What are waiting periods in health insurance?

Waiting periods in health insurance are durations after policy commencement during which claims for specific services cannot be made. They prevent immediate claims post-sign-up. Typically, waiting periods range from two months for general treatments to 12 months for pre-existing conditions or major procedures.

How can I get health insurance with no waiting period?

To obtain health insurance without waiting periods, consider switching to a policy with equal or lesser coverage; previous waiting periods may be recognized. Additionally, some insurers offer promotions waiving waiting periods for certain Extras services to attract new customers.

What is the mental health waiting period exemption?

The mental health waiting period exemption allows individuals to upgrade their Hospital cover for psychiatric services without serving additional waiting periods, provided they've completed the initial two-month period. This exemption is available once in a lifetime and applies to mental health and substance abuse treatments.

Which insurers are offering no waiting period on Extras cover?

Insurers like AAMI, ahm, and Apia Health waive 2- and 6-month waiting periods on Extras from time to time for new members purchasing combined Hospital and Extras policies. These offers are time-limited and subject to specific terms and conditions.

What is a pre-existing condition in health insurance?

A pre-existing condition refers to any ailment, illness or condition where signs or symptoms were present in the six months before taking out or upgrading your Hospital cover. Health funds usually apply a 12-month waiting period for treatment related to pre-existing conditions, regardless of whether you previously sought treatment.

Do waiting periods apply when switching health insurance policies?

When switching to a policy with the same or lower coverage, previously served waiting periods are typically honored. However, if the new policy includes additional services not covered before, new waiting periods may apply to those specific services.

Health Insurance With No Waiting Period (2026 Guide)

Q: Do I need to re-serve waiting periods if I switch providers?

No, not usually. If you switch to a policy with the same or lower level of cover, your new insurer should recognise waiting periods you've already served. However, if your new policy includes additional benefits or higher limits, you may need to serve waiting periods for those specific items.

Q: Is there any health insurance with no pregnancy waiting period?

All Hospital policies that cover pregnancy and birth have a 12-month waiting period, which applies industry-wide. There's no option to skip or fast-track this period, so you’ll need to plan well ahead if you want private hospital cover for maternity services during your pregnancy.

Health Insurance With No Waiting Period

A health insurance waiting period is the time you must wait before you can make a claim after you take out a new policy.

Waiting periods typically range from 2 - 12 months
Some insurers waive waiting periods on Extras cover (but not Hospital)
Our experts can help you compare policies and understand waiting periods

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Can you get health insurance with no waiting period?

It’ll depend on the type of cover you take out:

Hospital cover (generally, NO)

All hospital policies have a minimum waiting period of two months for most treatments, including procedures such as joint replacements and cataract surgery, provided the condition is new. Pre-existing conditions and obstetrics (pregnancy and birth) have longer waiting periods of 12 months. If you’re switching to the same level of cover (or lower) with a different provider you won’t have to re-sit waiting periods.

Extras cover (YES, in some cases)

Many health funds waive certain waiting periods on extras cover such as dental, optical, and physiotherapy to attract new members. These offers are often promoted as “2- and 6-month waiting periods waived on extras” but may come with conditions, such as applying only to specific out-of-hospital treatments.

What are health insurance waiting periods?

Health insurance waiting periods are the set timeframes you must wait after taking out a policy for the first time, or upgrading your cover, before you can claim benefits. Waiting periods apply to both Hospital and Extras cover.

The length of a waiting period depends on the type of treatment, usually ranging from two to 12 months.

For example, health insurance for pregnancy typically has a 12-month waiting period, so you would need to take out an appropriate level of hospital cover, such as Gold cover, and hold it for 12 months before you can claim for birth-related services and treatment.

Why do waiting periods apply?

According to PrivateHealth.gov.au, health insurance waiting periods help prevent people from taking out cover and making an immediate claim.

They protect existing members by reducing the risk of individuals making a large claim soon after joining and then cancelling their cover, which would otherwise lead to higher premiums for all policyholders.

Waiting periods are one of the potential disadvantages of health insurance, as they apply in most scenarios. But there are a handful of situations where getting health insurance with no waiting period may be possible. The catch is, you generally need to have cover in place already to qualify.

Here are some providers offering to waive the waiting periods on selected extras.

Provider	Australian Seniors
No waiting period offer	Take out combined Hospital and Extras cover get the 2- and 6-month waits waived on selected Extras (eligible new customers only, T&Cs apply.
Offer expires	3 March 2026
Provider	CBHS (restricted membership)
No waiting period offer	Commbank employees and their families who take out a combined Hospital and Extras policy will have the 2 & 6 month waiting periods waived on Extras (eligible new customers only, T&Cs apply).
Offer expires	31 March 2026
Provider	Doctors Health Fund (restricted membership)
No waiting period offer	Join now on Hospital and Extras and skip the 2-month wait on Extras (eligible new customers only, T&Cs apply)
Offer expires	31 March 2026
Provider	Frank Health Insurance
No waiting period offer	Frank is offering to waive 2 & 6 month waiting periods on Extras when you join as a new customer on a combined hospital and extras policy. (T&Cs apply)
Offer expires	31 August 2026
Provider	GMHBA
No waiting period offer	2 & 6 month waiting periods will be waived on Extras when you join with a combined hospital and extras policy. (New customers only, T&Cs apply).
Offer expires	31 August 2026
Provider	HBF
No waiting period offer	Join now on combined Hospital and Extras and skip the 2-month wait on Extras (eligible new customers only, T&Cs apply).
Offer expires	10 March 2026
Provider	HCF
No waiting period offer	Join now on combined Hospital and Extras and skip the 2-month wait on Extras (eligible new customers only, T&Cs apply).
Offer expires	20 April 2026
Provider	Health Partners
No waiting period offer	Purchase combined Hospital and Extras cover and avoid the waits on most Extras with a 2-month waiting period after the first contribution payment has been received (eligible new customers only, T&Cs apply).
Offer expires	28 February 2026
Provider	HIF
No waiting period offer	Purchase combined Hospital and Extras cover and avoid the waits on most Extras with a 2-month waiting period (eligible customers only, T&Cs apply).
Offer expires	30 April 2026
Provider	Medibank
No waiting period offer	Take out new Bronze Hospital and Extras cover or higher and avoid the 2 & 6 month waiting periods on Extras (eligible customers only, T&Cs apply).
Offer expires	Until withdrawn
Provider	Navy Health (restricted membership)
No waiting period offer	Join on combined Hospital and Extras cover to get the 2 & 6 month waiting periods waived on Extras (eligible ADF members and families only, T&Cs apply).
Offer expires	31 March 2026
Provider	nib
No waiting period offer	Take out combined Hospital and Extras cover get the 2- and 6-month waits waived on selected Extras (eligible new customers only, T&Cs apply.
Offer expires	28 February 2026
Provider	Qantas Insurance
No waiting period offer	Take out combined Hospital and Extras cover get the 2- and 6-month waits waived on selected Extras (eligible new customers only, T&Cs apply.
Offer expires	9 April 2026
Provider	see-u by HBF
No waiting period offer	Say goodbye to the 2 & 6 month waiting periods on Extras when you take out combined Hospital and Extras cover (eligible new customers only, T&Cs apply).
Offer expires	31 March 2026
Provider	St. Lukes
No waiting period offer	Take out combined Hospital and Extras or Hospital-only cover and get the 2-, 3- and 6-month waits waived on selected Extras (eligible new customers only, T&Cs apply).
Offer expires	12 April 2026

Provider	No waiting period offer	Offer expires
Australian Seniors	Take out combined Hospital and Extras cover get the 2- and 6-month waits waived on selected Extras (eligible new customers only, T&Cs apply.	3 March 2026
CBHS (restricted membership)	Commbank employees and their families who take out a combined Hospital and Extras policy will have the 2 & 6 month waiting periods waived on Extras (eligible new customers only, T&Cs apply).	31 March 2026
Doctors Health Fund (restricted membership)	Join now on Hospital and Extras and skip the 2-month wait on Extras (eligible new customers only, T&Cs apply)	31 March 2026
Frank Health Insurance	Frank is offering to waive 2 & 6 month waiting periods on Extras when you join as a new customer on a combined hospital and extras policy. (T&Cs apply)	31 August 2026
GMHBA	2 & 6 month waiting periods will be waived on Extras when you join with a combined hospital and extras policy. (New customers only, T&Cs apply).	31 August 2026
HBF	Join now on combined Hospital and Extras and skip the 2-month wait on Extras (eligible new customers only, T&Cs apply).	10 March 2026
HCF	Join now on combined Hospital and Extras and skip the 2-month wait on Extras (eligible new customers only, T&Cs apply).	20 April 2026
Health Partners	Purchase combined Hospital and Extras cover and avoid the waits on most Extras with a 2-month waiting period after the first contribution payment has been received (eligible new customers only, T&Cs apply).	28 February 2026
HIF	Purchase combined Hospital and Extras cover and avoid the waits on most Extras with a 2-month waiting period (eligible customers only, T&Cs apply).	30 April 2026
Medibank	Take out new Bronze Hospital and Extras cover or higher and avoid the 2 & 6 month waiting periods on Extras (eligible customers only, T&Cs apply).	Until withdrawn
Navy Health (restricted membership)	Join on combined Hospital and Extras cover to get the 2 & 6 month waiting periods waived on Extras (eligible ADF members and families only, T&Cs apply).	31 March 2026
nib	Take out combined Hospital and Extras cover get the 2- and 6-month waits waived on selected Extras (eligible new customers only, T&Cs apply.	28 February 2026
Qantas Insurance	Take out combined Hospital and Extras cover get the 2- and 6-month waits waived on selected Extras (eligible new customers only, T&Cs apply.	9 April 2026
see-u by HBF	Say goodbye to the 2 & 6 month waiting periods on Extras when you take out combined Hospital and Extras cover (eligible new customers only, T&Cs apply).	31 March 2026
St. Lukes	Take out combined Hospital and Extras or Hospital-only cover and get the 2-, 3- and 6-month waits waived on selected Extras (eligible new customers only, T&Cs apply).	12 April 2026

Offer details correct as at 20 February 2026. Before applying for cover, read the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) and other policy documents to understand whether it's right for you.

Here are some situations when it may be possible to avoid health insurance waiting periods:

Switch to the same level cover or lower
You can get health insurance with no waiting period on a Hospital policy if you already have cover, and then sign up for a new policy that offers the same or a lower level of coverage.

The new insurer must recognise that you have already served the appropriate waiting period.

If your new policy includes coverage that your old policy didn’t, you may need to serve a waiting period for the new inclusions.

If you're switching from singles health insurance to a couples policy (or vice versa), the waiting period you already served as an individual would be recognised under the new policy.
Mental health exemption
If you have a Hospital policy that includes psychiatric cover, you may be able to upgrade to a higher level of psychiatric cover without needing to serve a further waiting period. You would need to already have served the two-month waiting period on your existing lower level of cover.

The ‘mental health waiting period exemption’ applies to mental health services and drug and alcohol treatment. You can only use this exemption once in your lifetime.

Note if you upgrade your cover in this way, your health insurance will likely become more expensive.
Extras cover with waiting periods waived
Waiting periods on Extras are not as strictly regulated. This means insurers have more flexibility to tailor waiting periods to particular conditions, or waive the waiting period entirely in some cases.

For example, it’s relatively common to see health insurance special offers where insurers offer Extras cover with no waiting period on certain conditions for new customers. This is usually a temporary special offer as opposed to a standard feature of the cover.

The waived waiting period is generally only for certain types of Extras cover – commonly those with a two- or six-month waiting period. The standard waiting period applies to anything else not included in the special offer.

For hospital cover, there are legal limits on the maximum waiting periods insurers can apply. Here are the waiting periods for hospital cover as per the Private Health Insurance Act 2007:

Pregnancy and birth (12 months)

For pregnancy and birth-related services (obstetrics), you’ll need to serve a 12-month waiting period. This means if children are on the cards, you’ll need to take out an appropriate level of cover at least a year in advance of the due date if you want to claim maternity-related hospital services.

Pre-existing conditions (12 months)

The Private Health Insurance Ombudsman defines a pre-existing condition as any illness or ailment with signs or symptoms in the six months before you took out a hospital policy or upgraded your cover. These conditions come with a 12-month waiting period before you can make a claim.

Psychiatric care, rehabilitation and palliative care (2 months)

Psychiatric care, rehabilitation, and palliative care each have a two-month waiting period, even for pre-existing conditions. Psychiatric care involves hospital treatment for mental health; rehabilitation provides therapy and support after illness or surgery; and palliative care focuses on comfort and quality of life for people with serious illnesses.

In-hospital treatment (2 months)

A two-month waiting period applies to treatment in hospital for a range of conditions. This refers to both treatment as a private patient in a public or private hospital setting. Refer to the product disclosure statement (PDS) to see which waiting period applies to treatments covered under the hospital policy.

Waiting periods on extras cover

Unlike hospital cover, extras are not regulated in the same way, so waiting periods can vary between insurers and policies. This means health funds set their own waiting periods for extras. Here’s a typical guide for some common treatments:

General dental (2 months): Most insurers require a two-month wait before you can claim for basic dental services like cleans, fillings and x-rays.

Optical (2–6 months): Optical cover usually has a two-month waiting period, but some funds or policies may require up to six months.

Physiotherapy (2–6 months): Waiting periods for physio, exercise programs and rehab for injuries or movement issues typically range from two to six months.

Chiropractic & osteopathy (2 months): These services often have a two-month waiting period.

Orthodontics & major dental (12 months): Major dental work and orthodontic treatments usually come with a 12-month waiting period.

Podiatry (2–6 months): Treatments related to feet and ankles generally require a wait of two to six months.

Ambulance (1 day): Emergency ambulance services commonly have a one-day waiting period.

FAQs about health insurance waiting periods

What is a pre-existing condition and does it affect waiting periods?

The term ‘pre-existing health condition’ under a health insurance policy is closely defined as:

Any ailment, illness, or condition that you had signs or symptoms of during the six months before you joined a hospital policy or upgraded to a higher level of hospital cover.

A condition can still be classed as pre-existing even if you hadn’t seen your doctor about it before starting the hospital cover or upgrading to a higher hospital policy.

The decision about whether a condition was pre-existing will be made by a medical practitioner appointed by your insurer.

Even if you have pre-existing conditions, you cannot be charged more for health insurance on that basis, and you will be covered for treatment once you’re served the waiting period.

The waiting period on a pre-existing health condition can be a maximum of 12 months under hospital cover. The exceptions here are psychiatric treatments, rehabilitation and palliative care. These services have a two-month waiting period, even if the condition is pre-existing.

Do I need to re-serve waiting periods if I switch providers?

No, you won’t need to re-serve waiting periods on hospital cover if you have already served the waiting period for the same kind of cover. However, if you are applying for new or upgraded cover, you will need to serve a waiting period on anything you weren’t already covered for.

For example, if you switch your family health cover to a new insurer and have already served the waiting period for pregnancy on your old policy, most health funds won't require you to serve the waiting period again if you're having more children.

Do any health funds waive waiting periods?

Health funds must waive the waiting period for new customers who are joining on the same or a lower level of hospital cover than they already have with their existing insurer. The waiver won’t apply to conditions or treatments the customer has not already served the full waiting period on.

This applies to all types of customers, including singles, couples, seniors, families and single-parent families.

Every person can upgrade their mental health related cover once in their lifetime, without needing to re-sit the waiting period they already had on a lower level of cover.

On extras cover, some providers waive the waiting periods on certain items as an incentive to attract new customers. This can be a handy way to access benefits sooner, assuming the policy is the best health insurance option for your needs overall.

Is there any health insurance with no pregnancy waiting period?

You're unlikely to find a health insurance provider that waives the waiting period on pregnancy cover. Virtually all health funds impose a 12-month waiting period on pregnancy related cover.

Can I get dental insurance with no waiting period?

Some health funds offer extras policies with no waiting periods on dental, especially for new customers. However, this varies by insurer and policy, so it’s important to check the specific terms or talk to a health insurance advisor before signing up.

Can I get optical insurance with no waiting period?

Certain funds may waive the waiting period for optical cover to attract new members, but many policies still require a wait of two to six months. Always review the policy fine print to confirm.

What happens if I pause my health cover?

According to nib, if you pause your policy before completing your waiting periods, those waiting times will simply be put on hold and must be finished once your cover restarts. The waiting periods won’t restart or expire during the break.

Can I use private health insurance straight away?

You can use private health insurance immediately for some services, but most treatments require you to complete the waiting periods first. Emergency ambulance cover often starts immediately or has a one-day wait.

Do Bupa and Medibank waive waiting periods?

Both Bupa and Medibank sometimes offer promotions that waive waiting periods on extras, but conditions apply. These offers vary, so check current policies and terms before joining. Other insurers, both not-for-profit and for-profit also waive waiting periods at times.

Can I still use my health insurance if I haven’t served the waiting period?

You can keep your policy active, but you cannot claim for treatments that have waiting periods until those periods are completed. However, you may still be able to claim for services that don’t have waiting periods or for emergency care.

Important information

*Featured offer T&Cs

Select the offer you're interested in to view full T&Cs.

HCF 8 Weeks Free

Bupa 6 Weeks Free

nib 6 Weeks Free

Australian Unity 8 Weeks Free

HIF 6 Weeks Free

see-u by hbf 4 Weeks Free

ahm 6 Weeks Free

Frank Health Insurance Skip 2 & 6 Month Waits

General information only

The information on this page is general in nature and has been prepared without considering your objectives, financial situation or needs. You should consider whether the information provided and the nature of any product is suitable for you and seek independent advice if necessary.

We do not compare all health insurance providers and products available in Australia and we do not guarantee that our product comparisons include all product features and attributes relevant to you.

In providing general information on this page, we are not providing you with a recommendation or suggestion about a particular product. You should read the relevant disclosure statements or other offer documents before deciding whether to apply for or continue to use a particular product.

However, when a customer requests that we contact them regarding health insurance, after being on the Money.com.au website, we will take the information they provide into account when providing the customer with a range of health insurance product options.

How we provide personalised health insurance comparisons

We have partnered with The ItsMy Group (ABN 85 167 289 965) to form our panel of health insurance providers. If a Money.com.au insurance advisor helps you find a more suitable product and you join that health insurer, IMG receive a payment from that fund, which they pass on to us. This is normally a one-off fee but it can also be paid in increments over time.

There is no charge to consumers to use the service, and any payment we receive does not change the price you pay for the product. Our health insurance advisors do not know how much we are paid by the fund they recommend.

Both Money.com.au and The ItsMy Group are members of the Private Health Insurance Intermediaries Association (“PHIIA”) and are have signed up to the PHIIA Code of Conduct.

Which brands do we compare?

Our customers have access to offers from a range of health insurance partners:

AHM

AIA Health

Australian Unity

Australian Seniors

Bupa

Frank Health Insurance

GMHBA

HCF

Health Care Insurance

Health Partners

HIF

Hunter Health Insurance

Navy Health

NIB

Peoplecare

Phoenix Health

Real Insurance

RT Health

Seniors Health

Teachers Health

TUH Health Fund

Union Health

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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If we can’t resolve your issue immediately, a senior manager will respond to you at the latest by the next business day from receipt of your enquiry. If we are still unable to resolve the matter within three days, it will be escalated to the attention of the CEO.

You could also contact your health fund or the Private Health Insurance Ombudsman’s office (PHIO):

For general information about private health insurance, see https://www.privatehealth.gov.au/

To make a complaint, contact the Commonwealth Ombudsman at www.ombudsman.gov.au

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