Help Centre

Health insurance explained

Learn how private health insurance works and the benefits of being covered.

Topics

Frequently asked questions

Find quick answers to our members' most common questions.

Displaying 5 of 33 results

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:

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

How do Extras insurance policies work?

No, your existing benefit amounts and annual limits aren’t changing. We’re simply expanding the range of services that you can claim for under your product.

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).

Not necessarily. The cost will depend on the cover you choose. However, having a combined policy can be more convenient, as your payments, claims and cover are all managed under one policy.
Flex 50 is a flexible extras cover that pays 50% back on a wide range of popular services, up to annual limits. It includes general and major dental, optical, physiotherapy, psychology, natural therapies and more, all sharing a combined annual limit you can use across services. Flex 50 also includes a separate optical limit and urgent ambulance cover, making it suitable for people who want flexibility and moderate extras benefits.

Still can't find what you're looking for?

Hand holding a magnifying glass