Health Insurance Advice

Luminary on 09/05/2016 - 15:43

Hi everyone,

I'm about to get kicked off my family's Medibank card as I hit the quarter of a century mark and was looking for some advice in regards to what kind of Health insurance I should get. My parents asked me to look around so of course I'd come to OzBargain first. :)

Not sure what info would be useful but here's some basic info:
- Single
- 25 (almost)
- No major health issues
- Live with parents
- Currently regularly traveling interstate for work
- Previously had the half yearly dentist check ups on my family card and would like that to continue

Any advice would be much appreciated.. I know next to nothing. :)

Health & Beauty

Comments

  • lupiter on 09/05/2016 - 16:34
    +1

    My advice: Wait. Planning a family? Make enough money it's worth it for the tax break? About to hit 30? These are the times to think about it.

    If you do want health insurance for peace of mind, be sure to read all the fine print because the exclusions/limitations often mean you're pretty heavily out of pocket anyway. There are some good plans out there, but a lot are terrible.

  • tomleonhart on 09/05/2016 - 16:51

    My advice: Don't get it.

  • MrTweek on 09/05/2016 - 18:50

    It's most likely not worth it at all.
    Unlike other insurances, private health insurance have a cap instead of an excess. I had one for 2 years until I realised that it's virtually impossible to spend as much on medical expenses as I paid for private health insurance.

    Check how much insurance would cost you and then put the same amount into a savings account every month or week instead and pay your medical bills from this.
    Review your spendings when you are about to turn 30.

  • Ausbob on 09/05/2016 - 20:04

    I'm dabbling in extras only after being in a similar boat. Yearly dental ain't bad, maybe 6 months depending on how you go about it. Similar for other things, glasses, chairo etc. These are things you're more likely to use… knock on wood.

  • Mad Max on 09/05/2016 - 20:08

    Not worth it at your age and if you are healthy. That is unless you earn more than $90k per year.
    If you do…congratulations!!! and you should get the cheapest insurance with the highest excess ($1k I think) that gets you out of paying the medicare levy surcharge.
    Edit: the extras most people do not really need them. They just use them to get their money's worth out of the big insurance premiums they pay

  • Luminary on 09/05/2016 - 21:08

    Thanks for the insights everyone. What about ambulance cover? A friend unexpectedly needed an ambo over the weekend and is worried about the costs because he isn't covered by anything.

    • dan0909 on 11/05/2016 - 00:32

      get ambulance cover. around $10/mth. I have heard they charge around $800 if you end up calling an ambulance.

  • ms_caz on 10/05/2016 - 18:45

    Ambulance cover is less than $100 for a family. Why wouldn't you get it?!

    (Ambulance Vic $87.60)

    • Mad Max on 11/05/2016 - 17:38

      Ambulance QLD $0

      • ms_caz on 11/05/2016 - 19:55

        wow! even better!

        • Mad Max on 11/05/2016 - 22:53

          Well, I think there are ambulance levies in the car registration and perhaps in the rates. So it is not really free…

  • His_Holiness on 13/05/2016 - 22:21
    +1

    I'm in the same boat as you. After some research I've settled with health.com.au Simple Essentials 60 cover. This one covers major dental and optical. A lot of the other cheaper covers don't do major dental.

    Don't use iselect or comparethemeerkat or whatever to compare health insurances. They run off commissions and don't show you everything. Only use http://www.privatehealth.gov.au/ to compare policies.

    If you sign up within 2 months of being kicked off your parents you don't have to serve the waiting periods. If you do let your health cover lapse, remember that when you do eventually decide to go back you'll have to serve all the waiting periods again.

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