In Australia, various health insurance policies, such as Overseas Student Health Cover and Overseas Visitor Health Cover, cater to individuals and couples. Therefore, it is crucial to understand the different types of health coverage available and choose the one that best suits your needs.

To know the basics, a single’s health insurance provides coverage to an individual’s medical expenses whereas; a couple’s health insurance provides coverage to two people in a committed relationship, where they can be either married or de facto partners.

The following blog will talk about whether a couple should opt for two single covers or a joint cover. This will help you make an informed decision about buying the right health cover for you and your partner. Keep reading!

How do Joint and Two Single Health Covers Work for Couples?

A single health insurance cover in Australia provides coverage to an individual, no matter if they are single, married, or in a de facto relationship. To put it simply, it will cover only one person in a relationship. It is Australia’s most common health insurance type. With single health insurance, you can get coverage for hospital treatments, general medical consultations, and ancillary treatments including dental and optical treatment.

Likewise, a joint cover or a couple’s health insurance provides coverage to two people, who are in a committed relationship living together, or legally married to each other. They share the same health cover and its benefits. Married couples, de facto partners, or couples in a same-sex relationship can buy this type of policy. The same benefits are provided in a couple’s health insurance as single policies, i.e., hospital treatments, general medical consultations, and ancillary treatments including dental and optical treatment.

Now the question comes, whether you should buy two single health covers or a joint one. It is best advised to assess all the options available to find the most suitable for you and your partner.

Which is better? Single or Couple Health Insurance in Australia?
We have mentioned the advantages and drawbacks of both the covers so; you can decide which one is better for you and your partner.

Advantages of buying two single policies
•    More control: Having a single policy means having complete coverage control. You get the coverage for exactly what you need. You can also include coverage for extras like dental, optical, and physiotherapy.
•    Flexibility and easy modification: you can change your health coverage whenever your health needs change. You have complete flexibility to do that whereas, with a couple of health over, you could not have done it.
•    More access to benefits: A single policy is specifically designed to have benefits like rebates and discounts. You can enjoy them with a single health cover which otherwise would not be possible.

Advantages of buying a couples policy

• Easy payment: Now comes the couple's policy, where you only have to pay once a month or year, unlike the singles policy where you have to pay for two different ones.

• Easy managing: Couples policy comes with easy management, instead of a single policy where you have to manage two different policies.
• Add a baby: You can add your baby when you are planning to grow your family. After which, it will become a family policy and you do not even have to serve new waiting periods.

Drawbacks of buying two single policies
• Two policies to manage: With two single policies, you will have to manage and pay for both of them separately. This could be a challenge for most couples therefore many of them opt for couples health insurance.
• Not possible to add a baby: With a single policy, you cannot add a baby. So, if you are planning for pregnancy you might have to rethink your health cover.

Drawbacks of buying a couples policy
• Different health needs: It is obvious that two people, even if they are in a relationship, will have different health needs. With couples health cover, it becomes difficult to get coverage for different health needs.
• Loss of privacy: Having the same health cover means loss of privacy, which many people find wrong. And if you are someone, who keeps their medical history or health-related concerns close, it could be really difficult to share health cover with someone else (even if he or she is your partner).

Summary
We have jotted down key advantages and drawbacks of both the health covers, now the decision is yours. If you are still confused, you are most welcome to visit us at www.budgetpolicy.com or contact our experts today.
With our expertise and professional help, you can rest assured of getting the best and right health cover for you and your partner.