What’s the best private health insurance?

A laughing couple enjoy a coffee at a café

A guide to help find the best health cover for you

15 February 2018 4 minute read

It’s up there with some of the most searched for questions on the internet: How do I tie a tie? What’s a meme? How do I boil an egg?
What’s the best private health insurance?

At nib, we believe that your private health insurance should be simple, easy to claim and value for money, so we’ve put together a guide to help you decide on what cover is best for you.

What’s important to you?

The first step in finding the best private health insurance is to determine why you’re looking to purchase private health insurance and if you have any specific health concerns. Maybe you’re signing up for health insurance to avoid the Lifetime Health Cover loading or for tax purposes? Or, maybe you have a family history of heart disease, so you’re looking to get coverage for heart?

Make a list of things you might want to be covered for – and if you’re not sure, don’t stress! Call 13 16 42 and we can talk you through your options.

Two young women look at a phone screen while enjoying a coffee at a café

Compare cover options

Next, it’s time to compare types of cover. At nib, we give you a number of cover options so that you can truly compare and choose a policy that fits your needs. There may be a number of covers that suit your health needs, so get quotes on your options and compare how they stack up next to your budget.

Keep in mind you could save money on your premium by choosing a higher excess option or opting for your premium to be direct debited from your bank account. For more money-saving tips, visit our article 4 health insurance questions that could save you $$$.

Using your cover

When it comes to using your private health cover, you want to make sure you’re with a fund that makes claiming easy. With nib, you can easily claim by swiping your nib card at your provider (if they have this available) or using your phone (we have photo claiming on our nib app)! We also have a network of trusted health professionals to make it easier for you to keep your out-of-pocket expenses low. You can search for a local provider online with our First Choice provider search tool.

To keep you at your healthiest all year round, we offer a range of health management programs at no additional charge to eligible customers that aim to help get you in shape, keep you out of hospital, improve your physical and mental wellbeing and aid a quicker recovery post-hospitalisation.

And we’re with you when you need us most – when you’re going to hospital. We provide the support you need to navigate the system whether it’s with a cover check, by providing you with the average cost of your procedure, giving you tips on keeping out-of-pockets low or suggesting questions you should ask your specialist.

But, what’s the best private health insurance?

The truth is that there’s no ‘one size fits all’ approach to private health cover. Your policy should be as individual as you are, that’s why we allow you to tailor your insurance based on the services you’re most likely to use.

Want to talk to one of our health insurance consultants? Head to our contact us page to call or chat online. To find out how real people use their nib private health insurance, check out Sonya's story.