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Switching & saving
How to move funds without restarting your waiting periods, and the one date each year that decides what you pay.
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More guides on this topic.
The rules that decide whether switching costs you anything
Pre-existing conditions and health insurance: how the 12-month rule works
An Australian insurer can withhold hospital benefits for up to 12 months for a pre-existing condition. Who decides, what it costs, and how to dispute it.
What to do when your health insurance premium increase letter arrives
Premiums rose 4.41% on 1 April 2026 and the 2027 rise is due 1 April 2027. What the letter must tell you, your increase in dollars, and the options.
Prepaying health insurance before the 1 April rise: limits, rebate and refunds
Funds let you prepay 12 to 18 months before the 1 April 2027 rise. Each fund's limit, the rebate tax-year rule, refunds, and what a 4.41% rise is worth.
How to switch health insurance in Australia
Switching health funds in Australia in 6 steps: the 14-day transfer certificate, the gap each fund allows, and what a gap costs in 2026–27.
Health insurance with no waiting period: what you can skip, and what you cannot
No Australian hospital policy can skip the 12-month pre-existing wait as of right. Which waits funds are waiving in October 2026, and which never go away.
Do you re-serve waiting periods when you switch health funds?
Switching at the same or a lower level of cover carries your served waiting periods across. Upgrading does not. The 2026–27 rules, priced and dated.
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