Managing members on your policy

Separation of couples on a policy

At HBF, we understand that changes in relationships and family living arrangements can be difficult.

If you have a Couples or Family policy and you and your partner separate, it’s important to let us know as soon as possible.

To protect both you and your former partner’s privacy and ensure compliance with HBF fund rules, we need to remove one of you from the shared policy.

How HBF can help

We're here to help make this change to your health cover as easy as possible.

You or your former partner can transfer to a separate HBF health policy, selecting available products to suit your needs.

If you’re up-to-date with your premium payments, we’ll recognise the waiting periods you have already served.

If you’ve partly served your waiting periods, you will only need to serve the remaining time before being eligible to claim. However, if the member leaving the policy moves to a product with increased benefits or services, waiting periods will apply.

Depending on your circumstances, you may need to also register for the Australian Government Rebate on Private Health Insurance. However, if the member who leaves the policy was entitled to a higher rebate than you and you are the only remaining adult left on the policy, you may be entitled to retain the rebate at that higher level.

If you need to change your policy as a result of a change in your relationship, give us a call on 133 423. We can discuss your options and help you sort out the best cover for yourself and/or your family.

Other resources

There are many organisations that offer professional advice and counselling for people experiencing relationship difficulties:

• Family Relationships / 1800 050 321: Australian Government resource offering guidance, along with links to other services that support people working through relationship problems
• Relationships Australia / 1300 364 277: Support groups and counselling on relationships
• 1800 RESPECT / 1800 737 732: This organisation is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to support people impacted by sexual assault, domestic or family violence and abuse.

Adding a child in your care to your policy

If you are the guardian of a child, including an adopted, foster, or surrogate child, you may want to add them to your policy.

How HBF can help

For a child to be added to your policy, they must be under you or your partner’s legal control, be totally dependent on, and living with you.

We usually require proof of parental responsibility and this may be in the form of a court order from the Children’s or Family Court, or a letter or document from an appropriate government department or party like the child’s school principal or doctor. They will need to confirm that you are the guardian and have been parenting the child for a period of time.

To add a child to your policy please give us a call on 133 423. We can discuss your options and help you sort out the best cover for you and your family.