Each state runs a little differently so here’s what you need to know:

  • If you live in NSW, ACT, TAS or QLD you may be covered under your state based scheme
  • Concession card holders may have subsidised ambulance services depending on the state in which they live

FAQs about Ambulance Care

With Ambulance Care, you will be fully covered for the cost of non-urgent ambulance services (by road), provided by an HBF approved ambulance provider.

Non-urgent ambulance services include transport from home to the hospital, and transfers between hospitals. Call-outs are also covered, regardless of whether you are transported to hospital.

Ambulance Care does not cover all ambulance services. These services are not covered: air ambulance services, transport between a public hospital to your home (including transport from all emergency departments to your home), and transport not provided in an ambulance.

There’s a 30-day waiting period from the date of taking out Ambulance Care before you can claim.

You will be covered for non-urgent ambulance services throughout Australia, where provided by an HBF approved provider. Please contact us to obtain a current list of HBF approved ambulance providers.

“Urgent” and “non-urgent” are two of the terms St John Ambulance use to indicate how quickly you need an ambulance.

When you call for an ambulance, the operator will use the information you provide to figure out how fast the ambulance needs to get to you. Based on this information, you will be assigned as priority 1 (emergency call), priority 2 (urgent call), or priority 3 (non-urgent call).

HBF Urgent Ambulance will cover you for emergency and urgent ambulance services. It will not cover non-urgent ambulance services.

That’s where HBF Ambulance Care steps in—it covers non-urgent ambulance services, as well as transfers between your home to hospital, and transfers between hospitals.

The cost depends on where you live in Australia. In the Perth metro area, for most people, a non-urgent ambulance will cost $576 , but this isn’t the story in all states.

Some states fully subsidise the cost of ambulance services for everyone, while other states only cover holders of specific concession cards. To find out how it works in your state, check out the government’s guide here.

Medicare does not cover non-urgent ambulance services, so without the right type of ambulance insurance, in most situations you will cover the full cost out of your own pocket. With Ambulance Care, the cost of any non-urgent ambulance services, as well as transfers, will be fully covered.