HCF Health Insurance
Collect up to 130,000 points
Score a huge 15x points on your next Coles shop with HCF!
Get 15x points at Coles for 2 months when you join HCF by 31 Dec 2024. Plus boost your points; pocket up to 130,000 points when you join and stay for at least 10 months.
Also 6 weeks free and 2-month waiting period waived on extras.
Source: Flybuys
Does anyone know if you can get the
maximum amount of points by upgrading right at the end works for this?
Nothing for existing HCF customers?
Ask, theyre usually pretty good.
Also, you may be on a grandfathered or corporate plan whose rates dont jump as quickly as standard public rates.
It never pays to stay. Churning is the only way to make significant savings.
My experience has been the opposite. See below.
You are mistaken.
I always call them and they match the deals. I never ask for points just the 6 weeks in savings. Takes a month or two for the deal to kick in but it always works. I've been with them for 25 years though so YMMV.
There is 100% no way you have saved more by not churning. Insurers will, on occasion, match a new join offer - but they won't do it on a continuous basis.
Even if HCF matched some of the competing offers you put to HCF, the time you have wasted in getting the deals applied makes it not worth it.
I'm sorry to hear that you have been conned for 25 years.
I haven't been conned at all. We are 10's of thousands ahead due to a family members special requirements. Easier to stick to the one provider then there is never any doubt when cover is needed. I only get hcf to match their own new customer offers not other providers. Thanks for your pity though.
@MS Paint: I am sorry to hear about your family member.
I stand by my statement that you could have save more by churning.
Any new insurer is required to honour all waiting periods already served. There is no doubt about this — it's the law.
My opinion is that HCF offers (like those of NIB) are never compelling enough to churn to.
@YesPleaseThankYou: When we need the services the peace of mind of knowing, without a doubt, that the hospital and services are approved by hcf is worth more than enough flybuy points to buy a new toaster.
If I was just using a junk policy for tax minimisation then I would be all over the churning train.
@MS Paint: You said:
flybuy points to buy a new toaster
I never suggested that this was a good offer to take advantage of. In fact, I said:
HCF offers (like those of NIB) are never compelling enough to churn to
You said:
When we need the services the peace of mind of knowing, without a doubt, that the hospital and services are approved by hcf
I said:
Any new insurer is required to honour all waiting periods already served. There is no doubt about this — it's the law.
Whether it is HCF or any other insurer, it is required to honour all waiting periods already served.
@YesPleaseThankYou: Trust me. I'm well aware of the waiting periods carryover. But different providers have preferred hospitals, specialists etc. In the time of need I don't want to be chasing PHI bullshit, discover unexpected out of pocket costs etc. We live regional and have limited resources compared to a major city.
Let's just agree that you keep churning and getting free toasters while I live with the peace of mind that my family is well looked after medically with an established history with the best PHI for our needs.
But different providers have preferred hospitals, specialists etc.
Very true. You hadn't previously raised this as a factor.
In the time of need I don't want to be chasing PHI bullshit, discover unexpected out of pocket costs etc. We live regional and have limited resources compared to a major city.
All very understandable.
Let's just agree that you keep churning and getting free toasters
I don't chase points (or toasters). All I chase is paying out less dollars for the product and services that I want or need.
Thank you for your condescending response.
@YesPleaseThankYou: I am saving a shit load of money just by having PHI. Saving $1k or so per year is just not worth the effort in our use case.
Sorry if I came across as a Greek parachutist (Con descending). 😉
I agree with you MS Paint
Not only are we on a RAA corporate deal but just looking now, there's no stand alone Gold Hospital cover.
Considering we're getting Premium Gold, the price has only increased 2? Times in 5 years and it is still sub $400 ($365 family), Im not churning for anything.
Previously got stung with Bupa after being told a new plan was better than my current one (pre standardisation) and it took an age to move back to the grandfathered plan.
Not saying churning isnt beneficial, but for some of us, especially with chronic conditions, it's not worth it.
especially with chronic conditions, it's not worth it
That depends on your perceptions of 'value'.
Health insurance in Australia is designed to be portable. And, importantly, if it is hospital cover that is your key concern (as appears to be the case), then these tiers are standardised across the sector.
FYI, there is no 'Premium' Gold standard tier. The tiers are Gold, Silver, Bronze and Basic cover, see https://www.health.gov.au/topics/private-health-insurance/wh…
@YesPleaseThankYou: There actually are Premium Gold tiers and then there's those again in corporate.
I understand the fundamentals of the system but the execution is lacking.
https://www.hcf.com.au/insurance/health/get-a-quote/hcf-hosp…
It used to be available stand alone, now must be bundled. Churning exposes people to these new gotchas.
There actually are Premium Gold tiers
I think you know very well that I am referring to the standard product tiers. There is no 'Premium' in those tiers.
As an aside, that HCF page you have linked to is a stinking mess.
Churning exposes people to these new gotchas.
The standard hospital tiers make it easy to churn.
If you have the money to overpay for your health insurance, good luck to you!
@YesPleaseThankYou: Ignore my comments about grandfathered and combined plans or that the fundamentals are there but the execution isnt.
None of the players are playing fair. They have all added extra tiers.
Medibank alone have 3 Bronze, 3 Silver and 1 Gold - havent touched corporate or grandfathered plans
Churning isnt as simple as who has the cheapest. I stand by my statement that people need to triple check their PDS and ensure the product is superior and that they wont regret moving off. /.
They have all added extra tiers.
Extra tiers are permitted via the 'plus' moniker. From the link I provided above:
If your insurer offers a policy that provides cover above the minimum requirements of a tier they can promote the policy as Basic Plus (+), Bronze Plus (+) or Silver Plus (+).
See here for the clinical categories included in each tier: https://www.privatehealth.gov.au/health_insurance/howitworks…
If the hospital product has 'gold' in the name, it includes all the clinical categories.
I stand by my statement that people need to triple check their PDS
There is no PDS in health insurance. There are Private Health Information Statements (PHIS), see https://www.privatehealth.gov.au/health_insurance/howitworks…
If anyone is interested, for 6 weeks free offer you have to stay with them 90days and to get flybuys points you have to stay with them 10months
Yes, no deal 🤚🛑
I don't like this 'bargain'. It has a very complicated set of terms.
Further, the requirement to stay for 10 months for the points makes the offer uneconomical. Much more will be saved by churning to other providers for the 'pay 1 month, get 6 weeks free' offers.
What is the best private health insurance cover just for the purpose of avoiding medicare levy surcharge?
The cheapest one, just hospital cover. Try AHM. I found them to be quite affordable. Anyone who downvotes this comment is ignorant
Gimme some FaceBook points
@YesPleaseThankYou @easternculture you both are really good in this health insurance churning…. I am ready to churn from Frank which offer do you think is good now? Prefer 6 weeks free with 1 month stay
Why not 6 weeks free straight up? That's a 100% discount. See https://www.queenslandcountry.health/campaigns/2024/8weeks/
Was about to recommend that but they have a 18 month churn period and limits renew on anniversary date so best left kept for a churn between funds with calender and financial year limit renewals
That's a very good offer but I don't qualify for it as still in 18months period of last I had HBF so will not be eligible for this
See all the providers here https://privatehealth.gov.au/dynamic/insurer and check their websites and/or Google 'health fund promo'.
I am slightly confused on the limits renew on anniversary. I am also on Frank and used the optical limit of $250 fully for this year, and it is supposed to get reset on Jan 1st, 2025. If I move to QCH, does that mean my limit will still show nil till my anniversary (after 12 months from joining the fund)? Can you help @YesPleaseThankYou @easternculture please?
Your limits will reset immediately upon joining QCHF.
You should ask QCHF to confirm.
So should I be jumping from one provider to another every 3-4 months?
You should be 'jumping' as soon as the promotional period is over to whichever insurer has the best deal at the time.
Hint: there's always a deal.
I can't afford full insurance for my family, but we would benefit from extras cover as we wear glasses and the missus needs dentures. Getting extras cover would help with these, right?
Are there any to recommend? Do I have to churn this as well to get good deals?
ps. I've never bought insurance before.
You need an offer that waives waiting periods for the services you want to use.
You're likely to get an offer that will pay for your glasses (as optical generally has a shorter waiting period), but you're not likely to be able to claim for dentures without paying extras for a year.
Thanks, I'll include that in description.