Seniors Health Insurance

At Australian Seniors, we believe good health is the foundation of a great life and that enjoying the peace of mind that comes with good health should be available to everyone. With four levels of Hospital cover and four levels of Extras cover, we have health insurance solutions to suit most circumstances and budgets.

According to the Australian Seniors Cost of Health 2023 report, 45% of seniors are living with some major health conditions, including dietary issues, chronic illness, a long-term injury or disability, mental illness or terminal illness. 

On average, seniors estimate they pay $1,586 in out-of-pocket expenses towards their health each year, with almost one in two making reductions to their health care spending because of the rising cost of living. 

DARE magazine

As a valued Australian Seniors customer, when you take out Seniors Health Insurance, you’ll receive ongoing complimentary issues of DARE magazine. Learn more and view the applicable T&Cs.

Proudly backed by nib

Enjoy the confidence of knowing that your policy is backed by nib — a health insurer trusted by 1.7 million people 

Benefits of choosing Seniors Health Insurance

Great cover options

Choose from a range of products designed for the needs of over 50s, with inclusions focused on services that you’re more likely to use.

Apply online or over the phone in minutes

Simply give us a call or apply using our online portal — you could be covered in minutes.

Choose your level of excess

Our covers allow you to have a choice of $500 or $750 for your hospital excess (Gold Hospital has a $750 excess).

Claim up to 70% back from recognised Extras providers

Depending on the level of cover you choose, you could get up to 70% of your out-of-pocket expenses back from recognised Extras providers.2

No-gap optical offers with nib’s First Choice Provider Network

Get your glasses cheaper with no-gap offers and a range of discounts from nib's First Choice network, including providers like Specsavers.3

Simple and stress-free claims process

Making a claim can be stressful, which is why our online claims process is simple and hassle-free.

Health insurance cover for you

At Australian Seniors, we know your health needs can change over the years and we can help you be prepared. No matter your circumstances, our range of Hospital and Extras covers can be mixed and matched to suit your needs and budget.

Singles

Take care of your most important asset – yourself! Even if you’re healthy, it’s important to have a plan in case something happens to your health.

Couples

Get cover for you and your partner and enjoy the confidence that comes with having private health insurance.

Families

If your nest hasn’t emptied yet, we’ve got cover to help take care of you, your partner and your children’s healthcare expenses with Hospital and Extras cover to suit families.

Hospital and Extras cover for seniors

Our flexible Hospital and Extras covers let you mix and match to better suit your needs (Gold Hospital cover is only available with an Extras policy).

Hospital cover

We know you can’t choose when you get sick or injured. But with our Hospital covers, you can have more freedom to choose where you’re treated and who treats you. Our Hospital covers pay a benefit toward the cost of private treatment and helps you avoid the public hospital waitlists.4 With four levels of cover to suit your needs and budget, you can rest assured that you and your family have the peace of mind that comes with private health insurance.

Extras cover

At Australian Seniors, we know different people have different needs. That’s why Seniors Health Insurance comes with four levels of Extras cover, giving you the freedom to choose the cover you want. Whether it’s routine dental care, a new pair of reading glasses, or even specialised dietary advice, our Extras covers are designed to help pay some of the costs of health services that aren’t covered by Medicare.

Emergency Ambulance cover

If there’s an emergency and you or a loved one needs fast treatment, the last thing you want to worry about is the cost of an ambulance. Our Emergency Ambulance cover is included in all our Hospital and Extras policies,5 so you can always be prepared and have peace of mind.

  • One-day waiting period.
  • Emergency ambulance transport to hospital provided by a state or territory ambulance service paid at 100% of the cost.
  • Emergency ambulance call out fees (where the patient is treated at the scene by paramedics and transport to hospital is not required).
  • Transport between hospitals (when transfer is medically necessary (due to the existing hospital not specialising in the treatment required).
  • No hospital excess.

We make it easy to make the switch

They say change is as good as a holiday, so if you’re looking for other options for your health insurance, make the switch to Seniors Health Insurance today.

  1. 1Cover for what you need

    Whether you’re looking for the bare essentials or something more comprehensive, you can find cover options to suit your needs.

  2. 2Leave the paperwork to us

    Just say the word and we’ll get in touch with your previous insurer to make the change to Seniors Health Insurance.

  3. 3No need to re-serve waiting periods

    If you’ve already served your waiting periods, or are partway through, we won’t make you serve them again provided you sign up for the same, or lower level of cover.6

Why Australian Seniors

You and your family need insurance that delivers real value. With Australian Seniors, you get just that and more. 

Peace of mind

Enjoy the confidence of knowing that your policy is backed by nib - a health insurer trusted by 1.7 million customers.

Award-winning insurance

We’ve got years of experience, helping you to protect your family and assets with award-winning products and award-winning service.

Dedicated to seniors

We believe insurance should meet your needs, not someone else’s. That’s why we focus on providing the best possible cover for Australians over 50.

Backed by experience

We’ve been doing what we love for years, just like you. Put yourself in good hands with Australian Seniors.

Health insurance for over 50s

Be more prepared for your healthcare costs.

Simply give us a call or apply using our online portal — you could be covered in minutes.

Health Insurance Frequently Asked Questions

What is private health insurance?

Private health insurance offer two types of cover. Hospital cover pays for some of the costs of treatment in a private hospital or treatment in a public hospital as a private patient. Extras cover helps pay for any out-of-pocket expenses that aren’t covered by Medicare or provided by a hospital, such as dental procedures, chiropractic treatment, glasses and contact lenses, and physiotherapy. Most Extras policies allow you to claim back a certain percentage of costs for each service and will be subject to annual cover limits. You can choose to take out Hospital cover or Extras cover as standalone policies or combine the two.

Do I have to re-serve waiting periods if I switch funds?

You won't have to re-serve any waiting periods if you’re transferring to a policy that has the same or a lower level of benefits, as long as there’s a break in cover of 59 days or less. If you transfer part-way through a waiting period, you'll just need to serve the remaining waiting period before you can claim — so if you've only served six months of a 12-month waiting period, those six months will still count when transferring. If you upgrade your cover, you'll need to complete waiting periods for any new services. Where the excess on the new product is lower than the excess on the previous cover, the excess on the previous cover will apply until the unexpired waiting period has been served. Any benefit limits already used with your current fund will apply to your Seniors Health Insurance policy.

Is health insurance tax-deductible?

Health insurance premiums aren’t tax-deductible. However, the government may provide help with premiums in the form of the private health insurance rebate. This is a means-tested rebate which applies to Hospital, Extras and Ambulance policies. To be eligible for the rebate, you must be eligible for Medicare, have an appropriate level of hospital cover and meet the income requirement for the rebate.  Find out more about the health insurance rebate by visiting the Australian Tax Office website.

What happens if I cancel health insurance?

If you cancel your cover and take out private health insurance again in the future, you could receive Lifetime Health Cover (LHC) loading costs and may have to re-serve any waiting periods. 

LHC is a government initiative aimed at encouraging people to take out private hospital cover earlier in life and maintain it. If you don’t take out private hospital cover before 1 July after you turn 31, you’ll pay a 2% loading on top of your normal hospital premium for each year you don’t have hospital cover (up to a maximum of 70%). The loading applies for 10 years of continuous hospital cover. For every year you put off signing up for hospital cover, another 2% will be added. So if you wait until you’re 40, you’ll pay 20% more than someone on the same cover who joined when they were 31. For more information on LHC, visit this page.

If you earn over $97,000 as a single or $194,000 as a couple/family, you’ll also have to pay the Medicare Levy Surcharge (MLS) each year that you don’t have Hospital cover. The MLS is up to 1.5% of your income and is paid in addition to the Medicare levy, which is 2%. The surcharge is payable for every day you don't have hospital cover within the financial year. The Australian Tax Office uses a special definition of income (called income for MLS purposes) to determine whether you’re liable to pay the MLS, and the rate of MLS you’ll have to pay. This income is different to your taxable income.

Find out more about LHC and the MLS by visiting the Australian Tax Office website.

Health insurance excess: what does it mean?

An excess is the amount of money you have to pay when making a claim on your Hospital cover — it doesn’t apply for Extras cover. Generally, the higher your excess is, the lower your premiums are. Depending on your cover, some of the remaining costs of your treatment are paid by Medicare and/or your health insurer. An excess shouldn’t be confused with out-of-pocket expenses or a ‘gap’, which are additional charges that aren’t covered by Medicare and are in addition to what your private health insurance will cover.

  1. This Offer is only available to new members who are Australian citizens, permanent residents of Australia, or those who are entitled to full reciprocal rights under Medicare, registered for Medicare and listed on an active Medicare card, and join an eligible combined Seniors Health Insurance Hospital & Extras policy by 11:59pm (AEDT ) 31 October 2024. Not available to existing Seniors Health Insurance policyholders, or any other existing private health insurance policyholders of a partner brand issued by nib, or to previous policyholders who have held health insurance with any of these brands and cancelled their policy 6 months before or during the Offer Period.

    The Offer consists of adjusting the “paid to” date on the qualifying policy to reflect the reduction off the premium payable for an amount equating 8 weeks (calculated as 56 days) of the annual premium. The Eligible Member must maintain the Eligible Product up to the date of the Offer being applied to the active policy, being 27 November 2024 for policies purchased between 01 September 2024 and 30 September 2024, and 18 December 2024 for policies purchased between 01 October 2024 and 31 October 2024. The Offer will be forfeited if the Eligible Member is not an active policyholder on this date. See full terms and conditions.
  2. Annual limits, waiting periods, terms and conditions apply. A recognised provider is someone who provides a health service and must meet the following criteria: (i) They must work in a private practice; and (ii) They must have professional qualifications recognised by nib. To find a provider in nib’s network of healthcare professionals, visit nib.com.au/find-a-provider
  3. Claiming optical benefits is subject to your chosen level of Extras cover, relevant waiting periods being served, and sufficient annual limits remaining. Benefits only payable on prescription Optical Appliances. nib Fund Rules and Policy Booklet terms apply.
  4. Coverage may differ depending on your level of cover and policy exclusions, waiting periods, hospital excess and limits and whether you go to an nib Agreement Hospital, a non-agreement private hospital or a public hospital. Out-of-pocket expenses may apply.
  5. Not available to: (i) QLD residents who have ambulance services provided by their state ambulance schemes; (ii) TAS residents who are covered under state ambulance schemes in TAS and when travelling in mainland Australia except NSW, SA or QLD; or (iii) pension and health care card holders who have ambulance services provided by State ambulance schemes (check entitlements with Centrelink if unsure).
  6. Applies only where there is a break in cover of 59 days or less. Waiting periods will apply for services not currently covered, services with higher benefits or where waiting periods haven’t been fully served. Where the excess on the new product is lower than the excess on the previous cover, the excess on the previous cover will apply until the unexpired waiting period has been served. Any benefit limits already used with your current fund will apply to your Seniors Health Insurance policy.

Make the switch to Seniors Health Insurance

Get 8 weeks free when you sign up for a combined Hospital and Extras policy by 31 October.1