Family health insurance in New Zealand: How to choose the best cover for your loved ones

Cover for your newborn’s qualifying pre-existing conditions if enrolled early

If you apply for health insurance after a medical issue has already arisen, your insurer may classify the condition as "pre-existing." These conditions can impact your ability to manage ongoing medical expenses or access private care when needed.

For example, if your child develops a chronic condition before you get health insurance, cover for future treatments, specialist visits, and hospital stays related to that condition (and sometimes any associated health complications) may be excluded from your cover or subject to waiting periods or restrictions.

Some of the best health insurance plans can cover a newborn’s qualifying pre-existing conditions if you add them to your policy within a few months after their birth, securing comprehensive cover and protection against exclusions.

Cost-saving advantages of family health insurance

Family health insurance can be a surprisingly cost-effective way to manage your health expenses. Here’s how:

One policy fee for the whole family

Family health insurance plans allow you to consolidate cover for multiple members under a single policy. This means you only pay one policy fee, reducing overall costs compared to managing separate plans for each individual.

Discounts for larger families   

Some insurers offer attractive premium discounts for larger families with several dependent children, adding up to substantial savings over the years.

Child rates apply

When you add children to your health insurance plan, they typically qualify for lower child rates until they reach a specific age, such as 21 or 25, depending on the insurer.

Customised excess for individual members

Most insurers allow you to set a different health insurance excess amount for each family member. For instance, you might choose a higher excess for yourself, knowing you can manage the balance of your medical costs, and a lower excess for your child to ensure more comprehensive cover and fewer out-of-pocket expenses if they require medical attention. This flexibility allows you to optimise your cover while potentially reducing your overall premium costs.

Simplified management with family health insurance

Juggling individual health insurance policies for each family member can be a logistical nightmare. Family health insurance offers a welcome solution, streamlining the entire process.

One plan, one premium payment

With family health insurance, you only need to manage a single policy and make one premium payment for all covered members. This eliminates the hassle of managing multiple plans and due dates, providing greater simplicity and convenience for busy parents.

Easily add family members

Perhaps you're expecting a new baby or want to provide health cover for your aging parents. The beauty of family health insurance is its flexibility. Many plans allow you to easily add new members, such as children, grandchildren, or parents, depending on the insurer's eligibility criteria.

Customisable cover for individuals

Family doesn't mean one-size-fits-all: each member will probably have unique healthcare requirements. Family health insurance plans often cater to this by allowing you to customise your cover to suit the individual. This could involve selecting add-on benefits for specific members or setting different excess levels.

What do the best family health insurance plans cover?  

The best family health insurance plans in New Zealand cover an extensive range of medical services, giving you excellent value for money - as well as emotional security. Depending on the plan you choose, here’s what you can expect:

• Base cover: Family health insurance plans are designed to help you manage unexpected high-cost medical needs, such as:
  • Major and minor surgeries
  • Non-surgical treatments at private hospitals
  • Life-saving or life-extending non-Pharmac-funded drugs
  • Cancer care-related costs, including cancer surgery, medications, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, immunotherapy, and accommodation
  • Major diagnostic tests.
• Optional add-ons: Many insurers offer a range of optional add-ons that can further customise your family's comprehensive health cover. These might include:
  • Specialist, GP, and nurse visits
  • Cover for dental treatments
  • Optical care
  • Prescription costs  
  • Additional cover for Medsafe-approved, non-Pharmac drugs
  • Serious condition financial support: Additional financial support if you’re diagnosed with a specified serious medical condition
  • Other treatments like speech therapy, physiotherapy, chiropractic, and osteopathy.   
• Pregnancy and maternity care: Some plans include obstetrics care in their base plans or as an optional add-on.

Finding the right family health insurance plan might feel overwhelming, and it can be difficult to know where to start. Policywise insurance advisers provide unbiased guidance, comparing plans from different providers, and helping you find the best cover for your family.

Family health insurance plan options

When it comes to protecting your family's health, you have a few different options to consider:

Getting a family health insurance package

Family health insurance plans are designed to cover all members of your household under one policy. These plans can be customised to each family member and may offer cost-saving advantages, such as discounts for large families.

Adding family members to your existing personal health cover

If you already have personal health insurance, adding family members to your policy is often the most straightforward option. Many insurers allow you to include your spouse and children under your existing cover, consolidating all your family’s health needs into one plan.

Tip: Adding family members while they are young and healthy helps ensure conditions developed later can be covered. While you can still get health insurance even with pre-existing conditions, your cover may be subject to waiting periods or exclusions.

Adding family members to your employee health insurance

For those with health cover provided through their employer, it’s worth checking if your company allows you to extend the policy to your family members. Employee health insurance plans often offer competitive premiums and comprehensive benefits, making this a cost-effective way to protect your loved ones.

Tip: Speak to your HR department or employer to understand the options for including your children or spouse in your workplace health insurance.

Getting child-only covers 

If you want a standalone plan for your children, you can explore health insurance options specifically designed for babies and kids. Aside from standard benefits like cover for private hospital surgeries and treatments, specialist consultations, and diagnostic tests, these plans also offer loyalty benefits, such as consultations with paediatricians or allergists, tongue or lip tie procedures, and financial contributions for children’s sports fees and other exercise-based activities.

Tip: Even if you’re not ready to get health insurance for yourself or your entire family, starting with a child-only cover will provide positive protection for your children.