Health insurance explained

Also known as hospital cover, hospital insurance helps contribute towards costs if you’re admitted to hospital (such as doctors’ fees and accommodation and theatre fees).

While Australia has one of the best health care systems in the world*, there are many benefits to having hospital cover.

Hospital insurance helps cover some of the costs when you're admitted to hospital. It can help cover some of the costs for things like doctors' fees, accommodation and theatre fees.

With hospital cover, you'll also be able to choose your preferred hospital and doctor to receive treatment from, avoid long public waiting lists and gain access to a private room^*.

Learn more about the difference between private and public hospitals 

* Australian Government Department of Health (2019).

Extras insurance provides cover for everyday health care services that Medicare doesn't generally pay a benefit towards, such as visiting a dentist or physiotherapist.

HBF offers eight levels of extras cover, ranging from basic to more comprehensive cover. What you can claim for, and what benefits are available to you, depends entirely on the cover option you choose.

Compare HBF extras covers

When you purchase extras cover for the first time or update your policy, you'll likely need to serve a waiting period. A waiting period is a set amount of time during which you can't claim benefits. Once your waiting periods have been served, you'll be able to claim on the services on your cover.

Once you’re ready to claim on a service covered by your policy, you can either claim on-the-spot at your provider via a participating terminal or submit your claim to HBF via the following methods:

• Submit your claim via the HBF App
• Submit your claim via myHBF
• Visit your nearest branch
• Return a claim form by mail

We'll review your claim and pay you any benefits you're entitled to.

How do Extras insurance policies work?

Basic Hospital Plus is HBF’s low‑cost hospital cover that meets Basic tier requirements. It includes accident cover^*, private room accommodation^*, urgent road ambulance^*, and cover for a range of planned treatments like Dental surgery, Gynaecology, Hernia and appendix, Joint reconstructions, and Tonsils, adenoids and grommets.

From Sunday 23rd of August 2026, Value 50 will include benefits for:

• Preventative Dental
• General Restorative Dental
• Major Dental and Implants^* (new service)

These services will share a combined dental annual limit of $500 per person ($1,000 per policy for couples and families).