HIF provides health insurance - healthslips.com.au

Reviewed and updated 29 May 2024

About HIF

What is HIF?

Health Insurance Fund of Australia (HIF) is a private health insurer that operates as an open health fund.

Background

HIF was established in 1954 as the Western Australian Government Railways Employees Hospital and Medical Benefits Fund Inc. It changed its name to the Health Insurance Fund of WA in 1978.

To reflect its increasingly nationwide membership, it became the Health Insurance Fund of Australia in 2010.

HIF has around 120,000 members and claims to be Australia’s first certified carbon-neutral health fund.

Who can join HIF?

Anyone can join HIF because it is an open health fund.

What products does HIF offer?

HIF offers:

Do HIF policies include Ambulance Cover?

HIF includes emergency Ambulance Cover with:

Extras Cover
Combined Hospital and Extras Cover.

If your use of an ambulance is classified as non-urgent, you have to make a $50 co-payment. This cover covers only road ambulance.

Is HIF a not-for-profit health insurer?

Yes. HIF is a not-for-profit health insurer.

Does HIF operate in all Australian states and territories?

Yes. HIF operates in all Australian states and territories.

How does HIF Hospital Cover compare with other insurers?

Benchmarks	HIF	Industry average
Member retention for Hospital Cover	75.9%	86.9%
% hospital-related charges covered	89.7%	89.9%

Source: Private Health Insurance Ombudsman: State of the Health Funds Report 2023

Does HIF have agreements with some private hospitals or day hospitals to provide services at low cost or with no out-of-pocket costs?

Yes. HIF has agreements with a number of private hospitals that allow it to provide services to its members at low cost or with no out-of-pocket costs:

Location	Number of private Agreement Hospitals	Industry maximum
ACT	5	6
NSW	92	98
NT	2	2
QLD	49	60
SA	19	23
TAS	8	9
VIC	73	76
WA	21	24

HIF also has agreements with a number of day hospitals so it can provide services at low cost or with no out-of-pocket costs:

Location	Number of day Agreement Hospitals	Industry maximum
ACT	8	8
NSW	84	103
NT	1	2
QLD	48	57
SA	24	30
TAS	4	8
VIC	68	79
WA	20	24

Source: HIF: performance

How does HIF Extras Cover compare with other insurers?

Benchmark	HIF	Industry average
% Extras Cover charges covered	46.3%	51.1%

Source: Private Health Insurance Ombudsman: State of the Health Funds Report 2023

How does HIF compare with other private health insurers?

Benchmarks	HIF	Industry average
Market share	0.7%	–
% services with no gap	89.6%	88.3%
% services with no gap or where known gap payment made	97.8%	97.2%
Market share of complaints to the PHIO	0.9%	3.1%
% complaints investigated by the PHIO	3.3%	3.1%
Benefits as a % of contributions	78.8%	80.5%
Management expenses as a % of contribution income	15.2%	13.1%
Management expenses per average policy	$540	$592

Source: Private Health Insurance Ombudsman: State of the Health Funds Report 2023

Is HIF a member of any industry associations?

Yes. HIF is a member of Private Healthcare Australia (PHA), a body that represents 20 registered health insurers and 97% of people covered by private health insurance.

It is also a member of the Members Health Fund Alliance, an alliance of not-for-profit, member-owned, regional or community-based health insurers.

Does HIF let me claim online or via an app?

Yes. HIF allows you to make a claim online via its new Member Centre or the HIF Member mobile app.

How to contact HIF

Phone:

1300 134 060

Website:

https://www.hif.com.au/

Email:

hello@hif.com.au

Address:

100 Stirling Street
PERTH WA 6000

Postal address:

GPO Box X2221
PERTH WA 6847

Compare HIF with other private health insurers

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HIF

About HIF

What is HIF?

Background

Who can join HIF?

What products does HIF offer?

Do HIF policies include Ambulance Cover?

Is HIF a not-for-profit health insurer?

Does HIF operate in all Australian states and territories?

How does HIF Hospital Cover compare with other insurers?

Does HIF have agreements with some private hospitals or day hospitals to provide services at low cost or with no out-of-pocket costs?

How does HIF Extras Cover compare with other insurers?

How does HIF compare with other private health insurers?

Is HIF a member of any industry associations?

Does HIF let me claim online or via an app?

How to contact HIF

Compare HIF with other private health insurers

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