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Best extras health insurance policies for your budget

Our insurance experts find the best extras cover for families, seniors, singles and couples.

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Last updated: 21 June 2024
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Our insurance experts have reviewed extras health cover from more than 40 insurers to find the best policies on the market.

Join CHOICE to find out our recommended extras policies for seniors, families, singles and couples below. Unlike other comparison sites, we don't get paid by any health insurers, so we only recommend the best policies for you.

Who should buy extras?

Extras insurance is for people who want help managing predictable healthcare costs. If you know how much you're likely to spend on things like dental check-ups, physio sessions and glasses, you can use extras to reduce your out-of-pocket costs. If you claim back more than you spend on the policy, then you've got your money's worth.

Don't buy extras if you aren't prepared to put the effort in to claim. If you keep paying your premium and don't claim it back, it's the same as that gym membership you never use: a waste of money. 

How health insurance extras works

Extras policies give you discounts on health services that aren't covered by Medicare. These include dental costs, glasses, and allied health care like physiotherapy, chiropractic and podiatry. You can also claim for appliances like hearing aids, orthoses and blood glucose monitors.

Don't buy extras if you aren't prepared to put the effort in to claim

Extras isn't insurance in the traditional sense of the word, where you buy it "just in case". Think of it as more of a book of discount vouchers. By paying a monthly premium you can use it to spread your expenses more evenly over the course of the year. Used correctly it can even reduce your health costs.

Most people bundle an extras policy with their private hospital cover. This isn't necessary: you can buy hospital cover on its own, and you don't need extras to avoid the tax penalties the government imposes on people without health insurance.

Ready to find the best extras cover?

Log in to see our pick for the best extras for seniors, families, singles and couples. These results are for CHOICE members only and focus on extras insurance. If you're looking for hospital insurance policies, visit our health insurance comparison.

Non-members can read our extras insurance buying guide for more information on choosing extras cover.

Our buying guide explains how to work out if your current extras insurance policy is right for you, what level of extras cover you need, and how much you can claim.

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Best extras for seniors

This category is for people who are looking for a policy with good cover for hearing aids. We compared policies in this category on price and cover, particularly for services commonly claimed by people over 65.

We've selected policies that cost less than $90 a month (before the 25% government rebate) and offer the best level of cover for general dental, major dental, optical, physiotherapy, podiatry and hearing aids.

Some of our recommendations come from restricted membership funds, and it's worth investigating whether you're eligible – it's often not as restricted as it seems.

Keep in mind: In years when you don't make a hearing aid claim, you'll have to work hard to claim back the full premium for these policies. On top of this, you'll need to take into account waiting periods for cover, and sometimes there are restrictions on the number of hearing aids you can claim over a few years.

Insurer/Policy

Recommended in

HBF Complete 60

All states

Westfund High Extras

NSW; ACT; NT; Qld; SA; Vic; WA

Westfund High Extras Over 50s

NSW; ACT; SA; Vic WA

HCF Vital Extras

WA

HCF Top Extras

Tas

Latrobe Premier Singles and Couples Extras

SA

St.Lukes Health Super Extras

Tas

Teachers Health Top Extras* (restricted)

NSW; ACT; NT; Tas; Vic; WA

* Also available as UniHealth and Nurses & Midwives Health policies.

Note: Health insurance prices differ per state, that's why some of these policies aren't recommended in all states. Extras policies are complex, so we've only listed a few of the policy details below, and the limits stated often have sublimits for specific items. Check the fund's website for full details.

Best extras for families

These policies cover the most likely out-of-hospital expenses for parents as well as kids. 

We selected policies that cost less than $200 a month, for a family of two adults and two kids (before the 25% government rebate). They must also cover general and major dental, orthodontic, physio, and non-Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme medicines.

Some of our recommendations come from restricted membership funds, and it's worth investigating whether you're eligible – it's often not as restricted as it seems.

Non-Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (non-PBS) medicines

Commonly prescribed medicines in Australia are subsidised by the government under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS). This caps the cost of medicines listed on the PBS. If your family uses medicines that aren't on the list, they can cost a lot. Extras can help to manage the cost of these medicines.

Insurer/Policy

Recommended in

Health Partners Better Extras

NSW; ACT; Qld; SA; Tas; Vic; WA

HBF Complete 60

NT; Tas; WA

HBF Top 70

NT

GMHBA Top Extras 75% Benefits

NT

Doctors' Health Fund Essential Extras (restricted)

All states

Navy Health Healthy Living Extras (restricted)

All states

CBHS Top Extras (restricted)

NT; Qld; SA; Tas; Vic; WA

Teachers Health Top Extras* (restricted)

NSW; ACT; NT; Tas; Vic; WA

Emergency Services Health / Police Health Rolling Extras (restricted)

NT

* Also available as UniHealth and Nurses & Midwives Health policies.

Note: Health insurance prices differ per state, that's why some of these policies aren't recommended in all states. Extras policies are complex, so we've only listed a few of the policy details below, and the limits stated often have sub-limits for specific items. Check the fund's website for full details. 

Limits stated below are per person unless otherwise stated.

Best extras for singles and couples

These policies are worth considering if you want to claim a couple of dental check-ups, a pair of glasses and a few sessions at the physio. We selected policies that cost less than $50 a month (for a single person, before the 25% government rebate) and cover general and major dental, optical, physio, chiro, and remedial massage.

Insurer/Policy

Recommended in

Queensland Country Young Extras*

All states

Queensland Country Select Extras*

All states

AHM value extras

NSW; ACT; NT; Qld; Tas; Vic; WA

HCF Mid Extras

NT; Tas

AHM Black 60

WA

* Sold under the brand name Territory Health in the NT.

Note: Health insurance prices differ per state, that's why some of these policies aren't recommended in all states. Extras policies are complex, so we've only listed a few of the policy details below, and the limits stated often have sublimits for specific items. Check the fund's website for full details.

Stock images: Getty, unless otherwise stated.