An over 50s guide to health insurance

Our private health insurance guide for baby boomers.

20 February 2018 3 minute read

A senior couple laugh together on the couch as a laptop sits in front of them

You’ve reached that time in your life when it’s never been more important to look after yourself. You might be juggling fulltime work, helping with your grandchildren and planning for your retirement – all while trying to balance your finances and stay healthy and active.

So, when it comes to your private health insurance, you may have different priorities to other generations.

At nib, we believe that getting the best value cover is how private health insurance should be, so we’ve put together a guide for you to understand your policy.

What’s the best health cover for over 50s?

The first consideration for anyone when it comes to private health insurance is whether you’ve got an appropriate level of cover for your personal circumstances. As we age, our health needs change – and you can save money by checking that you’re not paying for things you don’t need, like pregnancy.

On the flipside, it may be a good idea to check that you’re covered for health issues where getting older may become a risk factor, such as heart disease, cancer or eye disease.

We understand that everyone’s circumstances are different. Give one of our friendly consultants a call today on 13 16 42 for a health insurance health check to make sure your cover still meets your needs.

If you're over 50, it's important to manage your finances and minimise unnecessary expenses

How can I reduce the cost of my private health insurance?

For many over 50s, managing your finances and minimising unnecessary expenses is important – and we don’t want you to be paying more for your private health insurance than you should be.

There are a couple of very simple ways to make sure you are not paying more than you need to for health insurance.

Ensure you’ve taken up any discounts that you could be eligible for by paying via direct debit. At nib we offer discounts of up to 4% to nib members who set up direct debits from their bank accounts (not available on Ambulance Only cover).
You can usually opt for a higher hospital excess, which will make your premium lower. To find out more about excess options, visit our Hospital Excess page.
Make sure you have applied for the Australian Government Rebate if you are eligible. Visit our Australian Government Rebate page to see what level of Rebate you may be entitled to.

How can I get more from my private health insurance?

At nib, we don’t want your private health insurance to only come into play when you’ve got a serious illness or need surgery. That’s why we’ve developed a number of products designed to keep you at your healthiest, whatever your life stage.

From improving your mental wellbeing, better managing your joint pain or losing weight, nib has a range of Health Management Programs available free of charge to eligible members.

Thinking of making the switch to nib? We can take care of the paperwork with your previous insurer and we’ll recognise any comparable waiting periods already served with your current health fund, as well as annual limits remaining (on equivalent coverage). Contact us today to discuss your cover options.