How to choose health insurance in your 30s

Whether you’re fit and healthy or you’re facing hospital treatments, there are lots of reasons to consider health insurance in your 30s. Maybe you want to: 

• avoid extra tax as your income grows 

• plan ahead for surgery or ongoing health needs 

• start (or grow) a family 

• protect your health as you get older. 

Whatever your reason, we’re here to help you understand your options, compare costs and choose health insurance that fits you – without the jargon or sales pressure. 

On this page

• Do I need health insurance in my 30s? 

• How much does health insurance cost in your 30s? 

• What type of health insurance should I get? 

• Incentives and penalties to know in your 30s 

• How do I choose health insurance in my 30s? 

Do I need health insurance in my 30s?

You can be treated for free in a public hospital under Medicare, so private health insurance isn’t essential. But many people in their 30s choose it for faster access to treatment, more choice and financial reasons.

Why people in their 30s get health insurance

People in their 30s may get health insurance for one (or more) of these reasons: 

• Avoid paying extra tax with the Medicare Levy Surcharge (MLS)  

• Skip long public hospital wait times with faster access to treatment in a private hospital 

• Reduce out-of-pocket costs for dental, physio and psychology 

• Lock in cover earlier to limit Lifetime Health Cover Loading later 

• Access private childbirth options. 

Priya, planning ahead
Priya is 34 and regularly runs marathons. She already has Extras Cover to reduce her physio and massage costs, but decides to get Hospital Cover as well, in case she experiences any injuries that need surgery. Hospital Cover will allow her to have the procedure done in a private hospital and get back to training faster.

How much does health insurance cost in your 30s?

Health insurance costs depend on what’s covered, not your age. There are 4 Hospital Cover tiers: Basic, Bronze, Silver and Gold. Also available are ‘Plus’ policies (in Basic, Bronze and Silver) which cover more treatments. 

For a single adult in their 30s, no kids, living in Queensland, here are some price comparisons as at January 2026: 

Cheapest Hospital Cover 

• Basic – $102.99/month, $750 excess, see-u by HBF Policy ID: CPS/H32/QCKC10  

• Bronze – $124.23/month, $750 excess, Latrobe Health Services Policy ID: LHS/H41/QASH10  

• Silver – $161.55/month, $750 excess, Westfund Policy ID: WFD/H10/QDWC10  

• Gold – $236.05/month, $750 excess, Mildura Health Fund Policy ID: MDH/H8/AACA10  

How much does Extras Cover cost?

Extras Cover helps reduce the cost of services outside hospital, like dental, physio and optical. It does not reduce your tax. For a single person in their 30s, no kids, living in Queensland as at January 2026: 

• Cheapest Extras Cover – $16.15/month for Mildura Health Fund Policy ID: MDH/I1/A0000S which covers 15 treatments including some of the most popular such as chiro, general dental, physio and optical.  

• Most Expensive Extras Cover – $187.30/month for Bupa Health Insurance Policy ID: BUP/I15/QBLB10 which covers 25 out of 27 treatments.   

How much does Combined Cover cost?

Combined Cover includes Hospital and Extras cover. It’s not cheaper than buying each policy separately, but it means only one payment. For a single adult in their 30s, no kids, living in Queensland, here are some price comparisons for Bronze Hospital tier, as at January 2026: 

• Cheapest Combined Cover – $147.19/month for see-u by HBF Saver Hospital $750 with Daily Co-Pay which covers 6 treatments in Extras Cover.  

• Most Expensive Combined Cover – $249.58/month for AIA Health Insurance Policy ID MYO/J02A/QLDH10 which covers 21 of 27 treatments in Extras Cover.

What type of health insurance should I get?

The right cover depends on what you want it for – saving tax, reducing health costs or peace of mind. 

Hospital Cover – covers treatment in a private hospital (or as a private patient in a public hospital). Helps you avoid the Medicare Levy Surcharge if your income is over the MLS threshold, and access non-urgent surgery faster. 

What health treatments are covered by Hospital Cover?   

Extras Cover – helps cover costs like dental, physio, optical and psychology. Extras Cover  doesn’t cover all of your treatment costs and there’s an annual limit, so check how much is covered to work out whether it’s worth having. Remember that Extras Cover does not affect the Medicare Levy Surcharge.   

What health treatments are covered by Extras Cover?  

Combined Cover – includes Hospital and Extras. It won’t save you any money, but it means you’ll only have one bill to pay for 2 types of insurance. 

Ambulance Cover – Medicare doesn’t cover ambulance treatment, which is why Ambulance Cover can be useful. Ambulance treatment costs are often included with Hospital Cover and Extras Cover policies, so you probably won’t need Ambulance Only Cover if you’re buying other health insurance. (Note: if you live in Queensland or Tasmania, your state governments fund ambulance costs.)  

 Who should my policy cover? 

• Single – one adult 

• Couple – 2 adults living together 

• Single Parent – one adult and one or more children 

• Family – 2 adults and one or more children 

Compare all cover types and the cost of including a partner and children in your policy using the healthslips.com.au calculator. It’s fast, easy and free. 

Becky & Alex, different priorities
Becky, 31, and Alex, 33, are a couple who live together. Becky has got a promotion that will put her salary over the Medicare Levy Surcharge threshold, while Alex has been told they will need surgery for plantar fasciitis in the next few years. Alex gets a Silver tier Singles policy so they can have their surgery in a private hospital once they have served the 12-month waiting period for pre-existing conditions. Becky gets a Basic Plus Singles policy that gives her a lower level of cover but means she avoids the Medicare Levy Surcharge.  

Incentives and penalties to know in your 30s

Government incentives and penalties can significantly affect how much you pay for health insurance: 

• Private Health Insurance Rebate – reduces premiums if you earn below the income thresholds. 

• Lifetime Health Cover Loading – adds 2% to Hospital Cover premiums for every year you’re over 30 when you first take out cover (removed after 10 years of continuous cover). 

Don’t forget about the Medicare Levy Surcharge (MLS) – an extra tax (1-1.5% of income) that applies if you earn over the threshold and don’t have Hospital Cover for the full financial year. 

Dev & Bella, starting later
Dev, 38, and Bella, 36, are a couple who live together. They decide to buy a Hospital Cover policy in case they need private hospital treatment in the future. Because neither has had Hospital Cover before, they each must pay Lifetime Health Cover Loading – Bella 10% and Dev 16%. They buy a Couples policy which includes a Loading of 13% – the average of Dev and Bella’s individual Loadings.   

How do I choose health insurance in my 30s?

Here are 4 simple steps: 

1. Choose your cover type
   If you want to avoid the Medicare Levy Surcharge, you’ll need Hospital Cover. If you want cover for out-of-hospital treatments like dental and physio, you’ll need Extras Cover. Choose Hospital Cover, Extras Cover or both, based on your health needs and budget.  

2. Decide what treatments matter 
   If you have a health condition, or a family predisposition to a particular illness, look for a policy that meets those needs. 

3. Compare policies  
   The free healthslips.com.au calculator searches every policy in Australia without commercial bias.  

4. Buy your policy  
   Check waiting periods, excess and any incentives or penalties before buying. You’ll be covered once you’ve paid your first premium, but there may be waiting periods before you can claim. 

Oliver, planning for prevention
Oliver is 33 and has a family history of bowel cancer. He considers a Bronze tier Hospital Cover policy that includes the Gastrointestinal Endoscopy clinical category so that he can get colonoscopies done at a private hospital, avoiding public hospital wait times. He decides to get a Combined Hospital and Extras policy so he can also claim for dental and physio treatments. He has to pay 6% Lifetime Health Cover Loading which increases his policy price, but because his income is in the lowest income bracket for the Private Health Insurance Rebate, his premiums are reduced.