Private Health Insurance Average Premium Increases for 2019
Private health insurance premiums are set to increase by an average of 3.25 per cent from April, and consumers are being urged to "shop around" for the best deal. See the chart below for the increases in premiums for every insurer:
What’s driving premium increases?
Insurance premiums are going up because insurance companies claim that there have been a lot more benefits paid out. The benefits paid by health insurers can increase when hospital, medical or other health related costs rise, and if their members have an increase in the use of health services. Factors leading to cost increases can include wages for nurses and hospital staff, doctors’ charges, the cost of medical equipment and technology and more complex and costly procedures being available through private hospitals. While all insurers maintain reserves to cover unexpected increases in benefit costs, this can only assist temporarily. If insurers experience or expect an ongoing increase in the cost of benefits they must increase their contribution income by increasing premiums in order to stay financially viable.
And below you can find how much health insurance premiums increased for each insurer over last 10 years:
| Insurer | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ACA Health Benefits | 3.23% | 2.72% | 4.70% | 6.19% | 4.96% | 5.78% | 5.89% | 5.47% | 4.88% | 4.89% |
| Australian Unity Health | 3.35% | 3.89% | 4.46% | 5.05% | 6.26% | 6.62% | 5.23% | 4.55% | 4.91% | 6.68% |
| BUPA | 2.99% | 3.99% | 4.90% | 5.69% | 5.59% | 6.35% | 5.80% | 4.91% | 5.14% | 5.39% |
| CBHS Health Fund | 3.67% | 2.73% | 3.29% | 5.92% | 6.58% | 5.61% | 4.59% | 5.31% | 7.12% | 7.14% |
| Cessnock District Health | 3.90% | 6.40% | 6.57% | 6.19% | 6.99% | 5.36% | 5.55% | 5.83% | 6.66% | 5.29% |
| CUA Health | 4.19% | 3.29% | 4.97% | 8.95% | 6.35% | 5.47% | 4.62% | 7.85% | 7.36% | 9.48% |
| Defence Health | 4.50% | 5.97% | 5.51% | 5.48% | 5.62% | 5.34% | 4.02% | 3.93% | 3.98% | 4.90% |
| Doctors Heath Fund | 2.94% | 2.28% | 3.54% | 3.76% | 3.98% | 4.23% | 3.78% | 5.66% | 5.58% | 6.91% |
| Emergency Services Health Pty Ltd | 3.25% | 3.36% | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| GMHBA | 3.31% | 4.34% | 4.94% | 5.44% | 6.43% | 5.94% | 5.23% | 5.17% | 5.68% | 7.95% |
| Grand United Corporate Health | 1.80% | 2.84% | 4.11% | 4.26% | 4.32% | 3.46% | 3.23% | 3.17% | 2.53% | 2.32% |
| HBF Health | 1.94% | 3.75% | 5.96% | 4.94% | 5.96% | 3.72% | 3.75% | 5.85% | 5.85% | 4.95% |
| Hospitals Contribution Fund (HCF) | 3.20% | 3.39% | 3.65% | 5.42% | 6.57% | 6.89% | 5.74% | 5.94% | 6.41% | 5.94% |
| Health Care Insurance | 5.53% | 8.90% | 6.06% | 6.90% | 6.12% | 5.34% | 3.95% | 5.54% | 7.40% | 6.52% |
| Health Insurance Fund | 4.77% | 5.35% | 7.99% | 6.55% | 4.49% | 2.98% | 4.47% | 5.35% | 4.47% | 4.50% |
| Health Partners | 3.18% | 3.95% | 5.10% | 7.14% | 5.76% | 3.14% | 3.40% | 5.44% | 6.61% | 7.72% |
| Health.com.au | 3.96% | 5.87% | 8.53% | 8.81% | 6.81% | 6.13% | 5.76% | - | - | - |
| Healthguard Health Benefits (GMF Health) | - | - | - | - | 5.31% | 4.95% | 3.86% | 3.99% | 4.84% | 3.92% |
| Latrobe | 3.85% | 4.25% | 4.49% | 5.52% | 6.15% | 5.98% | 6.21% | 5.31% | 5.28% | 4.53% |
| Lysaght Peoplecare | 4.90% | 4.19% | 5.09% | 4.38% | 6.08% | 5.82% | 6.81% | 5.93% | 4.94% | 6.30% |
| Medibank Private | 3.30% | 3.88% | 4.60% | 5.64% | 6.59% | 6.49% | 6.20% | 4.70% | 5.35% | 5.74% |
| Mildura District Hospital Fund | 3.89% | 5.68% | 5.95% | 6.74% | 6.14% | 3.65% | 5.75% | 2.19% | 4.56% | 4.67% |
| MO Health Pty Ltd | 4.45% | 3.90% | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| National Health Benefits Australia | 3.62% | 3.97% | 5.41% | 5.28% | 6.26% | 4.50% | 5.54% | 5.64% | 5.61% | 6.49% |
| Navy Health | 4.94% | 3.94% | 4.94% | 5.50% | 4.50% | 4.53% | 4.80% | 3.35% | 3.70% | 3.81% |
| NIB Health Funds | 3.38% | 3.93% | 4.48% | 5.55% | 6.55% | 7.99% | 6.50% | 5.50% | 6.19% | 5.95% |
| Nurses & Midwives Health Pty Ltd | 5.91% | 3.22% | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Phoenix Health Fund | 3.26% | 4.19% | 5.93% | 5.72% | 6.48% | 6.52% | 5.47% | 6.98% | 4.43% | 6.07% |
| Police Health | 3.58% | 3.72% | 4.63% | 4.81% | 4.48% | 4.81% | 4.09% | 4.96% | 5.51% | 15.52% |
| Queensland Country Health | 3.95% | 4.39% | 5.15% | 4.91% | 4.77% | 5.85% | 4.59% | 4.38% | 4.89% | 4.49% |
| Queensland Teachers Union | 3.18% | 4.40% | 7.30% | 7.15% | 6.36% | 4.50% | 4.50% | 3.96% | 4.94% | 5.97% |
| Railway and Transport Health Fund | 3.36% | 4.47% | 5.54% | 5.61% | 6.17% | 4.80% | 4.29% | 5.74% | 14.38% | 8.97% |
| Reserve Bank Health Society | 3.73% | 3.97% | 5.00% | 5.37% | 4.88% | 4.39% | 4.31% | 4.89% | 1.50% | 5.00% |
| St Luke’s | 3.56% | 4.23% | 4.99% | 5.89% | 6.27% | 6.33% | 3.96% | 3.16% | 4.79% | 5.27% |
| Teachers Federation Health | 3.94% | 2.84% | 4.96% | 4.97% | 6.86% | 5.42% | 4.10% | 4.68% | 4.89% | 5.93% |
| Transport Health | 3.41% | 5.16% | 4.93% | 6.49% | 4.84% | 5.90% | 6.77% | 7.69% | 6.34% | 6.51% |
| Westfund | 1.64% | 3.43% | 4.96% | 5.94% | 7.92% | 3.25% | 3.48% | 5.19% | 5.94% | 6.42% |
| INDUSTRY WEIGHTED AVERAGE | 3.25% | 3.95% | 4.84% | 5.59% | 6.18% | 6.20% | 5.60% | 5.06% | 5.56% | 5.78% |