover to reduce your premiums. The maximum excess for couples is $1,500 per membership year. While increasing your excess could save you money on your premiums, doing this would mean you will have more to pay if you need to make a claim.
If you're looking to cover you and your spouse or partner under an Overseas Visitor Health Cover policy, this will almost certainly be more expensive than a standard couples health insurance policy. That's because it's not subsidised by the Australian Government in the same was as cover for residents is.
If you and your partner decide that couples health insurance is suitable, there are a few different ways to go about getting it.
If neither of you have previously held private health insurance, you would simply apply together for a new policy with your chosen provider. A waiting period would apply to both partners in this scenario.
If one of you already has a singles policy, you may simply be able to convert it to a couples policy, with your partner added as a policyholder. The partner who has been added, may need to serve a waiting period before being able to claim if they have not recently been covered by the same or a lower level of cover.
If you both already have cover, you will need to decide whether to convert one of your singles policies into a couples policy, or shop around and find a different provider entirely. If the new couples policy is the same or a lower level of cover than the singles policies each partner was on, you should not need to re-serve waiting periods on the new policy.
Couples health insurance can cover pregnancy and related services, but you'll need a Hospital policy that includes pregnancy and obstetrics. This is typically only included in the highest (most expensive) levels of cover. There’s usually a 12-month waiting period before you can claim pregnancy benefits.
To qualify for couples health insurance, you generally need to be married or in a de facto relationship, and living together. That said there are no hard and fast rules on this and some providers will offer couples health insurance policies to people in other scenarios.
Yes and no. For each individual, the amount you can claim is likely to be the same regardless of whether you are on a couples health insurance policy or insured by yourself under singles cover. The exceptions to this are instances where the annual claim limit Extras is based on a combined total, rather than a per person limit. In that case, it’s possible that one person could benefit from a higher limit with couples policy, assuming their partner will not claim their full share of the overall limit.
If you’re looking for cheap couples health insurance, compare policies from different insurers based on the premium charged, while still ensuring that the cover will be sufficient for your needs. As a general rule, policies with fewer inclusions and lower claim limits cost less.
Because of how private health insurance works in Australia, if you take out health insurance while you and your partner are younger, you may pay less. That’s because there are a number of incentives available to encourage people to take out cover while they are young (under 31).
It’s worth also keeping an eye out for promotions or discounts that insurers regularly offer.
We have a range of health insurance partners including:
Please note, we do not compare all health funds in the market, or all policies from our partner funds, and at times certain funds or products might be unavailable.
No, both partners get the same level of Extras cover on a couples policy. If your needs are very different, two singles policies might be more flexible.
You can still take out a couples policy. The person who already had cover might not need to serve waiting periods again, but the other partner likely will, unless they had equivalent cover recently.
Usually yes. Most health funds require you to live together to qualify for a couples policy, as it’s intended for de facto or married partners.
According to a recent Money.com.au survey, most couples combine their financial arrangements after they have moved in together (34%) or when they got married (30%). On average couples combine their finances after 3.5 years of being together.
Yes they can. Couples cover is available to any couple in a long-term, committed relationship, regardless of gender.
As soon as one partner in a couple turns 65, your policy rebate (for both partners) may increase, since it’s based on the age of the oldest person on the policy.
Yes, as long as your policy allows for per person limits. If your Extras policy has combined annual limits, you may be competing for the same pool of benefits.
So if a joint trip to the dentist is your idea of a romantic couples outing, you should both be able to claim a benefit under the same policy, as long as you’re within your policy limit.
If your needs are really different, it might work out cheaper to hold separate singles policies tailored to each of you. Otherwise, with a high level of couples cover, you may not get full value from the policy if only one person uses it regularly.
Yes you can. Once you have a child, you can upgrade your policy to a family or single-parent family policy. This usually needs to be done within 60 days of birth to avoid new waiting periods.
Yes, unless you’re transferring from another fund with the same or lower level of cover. Then your waiting periods may be waived. If only one of you has already served the relevant waiting period, the other person would still need to serve a waiting period on your couples policy.
Yes you can. You can either cancel the policy completely or split it into two singles policies with the same provider. Be aware this may affect waiting periods depending on the changes you make. For example if one partner chooses to upgrade their coverage, chances are they will need to serve a waiting period for any treatments that were not covered under the existing policy.
Each person can make claims individually, just like on a singles policy. You’ll usually each get your own membership number or digital card.
Effectively yes. The income thresholds for the government health insurance rebate for couples are double those that apply to singles. The rebate amount itself is a calculated as a percentage of the cost of policy, and premiums on couples policies are typically double those of singles.
If you’re healthy and unlikely to need hospital treatment, choosing a higher excess can lower your premiums. Just make sure you can afford the out-of-pocket cost if you do need hospital care.
Yes, definitely. You and your partner can each see your own dentist, physio or optometrist, as long as the provider is recognised by your insurer.
Most Hospital and many Extras policies include emergency ambulance cover. Just check the fine print as some policies only cover you for emergencies, not non-urgent transport.
If you're already with the same insurer, you can often convert your singles policy to couples cover online or over the phone. If you're with different providers, it's often easier to start fresh with a new couples policy.
Sean Callery is the Editor of Money.com.au. He has over 15 years of international experience. He is qualified with a Certificate IV in Finance and Mortgage Broking (FNS40821) and is compliant to provide general advice in Tier 1 General Insurance (RG 146) products.
Jared Mullane is a finance writer with more than a decade of experience at some of Australia’s biggest finance and consumer brands. His areas of expertise include energy, home loans, personal finance and insurance. Jared is qualified with a Certificate IV in Finance and Mortgage Broking (FNS40821).
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Our customers have access to offers from a range of health insurance partners:
Please note, we do not compare all health funds in the market, or all policies from our partner funds, and at times certain funds or products might be unavailable.
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