Ambulance Cover

If you ever need an ambulance, we’re on the journey with you.

Get coverage for emergency ambulance

Did you know that urgent ambulance transport could cost you more than $1000 if you don’t have ambulance cover? Most other health funds charge extra fees for ambulance cover and we think that’s unfair. That’s why, with any level of HIF Extras cover, you are 100% covered for emergency ambulance at no extra cost!

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Vital Options Extras Cover

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Saver

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Simple

Simple Options Extras Cover

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Special

Special Options Extras Cover

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Super

Super Options Extras Cover

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Compare Extras Cover Download our Health Cover Guide**

*The daily pricing above is based on a single policy in Western Australia (WA) and is paid by direct debit on an annual basis after deducting a 25.059% Australian Government Rebate on private health insurance and a 4% annual discount. Depending on your current household income, the rebate you can claim may be reduced. This pricing is correct as of 1 October 2020. Prices may vary for other Australian states and territories.

**Please read carefully and in conjuction with product factsheets

Get peace of mind with Ambulance cover

We hope you never need to ride in an ambulance. But the chances are that you (or someone you love) could need an ambulance sometime soon. In 2016-17, St John Ambulance reported more than 200,000 people in WA alone required their services - an average of 547 ambulance trips every day!

Worried about the cost of an ambulance ride? Get peace of mind - get a quote for our very affordable range of Extras Cover today.

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Understanding emergency ambulance costs around Australia

Each state in Australia has different arrangements and subsidies for ambulance transport. In some states, ambulance cover is subsidised or free for pensioners and low-income earners. In Queensland and Tasmania, the state governments cover the cost of ambulance services for all residents. People who hold a Department of Veteran’s Affairs health card may be eligible for free ambulance cover in all states of Australia – check with the DVA to find out more.

We have put together a quick summary of ambulance arrangements and average costs for each state, but make sure you check with the relevant government body in your state to confirm if you are eligible.

Western Australia (WA)

If you’re an aged pensioner in Western Australia, you may be entitled to free ambulance cover. Aged pensioners who meet certain criteria may be eligible for free ambulance cover and some senior citizens may be entitled to a 50% discount off the regular price of ambulance services. We recommend speaking to St John Ambulance to find out if any subsidies apply. If you’re not a pensioner or low-income earner however, we recommend taking out ambulance cover.

Ambulance costs in WA

Ambulance transport for an emergency in WA costs more than $900.

South Australia (SA)

There are no subsidies or discounts for ambulance cover in South Australia so taking out ambulance cover is highly recommended.

Ambulance costs in SA

Ambulance costs are high in SA – there is a fee of more than $900 with an additional cost of $5.60 for every kilometre travelled.

Victoria (VIC)

In Victoria, people with Pensioner Concession Cards and Healthcare Cards may be entitled to free ambulance services. If you don’t have either of these concession cards, private ambulance cover is recommended.

Ambulance costs in VIC

Victoria has some the highest ambulance costs – emergency transport in metropolitan areas costs more than $1200 while in regional areas you could be charged more than $1800.

New South Wales (NSW)

In NSW you may be eligible for free ambulance transport if you have a health care concession card, pensioner concession card or senior’s health card. If you don’t hold an eligible concession card, we recommend getting private ambulance cover.

Ambulance costs in NSW

In NSW, an emergency ambulance trip will cost $382 then an additional $3.44 per kilometre.

Australia Capital Territory (ACT)

Health Care Card and Pensioner Concession cart holders in the ACT may be entitled to free ambulance services in emergencies.

Ambulance costs in the ACT

In the ACT, an emergency ambulance will cost more than $900, with additional charges per kilometre travelled outside the ACT.

Northern Territory (NT)

In the NT, Pensioner Concession card and Commonwealth Seniors Health Card holders may qualify for free ambulance services. Anyone else who uses an ambulance will incur out of pocket expenses, so we recommend taking out Ambulance Cover if you live in the NT.

Ambulance costs in the NT

With a per kilometre charge, an ambulance ride in the Territory could get expensive if you are a long way from the hospital. Emergency ambulance transport costs more than $700 with a $5.10 per km charge on top.

Queensland (QLD)

In Queensland the state government subsidises the cost of ambulance cover. If you are a resident of QLD, you don’t need ambulance cover but it’s still worth a look at our Extras Cover to get cover for services like dental and optical.

Tasmania (TAS)

Congratulations Tassie, you’re one of the lucky ones - ambulance services (used within TAS) are covered by the Tasmanian state government. If you’re in need of other services like dental and optical though, why not consider one of our great value Extras cover options?

Ambulance Cover FAQs

What is ambulance cover?

Ambulance cover is insurance that covers you for the cost of emergency ambulance transport and emergency treatment by paramedics.

In most states of Australia, if you need an urgent ambulance trip, you’ll be left with an expensive bill. Medicare doesn’t cover any ambulance services, so the person who needs the ambulance will usually have to pay for it themselves.

Unless you live in Queensland or Tasmania, ambulance costs aren’t subsidised by the state government. We recommend taking out ambulance insurance, so you don’t have to worry about money in a stressful medical emergency.

Ambulance rides can be scary (and so can the fees!)

Depending on which state you’re in, an emergency ambulance callout could cost $900 – 1200. Also, most Australian health insurance companies charge extra for ambulance cover, so needing an ambulance can be expensive.

At HIF, we want all our members to feel safe and to be covered in case of emergency. That’s why we had the great idea to include affordable ambulance cover in all levels of our Extras Cover. It doesn’t matter whether you choose our Saver, Special, Super or Premium Options Extras Cover, the benefits for emergency ambulance callouts are exactly the same - 100%! So, if you do need an ambulance in the future, you can rest easy in that knowledge that you’ll be fully covered in most circumstances.

Why get cover from HIF?

The best thing about ambulance cover from HIF is that we don’t charge extra for it – it’s included in your Extras Cover!

Don’t pay extra for ambulance cover – choose from our great value extras cover that includes things like dental, optical and physio and get ambulance insurance at the same time.
100% of the costs are covered for emergency ambulance transport.
You’re covered if you call an ambulance for a non-urgent or non-emergency situation although a $50 co-payment will apply.
Don’t be in a situation where you need to pay at $1000 or more if you have a medical emergency.
You are covered Australia wide.

Feedback from a member who needed an ambulance:

"The other day I required an ambulance who had to rush me to the Royal Perth emergency department. I just received my bill of $916! As you can imagine, I nearly fell off my seat to think that a service that took a whole of about 30 minutes could cost so much. Luckily, I have ambulance cover with HIF and was advised that because the bill was for an "emergency service" I was able to claim the full cost. I'm so very happy that I didn't need to pay one cent of the bill. I can sleep at ease tonight. Thank you, HIF, love your work." - Meredith (see review)

Get a quote for Extras Cover today and get ambulance cover at the same time!

How much is ambulance cover?

Our Extras Cover with ambulance cover included is very affordable. Our popular Saver Options Extras cover starts from a tiny 77 cents a day and covers ambulance transport, plus 22 other commonly used services including general dental, optical, physio, chiro, healthy lifestyle services and pharmacy.

In fact, the annual cost for a single Saver Options policy starts from just $281.40 - so in relative terms, that’s hundreds of dollars less than the average cost of an ambulance ride. And the annual cost for a family policy is only $562.80 – that’s still around half the price of an ambulance assist and means you’ll also be covered for all those other services too.

Are there any excesses or extra fees?

If your emergency ambulance transport is classified as requiring urgent attention and you are admitted to the emergency department of a hospital, your HIF Extras policy with ambulance cover will cover you for 100% of the ambulance cost.

The only time you would be required to contribute to the cost is if the call out was considered non-urgent or non-emergency. In those cases, a small $50 co-payment would apply.

The only type of ambulance service you wouldn’t be covered for are inter hospital transfers and off-road or air ambulance transport.

Can I just get ambulance only insurance?

We don’t offer ambulance-only insurance. Instead it’s included as a standard benefit in our Extras Cover policies.

Urgent and non-urgent ambulance transport is covered on our Saver, Special, Super and Premium Options Extras covers. Our Saver Options insurance is very affordable and includes 22 other services like general dental, optical, physio, chiro and pharmacy.

Does Medicare cover ambulance rides?

There are no Medicare rebates for emergency ambulance treatment and transport. If you don’t qualify for subsidies in your home state and don’t have ambulance cover from a private health insurance company, you’ll have to pay the full cost of an ambulance ride out of your own pocket. That’s why we recommend taking out ambulance cover!

Are ambulances free for pensioners?

Some states offer subsidised or free ambulance cover for pensioners and concession card holders. So, if you are a pensioner, ambulances may be free depending where you live. In the next section we look at each state and what level of cover, if any, is subsidised by the state government.