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What’s the best health insurance for remedial massage?

By Trudie McConnochie Reviewed and updated 21 April 2026

Whether you’re a runner, an office worker or anyone experiencing stiff muscles, regular remedial massages might make a big difference to how your body feels. And if you have health insurance, you might be able to lower your massage costs – depending on your policy, and the massage therapist. Here’s how to find the best health insurance for remedial massage.  

What's the best health insurance for remedial massage? A woman lies on massage table, while a man's hands work on muscles in her upper back.
Image credit: Shutterstock

Yes, Remedial Massage is covered on Extras Cover, however it isn’t included in all policies. If it’s covered by your policy, your insurer might pay a certain percentage or dollar amount for each massage, up to set limits.  

You need to know: 

  • Watch out for the ‘shared limit’ trap. Sometimes Remedial Massage rebates are bundled with other treatments, such as Acupuncture and Exercise Physiology, which means you’ll reach your annual limit faster if you claim on those treatments too. If you think you’ll be having a lot of massages, it might work out better to find a policy with standalone limits for Remedial Massage.  
  • There might be waiting periods on new policies. Usually Extras Cover waiting periods for remedial massage are around 2 months. Check your policy to make sure.  
  • Most insurers require massage therapists to meet certain standards, such as belonging to a national organisation, before they’ll pay rebates. Some insurers only cover recognised providers. Check with your therapist whether your appointment will be eligible for a rebate with your insurer. 
Essential to know

Most Extras Cover annual limits reset at the end of the calendar year, however some reset at the end of the financial year or the anniversary of when you took out the policy. Check your policy or ask your insurer to confirm.  

Using the healthslips.com.au calculator to search across every policy and every insurer in Australia, we found the cheapest policy that includes remedial massage for one adult in NSW cost $17.04 per month, as of April 2026. It covered $20 for a massage, up to a combined annual limit of $200 for acupuncture, chiropractic, osteopathy, physiotherapy and remedial massage.  

The cheapest policy that didn’t have combined limits for remedial massage was $35.95 per month for one adult in NSW, as of April 2026, which paid $26 for a first appointment, $22.10 for subsequent appointments, up to a limit of $100 a year. 

The most expensive policy that covered remedial massage for one adult in NSW as of April 2026 was $217.10 per month,  which covered $44 for a first appointment then $35 for subsequent appointments. There was a combined annual limit of $500 for acupuncture, Chinese medicine, exercise physiology and remedial massage.  

The best health insurance for remedial massage is the Extras Cover policy that will allow you to claim back more than you spend on premiums each year. You might not achieve that with massage claims alone, but if your Extras Cover policy also includes dental, optical, physio and other treatments you use regularly, your policy will provide good value. 

To find the policy that meets your needs, use the healthslips.com.au calculator and select ‘remedial massage’ under the ‘Extras Cover: choose your treatments’ section or using the filters on your results. Our calculator searches every policy without commercial bias, so that you can make the best decision for your healthcare needs – without having to enter any contact details. You can use it to look for a new Extras Cover policy or compare your existing policy with others in Australia.  

healthslips.com.au does not provide general or personalised advice. Your particular circumstances are likely to impact the accuracy, completeness and relevance of the information or results. Take this into account before making a decision and talk to an expert for financial advice.    

Trudie McConnochie
Writer and Researcher

Knowledge is power – that’s the guiding principle behind everything Trudie writes, and it’s a philosophy she brings to her work at healthslips.com.au. By breaking down complex information into easy-to-understand blogs and stories, she aims to empower Australians to make the best choices and an informed decision around private health insurance.

Trudie understands firsthand some of the complexity of private health insurance having moved to Australia from New Zealand and having to navigate a vastly different public healthcare system and health insurance structure.

Trudie holds a Bachelor of Communication Studies (journalism major) from the Auckland University of Technology.

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