Co-author: TJ Ryan
Health insurance is no longer just about choosing a policy and premium. Insurers are ramping up what they provide to help you enjoy a healthy lifestyle for longer.
Did you know you may be able to get a discount on gym membership with your health insurance? Along with many other health and wellbeing benefits offered by health insurance providers these days, this preventative approach to illness and injury is definitely a skip in the right direction.
When you consider that heart failure affects 1 in 20 Aussies, diabetes is on the rise, and most of us spend more time sitting than getting active, it’s good to see health insurers motivating their members to get active and help combat our national health threats.
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How to get gym benefits with your health insurance
If you want to claim part of the cost of your gym membership, yoga classes, Pilates classes, or other exercise classes from your health insurer, you will typically need a high level of Extras policy with an insurer who offers that kind of benefit.
As a starting point, it’s always worth asking your current health insurer what they offer in the way of “health management benefits”, “healthy lifestyle benefits”, or “wellness benefits” for the services you want in your lifestyle. You might be surprised at what’s available.
We’ve compiled the following information below on who offers what in terms of health insurance with gym membership. This list is based on the insurers we research and rate in our health insurance star ratings and is not exhaustive, but it will give you an idea of where you can get gym benefits. Where the insurer has made their waiting periods crystal clear, we have included this information for your consideration.
Provider
Policies with health benefits included
Benefits covered
ahm Health Insurance
Lifestyle Extras / Family Extras / Super Extras
Health Improvement benefits include cover for exercise classes at the gym or with a personal trainer, yoga, Pilates, and exercise classes. See AHM for details.
Apia
Essential and Advanced Extras / Essential Plus and Advanced Extras / Premium Extras
Healthier Lifestyle benefit includes cover for health management programs such as gym, personal trainers, yoga, and Pilates. See Apia for details.
Australian Unity
All Members
Members receive discounts on gym membership, fitness equipment, activewear, healthy food, and vitamin supplements through the Wellplan Rewards Program. See Australian Unity for details.
Bupa
Gold Extras
Living Well benefit includes cover for gym membership, swimming programs for children, Pilates, and yoga. Member must be referred by their doctor as part of a health management program or chronic disease management program. Does not cover 24-hour gyms, gym membership for general fitness, casual gym sessions or boot camp, sports clothing or shoes, or personal trainer sessions. See Bupa for details.
CBHS Corporate Health Pty Ltd
Bronze Extras / Silver Extras / Gold Extras
Health Management Services benefits include cover for gym membership approved by CBHS Corporate as part of a health management program. See CBHS Corporate Health for details.
CBHS Health Fund Limited
Essential Extras / Intermediate Extras / Top Extras
Health Management Services benefit includes partial cover for gym membership when member is referred by their doctor as part of a chronic disease management plan. See CBHS Health Fund for details.
HBF
All Members
Members receive 10-15% discount on gym membership at partnering gyms; free group fitness sessions (e.g. boot camp) with HBF Fitness; 5% discount on casual admission to HBF gyms in WA, and 10% discount on health and fitness programs, aquatics, and children’s activities; discounted entry to compete in community fitness races such as triathlons or swimming races; 15% off selected activewear. See HBF for details.
HCF (The Hospitals Contribution Fund of Australia Limited)
All Policies
Silver Plus Extras / Gold Extras / Platinum Extras
For all policies, HCF members receive a 10% discount on new 3-month or 12-month Platinum or Passport gym membership with Fitness First. Members can also access a virtual health coach via My Health Guardian, an online management program for an easy and effective wellbeing plan for improving energy, losing weight, or increasing health and fitness.
For Extras policies, Health Management Programs benefit includes cover for gym membership fees and exercise classes for specific health conditions when member is referred by their doctor. 6-month waiting period applies. See HCF for details.
HIF (Health Insurance Fund of Australia)
Saver Options / Special Options / Super Options / Premium Options
Healthy Lifestyle benefits include cover for gym membership, yoga, Pilates, exercise physiology, and weight loss programs. See HIF for details.
Health Partners
Silver Extras / Silver Extras and National Plus / National Extras / National Extras and Natural Plus / Gold Extras / Gold Extras and Natural Plus
Health Management benefit includes cover for gym and fitness, weight management, and an online Health Risk Assessment. See Health Partners for details.
Health.com.au
Extras 50
Health Maintenance benefit includes cover for gym membership, yoga, non-clinical Pilates, and weight management programs when member is referred by their doctor. See Health.com.au for details.
Medibank
All Members
Anyone in the general public is entitled to download the GymBetter app from Medibank, which offers the first session free with participating gyms and a contract-free, pay-as-you-go pass to participating gyms. Medibank members receive a 25% discount off the cost of each visit to the gym. See Medibank for details.
NIB Health Insurance
Core and Wellbeing Extras / Core, Family and Wellbeing Extras / Core, Wellbeing and Young at Heart Extras / Top Extras / Suncorp Health Insurance Mid Extras / Suncorp Health Insurance Top Extras
Healthier Lifestyle benefits include gym membership, approved weight management programs, personal training sessions, yoga, Pilates, dietary advice, and more.
Top Extras also includes benefit for exercise physiology.
See NIB for details.
Peoplecare Health Insurance
Basic Extras / Mid Extras / High Extras
Health Management benefit includes cover for gym membership if gym equipment is needed to treat a condition diagnosed by the member’s doctor, Pilates, pool entry fees, yoga, personal training, group training, swimming lessons, aqua aerobics, treadmills, cross trainers, exercise bikes, weight control programs, and stress management programs. Member must be referred by their doctor. 6-month waiting period applies. See Lysaght Peoplecare Ltd for details.
Phoenix Health Fund
Mid Extras / Top Extras
Healthy Lifestyle Program benefits include cover for gym membership, approved classes for asthma management, diabetes management, and weight management. See Phoenix Health Fund for details.
Qantas Assure
Lifestyle Extras / Top Extras
Healthier Lifestyle benefit includes cover for health management programs run by the gym, personal trainers, yoga, Pilates, and approved weight management programs.
Top Extras also includes exercise physiology benefit.
Members can earn up to 15,000 Qantas Points by doing everyday activities such as walking the dog or doing the shopping, if they purchase an eligible Qantas Assure health insurance Extras cover policy and track their steps using the Qantas Assure app on Apple or Android smartphones.
Queensland Country Health Fund Ltd
Essential Extras / Young Extras / Premium Extras
Healthy Living benefit includes cover for gym membership, personal trainer program, and weight managementprograms. Member must be a patient with an approved health management or chronic disease management program. See Queensland Country Health Fund for details.
Westfund Health
Gold Extras / Platinum Extras / Value4U
Prevention & Health Management benefit includes cover for gym classes, gym membership, vitamins, weight loss programs, Pilates classes/membership, and swimming lessons for children. See Westfund for details.
Source: www.canstar.com.au
Data current as at 24 January 2017.
Canstar provides an information service. It is not a health insurance provider, and in giving you information about insurance products Canstar is not making any suggestion or recommendation to you about a particular insurance product. If you choose to apply for an insurance product, you will deal with the insurance provider and not with Canstar. Read the Canstar Financial Services Guide (FSCG) for more information.
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How to find the health management benefit for you
Don’t have a favourite gym yet? Choose a gym that Aussies love – compare customer satisfaction in gyms with Canstar Blue.
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Apart from gym memberships, there are other health insurance benefits that may be available. Consider our health insurance for runners article and the weight management benefits available for those dealing with osteoarthritis.
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If you are currently in the market for health insurance, or are considering switching policies, we have provided a comparison table below which provides a snapshot into the current market offerings for health insurance policies. This table has been formulated based on the policy holder being a single female located in NSW who is looking for hospital and extras cover, and has been sorted by our Star Ratings (Highest – Lowest).
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Compliance Disclosure and Liability Disclaimer
CANSTAR is an information provider and in giving you product information CANSTAR is not making any suggestion or recommendation about a particular insurance product. If you decided to apply for a health insurance, you will deal directly with an insurance provider, and not with CANSTAR. Rates and product information should be confirmed with the relevant insurance provider. For more information, read our detailed disclosure, important notes and additional information.
The inclusions mentioned represent a selection of what is covered at the time of writing. Additional terms and conditions may apply to different features. Additional fees may apply to the product. CANSTAR is not making any suggestion or recommendation to you about this product. Please ensure that you read the product disclosure statement to determine all the current options and inclusions for the product you are considering.
Important Notes: The Star Ratings in this table were awarded in September 2016. The search results do not include all providers and may not compare all features relevant to you. View the CANSTAR Health Insurance Star Ratings Methodology and Report. The rating shown is only one factor to take into account when considering products.
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