Finding the right Hospital cover is all about making sure it fits your lifestyle. You can choose from a range of covers that are smart, simple and offer value for money.
Hospital cover helps you avoid public hospital waiting lists and pays benefits toward the cost of private treatment. The Hospital cover products listed below include coverage for accidental injury and emergency ambulance services, with no annual limits.
Gold cover offers our most comprehensive hospital coverage, including services like pregnancy and assisted reproductive options. Want to learn more? Contact us to speak with our friendly team.
Hospital cover helps you avoid public hospital waiting lists, pays benefits toward the cost of private treatment and gives you more choice of when and where you’ll be treated. It also gives you peace of mind knowing you and your family will be protected against the unexpected.
If you’re looking for cover to take care of the regular healthcare appointments like a check-up at the dentist or a new pair of glasses, choosing a combined Hospital and Extras cover might be the right choice for you.
If you find yourself needing treatment in a hospital, Hospital cover can help cover costs like doctor’s fees and your hospital stay. Not only that, but having hospital cover gives you greater choice and control when it comes to your healthcare:
Choice of specialists: With hospital cover, you get to choose your specialist when you go to a private hospital, which can feel much more comfortable.
Timely care: You won’t have to wait as long for treatment as you would in the public system. Once your waiting periods are finished, you can get care as soon as you and your specialist are ready.
You could pay less at tax time: If you earn over a certain income threshold, having hospital cover can help you avoid the Medicare Levy Surcharge (MLS). Plus, it helps you avoid paying Lifetime Health Cover (LHC) loading if you take out hospital insurance before your 31st birthday.
nib Hospital cover helps pay for your treatment based on your level of cover and the type of hospital you choose. Generally, you'll be covered for:
Hospital accommodation (i.e. your bed and a private room if one is available)
Operating theatre fees
Intensive care fees
Labour ward fees
Meals
Common treatments and support treatments*
Associated treatment for complications and associated unplanned treatment^
However, there are some things that aren't covered, such as luxury room upgrades, non-essential services and Outpatient services performed by a doctor or specialist
You can still be covered if you have a pre-existing condition, as long as the procedure is included in your Hospital cover. However, you'll need to serve a longer waiting period before you can claim any treatment for it.
If your condition falls under the pre-existing category, a 12-month waiting period typically applies from the date you join or upgrade your hospital cover. This means we won't cover any hospital expenses related to that condition during this waiting period.
Going to the hospital can come with some costs, even if you have cover. While nib helps with expenses for services included in your plan, you might still face out of pocket costs if your treatment exceeds what nib and Medicare cover.
To help minimise these costs, nib has No Gap and Known Gap agreements with certain specialists in select locations across Australia. If your procedure qualifies and is covered by your policy, your only expense could be a hospital excess.
To better manage your expenses, make sure you have the right cover, consult with nib before your hospital visit, choose a participating specialist and request written fee estimates from your doctors and hospital.
If you are an Australian taxpayer who doesn't have private hospital insurance, and you earn over a certain amount, you may have to pay the Medicare Levy Surcharge (MLS).
Lifetime Health Cover (LHC) is a Government initiative aimed at encouraging people to take out private hospital cover earlier in life, and maintain it, to avoid paying more at tax time.
*Common treatments means a number of Medical Benefits Schedule (MBS) items commonly used across services covered by your policy. Support treatments means a number of MBS items used to support a principal treatment covered by your policy. Common and support treatments will be covered in line with the level of cover your product provides for the principal treatment. Refer to the Policy Booklet for more information.
^Associated treatment for complications means treatment provided during an episode of covered hospital treatment to address a complication that arises during that episode. Associated unplanned treatment means unplanned treatment provided during an episode of covered planned surgery that is, in the view of the medical practitioner providing the unplanned treatment, medically necessary and urgent. Associated treatments will be covered in line with the level of cover your product provides for the covered treatment. Refer to the Policy Booklet for more information.
Get up to 8 weeks free
When you choose a Hospital only cover online by 31 March 2026.
New Australian resident members only. Offer fulfilled in month 3 of membership. Ineligible products include Gold Hospital Tier and Basic Kickstarter. Value of offer based on level of cover selected.T&Cs apply., opens in a new tab
Here when it matters most
Find out how you can get Gold-level Hospital benefits if you have an accident.
Emergency ambulance
All our covers include unlimited emergency ambulance cover, excluding DentalPass and members covered by state ambulance schemes.
Minimise out of pockets
Our healthcare networks help you get the best value from your cover and lower out of pocket costs.
Manage your cover anywhere, anytime
Manage your policy wherever you are with your nib account and the nib App. Snap a photo of your receipt to claim, check your benefits on the go, and more!
Make tax savings
Having hospital cover could mean you save on tax if you have a taxable income of over $101,000.
Unlock savings with nib Rewards
Enjoy more than great health cover with nib Rewards. Access hundreds of discounts on major brands and earn points on selected offers so you can save even more.
