Category: House & Home
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Sub category: Insure
17 December 2021

Sweat together, switch together: we answer the most commonly asked questions about couples health insurance

Coupled up? Starting to combine things like bank accounts and tax returns? Perhaps you’re saving for a house together. What about your health insurance? Yep, combined couples health insurance is a thing. But why would you do it, and how does it work? We’ve crawled the internet for the most common questions partners (and maybe partners-to-be) are asking so we can give you the answers.

 

1. What is couples health insurance?

 So we know a bit about health insurance (you can get a good overview here), but you might be wondering what couples health insurance is. Well, it’s when two become one… policy. That’s right, it’s one policy that covers the both of you. You’ll both receive cover at the same level and for the same things, so when you choose your policy it’s smart to make it work for both of you.

 

2. Is it better to go with combined health insurance rather than staying single?

One policy. One payment. One bill to worry about. Half the paperwork and admin. Seems a no-brainer, right? Plus, then there’s the peace of mind of knowing you’re both covered, together. One thing to keep in mind is that if one of you has vastly different needs to the other, like you might be happy with the most basic cover while your partner wants comprehensive for all of life’s adventures, it might make sense to have individual policies, but for the average couple, couples insurance might do the trick.

 

3. Is couples health insurance cheaper than singles? How much is it?

Generally, it costs about the same. The value you get is in the form of convenience. If you’re saving time and dealing with less hassle, then that’s a win, right? More time to get on with doing your thing. But again, if one person in the couple has greater needs than the other, they might need a better, bigger solo policy. It all depends on your situation. It’s worth noting that some policies will cover children at no extra cost until they’re a certain age, so that’s worth looking into.

4. Do I need to be married to get couples health insurance?

No, you don’t need to be married, but you could be. If you’re married, de facto or a registered couple, you could get cover under a joint couples insurance policy.

5. Does couples health insurance save me money at tax time?

This all depends on how much you and your partner earn. For example, singles with an income below $93,000 may be eligible to receive the full private health insurance rebate. But for couples, the threshold is $186,000 all up. So, if you combine your salaries and the total is under $186,000, you may be eligible to get the full rebate. Keep that in mind when deciding to go in together. Be sure to check the ATO’s special definition of income for MLS purposes to make sure you understand whether you may be eligible for these tax savings.  This stuff does get a bit tricky, so be sure to chat to an expert (like an accountant) about your own situation.

Ready to take the next step?
If you and your partner decide to look into a joint policy, you can check out ING's Health Insurance options below.

Switching? No worries, we'll help make the process cruisy by starting the transfer paperwork for you. All still seem a bit complicated? Give our friendly team a call on 1800 111 831.

ING Health Insurance is issued by nib health funds limited (ABN 83 000 124 381) (nib), a registered private health insurer, and is marketed by ING. ING is an authorised agent of nib and receives commission from nib. An ING Health Insurance policy issued does not represent a deposit with or liability of, and is not guaranteed or otherwise supported by, ING or its related bodies corporate.

ING Bank (Australia) Limited cannot advise on financial or tax matters. Any information provided to you is general in nature and does not take account of your individual circumstances. You should obtain your own independent financial advice.

To purchase ING Health Insurance Hospital Cover or to claim for Hospital or Medical Treatment, all those listed on the Policy must be Australian Citizens, Permanent Residents of Australia or entitled to full reciprocal rights under Medicare, registered for Medicare and listed on an active Medicare card. ING Health Insurance policies are subject to the ING customer eligibility and name screening assessment at inception and while holding the product. Please refer to the Customer Eligibility and Name Screening document.

This is general information only, and does not take into account your particular objectives, financial situation and needs and you should consider whether it is appropriate for you having regard to these factors before acting on it. Read the relevant Policy Booklet, Target Market Determination, Financial Services Guide and the ING Customer Eligibility and Name-Screening document available at ing.com.au and consider if an ING Health Insurance product is right for you before deciding to purchase or continue to hold the product.

The price we quote is set by the Insurer (nib). Any discounts or offers may change at any time without notice. If the policy renews, the price may exceed the price paid for the previous policy. Base premiums are subject to change. You will be responsible for all applicable GST and other statutory charges.

ING does not endorse and is not affiliated with third parties mentioned in this article. ING is not responsible for any services provided by third parties nor does ING accept any liability or responsibility arising in any way from any products or services supplied by the third parties.

The information is current as at publication. Any advice on this website does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs and you should consider whether it is appropriate for you. Deposit products, savings products, credit card and home loan products are issued by ING, a business name of ING Bank (Australia) Limited ABN 24 000 893 292, AFSL and Australian Credit Licence 229823. Living Super, a sub-plan of OneSuper ABN 43 905 581 638 is issued by Diversa Trustees Limited ABN 49 006 421 638, AFSL 235153 RSE L0000635. The insurance cover offered by Living Super is provided by Metlife Insurance Limited ABN 75 004 274 882, AFSL 238096. ING Insurance is issued by Auto & General Insurance Company Limited (AGIC) ABN 42 111 586 353 AFSL Licence No 285571 as insurer. It is distributed by Auto & General Services Pty Ltd (AGS) ABN 61 003 617 909 AFSL 241411 and by ING as an Authorised Representative AR 1247634 of AGS. All applications for credit are subject to ING's credit approval criteria, and fees and charges apply. You should consider the relevant Product Disclosure Statement, Terms and Conditions, Fees and Limits Schedule, Financial Services Guide, Key Facts Sheet and Credit Guide available at ing.com.au when deciding whether to acquire, or to continue to hold, a product. Before interacting with us via our social media platforms, please take a minute to familiarise yourself with our Social Media User Terms https://www.ing.com.au/pdf/Social_Media_User_Terms.pdf.

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