Essential Extras
An extras policy from HIF.
Premiums for every state, cover type and excess this policy is sold with, and what it covers, from the statement HIF files with the government. Monthly, before the rebate and any Lifetime Health Cover loading.
From
Single, NT, no excess, before the rebate.
- Medicare levy surcharge
- Does not exempt you
- Ambulance
- Emergency and non-emergency, call-out fees included, no limit
- Who can join
- Anyone
The Private Health Information Statement for this price, on PrivateHealth.gov.au.
HIF's page for this policyAgainst every other extras policy in NSW & ACT
Single cover, counting policies anyone can buy. Further right covers more services, higher up costs more.
It covers 16 services for $73.90 a month. Of the 214 other policies, 110 cost less and 101 cover more services.
Monthly premium by state and cover type
NSW prices also apply in the ACT. Each price in the tables opens its official Private Health Information Statement on PrivateHealth.gov.au, with a PDF to download.
Single premium in each state
To the nearest dollar, a month before the rebate. The tables below have every price to the cent.
Pays towards 16 of 27 standard services
Yearly limits, per person, against the typical policy
- General dentalshared with major dental, endodontic (root canals), orthodontics$1,250typical policy $800
- Major dentalshared with general dental, endodontic (root canals), orthodontics$1,250typical policy $1,000
- Optical$200typical policy $220
- Physiotherapyshared with 5 other services$400typical policy $450
- Chiropracticshared with 5 other services$400typical policy $400
What it pays on common claims, against the typical policy
- Periodic oral exam (item 012)$54.35typical policy $35.20
- Scale and clean (item 114)$110.35typical policy $66.85
- Full crown, veneered (item 615)$720.25typical policy $773.80
- Single vision lenses and frames100% of the feetypical policy $220.00
- Physiotherapy, first visit$35.00typical policy $42.00
| Service | Waiting period | Yearly limit, per person | Example benefits (all states) |
|---|---|---|---|
| General dental | 2 months | $1,250shared with major dental, endodontic (root canals), orthodontics | Periodic oral exam (item 012): $54.35Scale and clean (item 114): $110.35Fluoride treatment (item 121): $33.20Simple extraction (item 322): $139.75 |
| Major dentalconditions apply | 12 months | $1,250shared with general dental, endodontic (root canals), orthodontics | Full crown, veneered (item 615): $720.25 |
| Endodontic (root canals) | 12 months | $1,250shared with general dental, major dental, orthodontics | Root canal filling (item 417): $129.15 |
| Orthodontics | 12 months | $1,250shared with general dental, major dental, endodontic (root canals) | Braces, upper and lower, with retainer (item 881): 100% |
| Opticalconditions apply | 2 months | $200 | Multifocal lenses and frames: 100%Single vision lenses and frames: 100% |
| Non-PBS medicinesconditions apply | 2 months | $200 | Non-PBS prescription: $80.00 |
| Physiotherapy | 2 months | $400shared with 5 other services | Physiotherapy, first visit: $35.00Physiotherapy, later visit: $35.00 |
| Chiropractic | 2 months | $400shared with 5 other services | Chiropractic, first visit: $28.00Chiropractic, later visit: $28.00 |
| Podiatry | 2 months | $400shared with 5 other services | Podiatry, first visit: $28.00Podiatry, later visit: $28.00 |
| Acupuncture | 2 months | $150shared with remedial massage, chinese herbal medicine | Acupuncture, first visit: $28.00Acupuncture, later visit: $28.00 |
| Remedial massage | 2 months | $150shared with acupuncture, chinese herbal medicine | Remedial massage, first visit: $28.00Remedial massage, later visit: $28.00 |
| Chinese herbal medicine | 2 months | $150shared with acupuncture, remedial massage | Chinese herbal medicine, first visit: $28.00Chinese herbal medicine, later visit: $28.00 |
| Dietetics | 2 months | $400shared with 5 other services | Dietetics, first visit: $30.00Dietetics, later visit: $30.00 |
| Exercise physiology | 2 months | $400shared with 5 other services | Exercise physiology, first visit: $25.00Exercise physiology, later visit: $25.00 |
| Health management programs | 2 months | $75 | Health management program: 100% |
| Osteopathy | 2 months | $400shared with 5 other services | Osteopathy, first visit: $28.00Osteopathy, later visit: $28.00 |
Not covered: psychology, hearing aids, blood glucose monitors, audiology, antenatal and postnatal, orthoptics, home nursing, occupational therapy, orthotics, speech therapy, vaccinations.
Other services: Our Complementary Therapies includes: acupuncture, myotherapy, remedial massage and traditional Chinese medicine. Treatment must be provided by a practitioner who is registered with HIF in the speciality for which the charge is raised, benefits are not payable on medicines. The limits detailed above are subject to a combined overall person limit of $400 for physio, exercise physiology, chiro, osteo, podiatry and dietetics consultations.
From the insurer: Essential Extras includes all those essential services like Dental, Physio, Chiro, Podiatry, Complementary Therapies, Ambulance and more.
Pharmacy benefit paid after deduction of the PBS co-payment at 100% up to $80 per script. A $20 benefit (1 per person, per calendar year) will be paid on eligible claims for flu vaccinations from a registered pharmacy only. Optical benefit paid on frames and prescription optical items. Benefits for replacement dentures and partial dentures are not paid within three years of previous supply.
Example benefits are what the policy pays for that item at a provider without a special arrangement with the insurer; a percentage is of the fee charged. The typical policy is the middle one of the 708 extras policies on the market that aren't sold only through employers.
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Source: PrivateHealth.gov.au data (Private Health Insurance Ombudsman) via data.gov.au, licensed CC BY 3.0 AU. Normalised by The Finance Algorithm from the extract dated 1 Oct 2026, read on 23 Oct 2026.
Premiums are monthly and shown before the Australian Government rebate and any Lifetime Health Cover loading or age-based discount. Confirm the price and the cover with the insurer before you buy; the official statement for every policy is on PrivateHealth.gov.au. This is general information, not advice, and no insurer pays to be listed or ranked here.