Keeping your kids covered until age 31

A family policy allows dependent children up to the age of 21 (or age 31 if they are all studying full-time) to be covered by the same policy as their parent/guardian.

An extended family policy allows dependent children over the age of 21 and up to the age of 31 who are not studying full-time to be covered under the same policy as their parent/guardian for an additional cost.

Dependent children can be covered by a family or extended family policy so long as they’re not married or in a de-facto relationship.

Your cover will be transitioned to an extended family policy. If all of your young adults are studying full-time and you have declared this to us, you will remain eligible for a family policy. You can check your policy details in myHBF. If anything doesn’t look right, please contact us.

No, you don’t need to keep your young adults covered until age 31. Keep in mind, if they are studying full-time and are not married or in a de-facto relationship, they can remain covered at no extra cost until age 31, or until their circumstances change - whichever happens first.

If you decide to remove your young adult from your policy, any waiting periods served under your current membership will carry over which means they won’t have to re-serve them if they take out their own cover within two months.

To make any changes to your policy, please contact us and we’d be happy to discuss your options with you.

It depends on the level of cover you have. We’ll include a quote for extended family cover when we write to you asking about your young adult’s study status. If you’d like to discuss your health cover needs, please contact us and we’d be happy to help.

You must contact us and let us know. Examples of a change to circumstances include if your young adult’s estimated study end date changes, they get married or are in a de-facto relationship.

Yes. Young adults can remain covered under a parent’s policy so long as they are not married or in a de-facto relationship. Extended family cover costs more, so it’s important to weigh up your options before making any changes.

By giving parents the option to cover their young adults until they turn 31, we’re providing our members with greater flexibility over their cover as their children get older.

If your young adult’s circumstances change – for example, they decide to stop studying full-time, please contact us to discuss your options.

Young adults covered by a family policy can make their own extras claims if they have their own HBF member card. For hospital claims or to check coverage, we recommend young adults contact us first before seeking treatment.

Yes, but their parent/guardian must order it for them. Children aged 16 years and over can get a digital card provided their parent/guardian has already ordered a physical card.

Young adults 18 years and over can get their own digital card through myHBF or HBF App.

Young adults covered by a family or extended family policy are not required to pay an excess for hospital treatment.

When your young adult turns 21, we’ll transition your policy to extended family cover and the price of your premium will increase.

If we ask you to re-confirm if your young adult is still studying full-time and we don’t hear back from you, we’ll transition your policy to extended family cover and the price of your premium will increase.

Young adults covered by family or extended family policies which include hospital cover are considered to hold an appropriate level of private patient hospital cover for Medicare Levy Surcharge (MLS) purposes. For individual advice on the applicability of the MLS, we recommend you speak to a professional tax agent.