Cheap health insurance for families
Family health insurance with Frank
Frank has a bunch of different family health covers, depending on your needs and circumstances. These range from basic hospital cover to gold cover with all the trimmings. Remember, there’s no right or wrong policy – just what’s right for you.
Affordable health insurance for families
Bronze Plus Hospital & Everyday Extras
- Major Dental
- 100% back on Optical
- Health Maintenance
- Emergency Ambulance Cover
- Back, neck and spine
- Lung & Chest
Silver Hospital & More Extras
- Major Dental & Orthodontics
- 100% back on Optical
- Health Maintenance
- Podiatry
- Emergency Ambulance Cover
- Heart and vascular system
- Implantation of hearing devices
* The price shown is per week and applies to a Family, aged 30, living in VIC. It excludes LHC loading and includes a Base Tier Government Rebate
| Extras services (when included on cover) |
|---|
| All extras benefits except as specified below. Waiting Period: 2 Months |
| Optical, home and domestic aids and medical aids. Waiting Period: 6 months |
| Major dental services (including full & partial dentures, orthodontics, crown & bridgework, endodontic services such as root canal, gold fillings, indirect restorations, surgical extractions of a tooth/teeth including wisdom teeth). Waiting Period: 12 Months |
| Health appliances including nebuliser pump, blood glucose monitor, pressure garments, sleep apnoea monitor, extremity pump, hearing aids, orthopaedic appliances (GMHBA approved), prostheses (GMHBA approved non-surgical), tens monitor, podiatry surgical procedures and orthotic appliances (foot). Waiting Period: 12 Months |
| Hospital services (when included on cover) |
|---|
| Accidents - bodily injuries resulting from accidents which occur after the date of joining GMHBA or upgrading to a higher cover. Waiting Period: No |
| Obstetrics and maternity. Waiting Period: 12 months |
| Pre-existing ailment, illness or condition (other than psychiatric, rehabilitation and palliative care). Waiting Period: 12 months |
| Any other benefit for hospital (or hospital substitution) treatment. Waiting Period: 2 months |
A pre-existing condition is one where signs or symptoms of your ailment, illness or condition, in the opinion of a medical practitioner appointed by GMHBA (not your own doctor), existed at any time during the six months preceding the day on which you purchased your hospital insurance or upgraded to a higher level of hospital cover and/or benefit entitlement.
A special waiting period applies to obtain benefits for hospital treatment for new members who have pre-existing conditions. The waiting period also applies to existing members who have recently upgraded their level of hospital cover. If the ailment, illness or condition is considered pre-existing:
New members
New members must wait 12 months for any hospital benefits (other than psychiatric, rehabilitation and palliative care).
Existing members (transferring or upgrading)
Members transferring/upgrading to a higher hospital cover must wait 12 months to get the higher hospital benefits (other than psychiatric, rehabilitation and palliative care).
Existing members (with at least 12 months membership)
Existing members with at least 12 months membership in total across their old and new cover are entitled to the lower benefits on their old cover.
Silver Hospital cover provides the same single room coverage as Gold Hospital, but co-payments of $100 per day up to a maximum of $700 per admission apply. Co-payments are not the same as hospital excess. Please note: Some private hospitals only have single rooms and co-payments will apply.
Co-payments do not apply.
Why choose Frank for families?
Parents want nothing but the best for their kids, especially when it comes to private family health cover. Let's face it, finding affordable health insurance that suits the whole family can be a bit of a headache. Enter Frank. We’re here to keep it simple and make the process as easy as possible. It's important to find a happy medium to suit the health needs of your family, as well as your budget.
What is family health insurance?
It’s important to distinguish between ‘family health insurance’ and private health cover for pregnancies and birth.
If you’re planning for your first or subsequent kidlets, you may want to look at cover that includes pregnancy and birth. This is only included in Frank’s Gold tier hospital cover. Be aware that there’s a 12-month waiting period for pregnancy, IVF and assisted reproductive services. This means you need to have had pregnancy cover for at least 3 months before conception. We've also pulled together these tips and resources to help you and your growing family.
Explore pregnancy and birth cover
If you're an ‘established family’ - i.e., 1 and done / 2 and through / 3 and free / 4, no more (you get the point – you're not planning for any more kids...) you would likely need different cover than a family that's still a growing family. Covers at a lower tier without pregnancy and birth included can be a lot more affordable.
Affordable cover for established families
Our Bronze Plus Hospital and Everyday Extras is a great, cost-effective combo. It’s private hospital cover with some clinical categories excluded (to keep the costs down) plus a bunch of extras like dental and psychology. This cover also includes (up to sub-limits and annual limits for extras services):
Example of extras:
- Major dental cover
- Tonsils, adenoids and grommets
- 100% back on optical
- Health maintenance (you can claim things like hats and sunglasses from the Cancer Council, your gym membership, skin checks and much more on this – check out the fact sheet for all the details)
Example of hospital:
- Emergency ambulance cover for the whole family
- Back, neck and spine clinical category
- Lung and chest clinical category
The benefits of family health insurance
Public hospital waiting lists for elective procedures can be lengthy.
Common surgeries that families may face at one point or another (such as tonsillectomies and grommet procedures) are generally classified as an elective/non-emergency procedure (but still medically necessary and sometimes urgent). So, while you can be treated through the public system as a public patient at no charge, it means you’re potentially facing longer waits for surgery. The same goes for the adult/s on the policy. As they say, parents have to put on their own oxygen masks first. Good health is just as important for parents, so you can keep taking care of your loved ones by taking care of yourself.
This is where having family health insurance can help. If you have private hospital cover, it lets you choose to be treated as a private patient in a private hospital instead of going through the public system. Plus, you get the option of a private room (if available) as you recover. It’s one of the many perks of private hospital cover. Note that certain services are restricted to public only on some covers, for example, rehabilitation and palliative care.
What about Medicare?
We can probably all agree that Medicare isn’t too shabby. It covers a wide range of medical consultations, public hospital costs, tests, and examinations. Even with private health insurance, you can still choose the public hospital system. Get more info on what is and isn’t covered by Medicare.
Things like visiting the dentist, getting physio or shelling out for new glasses are all on the expensive side. These expenses aren’t covered by Medicare, so it can fall short in meeting all of your family's healthcare needs. That's where extras cover for families comes into play.
How to save money with private health insurance
When searching for the best health cover for your family, the first step is to consider the type of benefits you expect from private cover. While there might be cheaper policies out there, it's important to understand why they come with lower costs. This could involve additional exclusions or higher excesses.
So, how can you save money with private health insurance in Australia?
Get the right level of cover
As we mentioned earlier, it’s important to find the right level of cover for your family’s needs and circumstances. Frank’s Gold tier hospital cover, for example, includes cover for pregnancy and birth services, joint replacements and cataracts, which are things you may not need cover for at this stage of your life. By switching to a lower tier hospital cover that has more exclusions, such as Silver or Bronze, you could save a substantial amount on your premiums.
Tailor your extras policy
Alongside our commitment to cheap and simple health insurance for families, Frank is all about choice. You can choose between extras covers that let you claim the same amount back per visit (fixed benefits) or a percentage back (% back).
Cheap doesn't have to mean limited. Our Lots Extras cover offers the option of either 50% or 80% back (up to the sub and annual limits). Choosing the 80% option may result in higher premiums, but your out-of-pocket costs could be lower. On the other hand, you may find that you reach your annual limits quickly if you’re a regular extras user. If so, choosing 50% back gives you the option to pay higher out-of-pocket costs and use your annual limits over the course of the year.
Take advantage of the rebate
You could be eligible for the Australian Government Rebate on Private Health Insurance. This is a great way to save on the cost of your family health cover. The rebate applies to both hospital and extras covers and can be added to your policy as a reduction on your premiums, making the cost you pay up front lower. Or you can claim it back as a lump sum in your tax return each year – it's your call.
Avoid the Medicare Levy Surcharge (MLS)
If you’re a higher income earner, hospital cover could also help you avoid the Medicare Levy Surcharge (if it applies to you). The MLS is an additional tax on individuals and families that don’t have hospital cover. You can take a squiz at the income thresholds in more detail, but basically, if your taxable income is over $97,000 (for singles) or $194,000 (for families or single parents) and you don’t have hospital cover, you would be on the hook to pay the surcharge.
How much is family health insurance in Australia?
The cost of family health insurance will vary based on a number of factors, including the level of hospital cover, level of extras cover, what state you live in, and even your income.
It’s important to note that if you have signs or symptoms of a condition up to 6 months before taking out cover, this could be classified as a pre-existing condition. This applies if you’re new to hospital cover or have upgraded to a higher level of hospital cover. It means that you may have a waiting period that has to be served before you're able to claim on your cover, but it won't affect the price of the cover itself.
Unlike other types of insurance, private health insurance in Australia can't discriminate based on age, claims history or health status. It’s something the Australian Government put in place called Community Rating.
Protect your family with Frank family health insurance
As always, it’s up to you whether private health insurance makes sense or not. Every family is different. Having your children included on your family policy will mean that they're covered for the same services and treatments as you. They’ll also have the same limits and exclusions, depending on if you hold extras, hospital or both. Peace of mind is worth everything.
If you want more information about Frank’s family cover, or you have any questions about private health insurance, just give us a call or jump online to chat.
Frequently asked questions about family health insurance
What types of family health insurance are available?
Broadly speaking, health insurance either falls under family hospital cover, family extras cover, or a combination of hospital and extras cover. Many families opt for the peace of mind provided by having both hospital cover and extras cover. Combined cover provides cover for inpatient hospital treatment, but extras can be used for things you can't claim through Medicare. This could be things like dental, optical, chiropractic, physiotherapy, and acupuncture, among others. If you prefer just extras covers, you could look at Lots Extras or Some Extras.
It’s important to find the right level of cover for you and your family. And that’s something we can help with.
How can health insurance benefit my family?
Family health insurance hospital cover gives you more options, more flexibility, and more choice than sticking solely with the public system (i.e. Medicare). Frank’s family health cover means you can choose your own private hospital (as long as it's not an excluded or restricted service on your cover), your own doctors and specialists, and choose to be treated as a private patient in a private hospital for non-emergency procedures like grommets and tonsillectomies (as long as they're included in your policy). It’s a great way to protect your family’s health and ensure peace of mind.
What will family health insurance cost?
It depends on a bunch of factors, including your cover level and your circumstances. Frank’s combined Bronze Plus hospital & Everyday Extras starts from just $69.85* per week. You can browse our covers to get a better idea of the costs involved.
*Price based on a Family, aged 31 and 31, living in VIC and earning $194,000 or less, base tier Australian Government Rebate. Excludes any applicable LHC loading. Prices and displayed products can change if details vary. Price effective as of 1 April 2025.
Which level of family health cover should I get?
In short, it depends on your family stage, health needs, budget and your plans for the future. Are you planning to have another child? If you’d like your pregnancy and birth to be covered, a Gold tier hospital policy is your best bet. Do you already have young kids? If so, you may want a lower level of hospital cover, but one that still includes common procedures like grommets and tonsillectomies. Do you have teenagers and spend your entire weekend watching them play sport? You could look at extras cover that includes physiotherapy to help keep them in tip-top shape.
If you’re not sure, just give us a call. We can walk you through the pros and cons of various family covers and find one that suits your family best.
Does Medicare Levy Surcharge (MLS) affect my family?
If you’re a higher income earner, the good news is that even basic family hospital cover could help you to avoid MLS (if it applies to you). Without hospital cover, you would need to pay the surcharge in your annual tax return if your combined family income is $194,000 or more. Also, if you have more than one dependant in the house, the family income threshold is increased by $1,500 for each child after the first. That means you can earn an extra $1,500 before incurring MLS. All dependants need to be covered on your policy to avoid paying the Medicare Levy Surcharge.
How long can my kids stay on a Frank family policy?
Until your kids turn 21, they’re technically classified as a dependant, which means they’re automatically covered by your Frank policy.
After they turn 21, they can only stay on your family cover as a student dependant (up until the age of 25) if they're single and studying full-time or undertaking an apprenticeship or a traineeship. Learn more about keeping your kids covered with Frank.
Once your child has turned 25, they’ll need to sort out their own cover. On the plus side, Frank just so happens to offer an age-based discount on all hospital covers for those under 30. Score! The discount ranges from 2-10% – the percentage amount is based on their age when they first take out their own hospital cover. Learn more about the age-based discount.
6 weeks free + skip 2 & 6 month waits on extras* when joining on combined cover.
*For new members who have not been a member during the last 12 months, joining on combined hospital and extras cover, paying by direct debit. Must pay first month to receive offer. Other waits (including hospital waits), annual and sub limits apply. Extras claims made with a previous fund count towards annual limits. Offer only available via Frank website or phone joins. Not available with any other offer or Frank OVHC. Frank may end this offer at any time without notice.
