Thinking about the next stage of your relationship? There are the big things … like moving in, marriage, kids. But there’s also a lot to consider when you fuse your life together with that special someone.

Bank accounts, mortgages, bills … and your private health cover.

Whether you both have private health cover (or even if you don’t), looking at your private health cover options is important when coming together as a couple.

A couples policy covers married, de facto, and registered couples. You’ll share one policy, only need to pay one premium… and be across all the benefits!

You can choose Hospital cover or Extras cover only, or for peace of mind, you can take out a combined policy that gives you the benefits of both.

If you’re looking at combing your private health cover (a couples policy), here are some things to look out for. We’ll explore in more detail below:

• Level of cover
• Benefits
• Premiums and costs
• Member Service

 

Couples Health Insurance

Level of Cover

It’s important to understand your options and to find a cover that offers services or treatments you’ll use or think you might need. There’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to private health insurance.

Services or treatments covered by a singles policy will also be available on a couples health policy. You’ll also receive the same benefit entitlement on a couples policy as you would on two single policies, but it’s important you read the cover guides for more details.

Hospital covers are classified as Gold, Silver, Bronze or Basic. You may find that the services or treatments you need are included in Basic or Bronze levels of cover, which could have significantly lower premiums than the more comprehensive Gold and Silver products. These tiers should be considered if you want peace of mind knowing you’ll be covered for a broader range of medical treatments.

You should also consider the level of Extras cover you need. Think about the services that you’d use the most (things like dental check-ups, physiotherapy, optical) and the services you don’t think you’ll need. This will make sure your Extra cover gives you good value and you won’t waste money on services you don’t use.

Plus, you have the option of a combined policy, which includes both Hospital and Extras cover.

But it’s important to carefully consider the level of cover you get based on you and your partners’ needs. Take the time to compare your options and know that we’re here to help too.

Benefits

There are a few reasons why a couples health policy may be a good choice:

• Peace of mind knowing you’re both covered.
• The security that comes with increased choice and quicker access to healthcare.
• It’s convenient, you'll only have one premium to pay.
• Simpler record-keeping, as you'll only need to manage one account.

Premiums and Costs

With 130+ years of experience and a commitment to looking after the Australians who keep Australia moving, we know what our members value most from their private health cover.

And it’s important that the level of cover suits the needs, budget and lifestyle of you and your partner.

Our friendly team is here to talk you through your options (including a couples policy) and how you can get the best cover.

You can also tweak aspects of your cover to make your premium more affordable. Consider choosing a higher excess (what you agree to pay if you make a claim and are treated in hospital), it’ll reduce your premium.

And just in case you didn’t know, there are some government incentives and rebates that pays to be aware of when it comes to private health insurance. They are:

• The Australian Government Rebate on Private Health Insurance (most people just call it the private health insurance rebate). Click here to see the current rebate amounts.
• The Medicare Levy Surcharge (the MLS), and
• The Lifetime Health Cover loading (the LHC)

These don’t apply to everyone, so make sure you review the ATO website carefully.

Member Service

Every couple is different. That’s why we have a selection of covers available for young, healthy couples and older, established couples.

Here at RT Health, we’re proud to be voted the Best Health Insurance product for 2023 in the ProductReview.com.au annual awards.

RT Health was recognised with an overall rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars from customers over the past 12 months, providing consistently outstanding value and service. Customers rated RT Health most highly for Customer Service (4.7 out of 5); Transparency (4.5 out of 5); and Value for Money (4.3 out of 5).

Our team can help you find the best policy for you and your partner.

Questions about health insurance as a couple?

We know that navigating private health insurance options (including a couples policy) and costs can often be stressful. Let us help you.

You can call our friendly team us on 1300 886 123 (Monday to Friday, 8:30am-5:00pm AEDT/AEST) or reach out via email to help@rthealth.com.au

We’ll be happy to help.

 

RT Health is a division of The Hospitals Contribution Fund of Australia Limited (ACN 000 026 746). References to RT Health members mean holders of a RT Health branded PHI policy issued by the HCF fund.