If you’re in a relationship and thinking about health insurance, you might be wondering whether two singles policies or couples cover is better for you. Both give you the same access to hospital and extras, but they work a bit differently when it comes to how the policies are set up and managed. Knowing the key differences will help you pick the right cover that suits your needs and lifestyle.
Singles vs couples health insurance at a glance
| Singles health insurance | Couples health insurance | |
|---|---|---|
| Who it's for | One adult | Two adults in a relationship (partners or spouses) |
| Policy structure | Covers one person only | Covers both people under one combined policy |
| Policies available | All tiers of hospital and extras cover | All tiers of hospital and extras cover |
| Coverage | Can tailor the policy to individual needs | The same cover applies to both people |
| Flexibility | Easy to change or upgrade | Both people must agree to policy changes |
| Extras | Limits apply individually | Claim limits may be shared or be per person |
| Lifetime Health Cover loading | Applied individually based on your age when you take out hospital cover | Loading is averaged between both people |
How does private singles health insurance work?
A singles health insurance policy is designed to cover one individual, regardless of their relationship status. These policies can include hospital cover, extras cover or a combination of both to help with medical costs that aren’t usually covered by Medicare.
Because the policy only applies to one person, you have full control over the level of cover, the insurer you choose and any changes you want to make to the policy.
How does private couples health insurance work?
Couples health insurance covers two adults who are in a relationship and living together. It combines both individuals under one policy, which means you share the same level of hospital and/or extras cover. Policies are the same as singles policies, except that both partners are covered under the same plan – so you’ll need to agree on the level and type of cover. This can be convenient for managing one set of premiums and payments, but it does mean the policy must suit both people’s health needs. If either of you want to make changes – such as upgrading or switching insurers – those changes will apply to the whole policy.
Is couples health insurance cheaper than singles health insurance?
In most cases, no – couples health insurance isn’t cheaper than singles cover. Premiums are generally the same as taking out two separate singles policies. That’s because a couples policy simply combines two people under one plan, with both receiving the same level of cover.
The table below shows the cheapest basic hospital and low extras plans with a $500 excess available from five insurers on our panel. These quotes are based on a 35-year-old individual earning less than $101,000 and two 35-year-olds earning less than $202,000 combined (both within the base income tier).
| Insurer | Singles policy monthly premium | Couples policy monthly premium |
|---|---|---|
| nib | $107 | $214 |
| HCF | $110 | $220 |
| Bupa | $110 | $220 |
| Peoplecare | $115 | $230 |
| Ahm | $117 | $233 |
| Quotes sourced through Compare Club in July 2025. | ||
As the table shows, couples cover is almost exactly double the singles rate. This holds true for most comparisons, though there are a few exceptions where a couples policy may work out cheaper based on your combined income and your age.
In some cases, a couples policy may result in slightly lower overall premiums due to how the private health insurance rebate is calculated. For example, if one partner earns $70,000 and the other earns $120,000, their combined income of $190,000 still falls under the base tier threshold of $202,000 for couples. This means they may receive a higher rebate together than they would separately.
In this scenario, using the cheapest premiums available from our lenders in July 2025, each person’s singles premium would be $107.14 and $114.97 respectively, totalling $222.11 per month. However, a couples policy would cost just $214.28 per month, saving them $7.83 a month or $93.96 per year on that policy.
Similarly, if one of you is over the age of 65, you may be eligible for a higher rebate. When you take out a couples policy, that higher rebate applies to the entire policy, even if only one person qualifies due to age. This could reduce your combined premium more than if you each took out separate singles cover.
Why compare health insurance policies through Savvy?
The pros and cons of singles health insurance
Pros
-
Get the cover you need
With a singles policy, you have complete control over the coverage you buy and can tailor it to your specific health needs. You can choose a policy with the extras you want, without having to compromise based on your partner’s needs.
-
Change your policy more easily
If your health needs change, you can adjust your singles policy without needing to coordinate with anyone else. This flexibility makes it simpler to switch policies, increase or reduce cover, or change insurers as needed.
-
Maintain greater privacy over your health cover
While your medical records are protected by privacy laws, being on a singles policy means your partner won’t have access to your benefit usage or claims history, which they might be able to see on a couples policy.
Cons
-
No benefit sharing
With a singles policy, you have set limits for each type of extras cover (like dental or physio). Once you reach those limits, you can’t claim again until the benefit resets, and there’s no option to draw from a shared pool of benefits like on some couples policies.
-
Two policies to keep track of
If you and your partner each have a singles policy, you’ll need to manage two sets of premiums, paperwork and renewal dates. This can add administrative effort, especially if your cover is with different providers.
-
Not possible to add other people to the policy
If you want to add your partner or a newborn to your health cover, you’ll need to switch to a couples, family or single parent policy.
The pros and cons of couples health insurance
Pros
-
Convenience
With a couples policy, you only need to manage one premium and one set of paperwork, rather than two separate singles policies. This can simplify your record-keeping, make payments more streamlined and reduce the administrative burden.
-
Shared extras limits
Many couples policies come with a combined annual extras limit. This can be an advantage if one partner uses extras like dental, optical or physio more than the other, as it allows for greater flexibility in how those benefits are used.
-
Potential rebate advantages
Combining incomes on a couples policy can sometimes lead to a higher private health insurance rebate. If one partner earns less than the other, the total combined income may place you in a lower rebate tier—resulting in a larger rebate and reduced overall premium costs.
Cons
-
Less tailored to individual needs
Couples may have different health priorities or require different levels of cover. Sharing a policy means you both need to agree on the same cover, which might not fully meet each person’s needs.
-
Reduced privacy
While medical records remain confidential, a couples policy may allow both partners to view benefit usage and claims summaries. If you prefer to keep your health-related matters private, this shared visibility may be a drawback.
-
Lifetime Health Cover (LHC) loading
If one partner has a higher LHC loading, the average of both loadings will be applied to a couples policy. While this may not increase your combined premium compared to two singles policies, it could mean that one partner ends up paying more than they would on their own.
Which is better: singles or couples health insurance?
Whether a singles or couples policy is better depends on your personal circumstances. In many cases, the price difference between the two is negligible, so the decision often comes down to how well the policy suits both individuals.
A couples policy may be the better choice if:
- You and your partner have similar health needs and are both happy with the same level of hospital and extras cover.
- You want to streamline payments and paperwork by managing one policy instead of two.
- Your combined income puts you in a more favourable rebate tier than you’d be in individually.
However, a singles policy may be a better fit if:
- One of you has a more complex medical history, needs higher extras limits or prefers a different level of hospital cover.
- One partner has fluctuating income or job uncertainty that may make meeting their health insurance payments trickier. Keeping separate policies can make it easier to adjust cover without affecting the other partner’s health insurance.
- One partner has a Lifetime Health Cover (LHC) loading, which could increase how much you pay under a couples policy.
In the end, the best option is the one that gives you the right level of cover and control, so it’s worth reviewing your needs together and comparing both policy types before deciding.
