See-u Health Insurance Review 202

See-u by HBF is a not-for-profit health insurer that offers simple, affordable, and refreshingly transparent coverage. See-u is owned by HBF, Australia's second largest not-for-profit health insurance provider by HBF with over 1.2 million members. See-u is on our panel, so click below to compare hundreds of policies in minutes.

Hospital cover

Hospital cover provides protection to ensure that while you may not want to, if you need to go to hospital, you can get the flexibility of chosing the type of treatment you want.

It's important to consider what type of cover you have and that it meets your needs. Hospital cover can cover the cost towards your hospital accommodation, theatre fees and specialist fees while in hospital. If you earn above $101 000 as a single or $202 000 as a couple or family, you can also avoid paying the Medicare levy surcharge.

see-u have a number of budget friendly options from a basic level for those just wanting the basics all the way to a silver level for those more consious around their inclusions.

For those with hospital cover, each person included on the membership will be entitled to 2 medically necessary emergency ambulance claims per person on the policy, per calendar year after having served their 1 day waiting period. All hospital covers by see-u come with a discount if joining before 30, get a quote to find out more.

Starter Hospital (basic)

An entry level hospital cover for those only wanting to cover accident related procedures in a private hospital. Most useful for anybody who simply wants to avoid Medicare Levy Surcharge. This hospital cover comes an $750 excess and an option to add a daily co-pay for those extra savings.

Key inclusions:

• Ambulance cover.

• Avoids the Medicare Levy Surcharge.

Saver Hospital (bronze plus)

Solid hospital cover without the price tag. Perfect for those first-timers who want cover without the fluff. Covers a wide range of common treatments including dental surgery and joint reconstructions.

Key inclusions:

• Bone, joint and muscle

• Joint recontructions

• Dental surgery

Smart Hospital (bronze plus)

Step up from basic cover that gives you extra protection for more treatments, without the hefty price tag of higher-tier products

Suitable for those younger Australian's wanting a good number of inclusions and wanting to avoid the Medicare Levy Surcharge.

Key inclusions:

• Plastic and reconstructive surgery (medically necessary)

• Lung and chest

Secure Hospital (silver)

Built to have your back if life takes an unexpected turn. It goes beyond the basics to give you confidence you’re protected for a wide range of hospital treatments.

Key inclusions:

• Back, neck and spine

• Heart and vascular system

• Rehabilitation

Extras cover

See-u's extras limits review every calendar year (Janurary 1st). You can purchase a policy on its own or combine it with hospital cover. You're entitled to cover for emergency ambulance transportation or attendance if you have both hospital and extras cover.

Note: Emergency ambulance costs for Queensland and Tasmanian residents are covered by their respective state schemes. Find out more about Ambulance Cover here.

From dental, to optical, to chiro and more, extras insurance helps cover the bills for routine treatments with rebates of up to 100%.

These summaries may provide an idea of each cover, it's always worthwhile speaking to an expert to get an idea of the cover you need and what you can claim back for those important services.

This can be overwhelming, that's why we're here to help.

See-u have 4 different extras packages to chose from. These packages vary from percentage returns or set benefits so you get the cover that best suits your needs:

1. Easy Extras

See-u's entry level extras for the basics. Great for young singles or couples that don't need all the bells and whistles.

Key inclusions:

• General dental

• Physiotherapy

• Chiropractic

2. Starter Extras

Cover for the basics including alternative therapies and optical. Set benefits on each service with your own choice of provider.

Key inclusions:

• General dental

• Optical

• Physio and chiro

3. Simple 50

Flexible dental limit with all the key inclusions. Offers 50% returns at any recongised provider and 100% back on optical.

Key inclusions:

• Major Dental

• Psychology & Counselling

4. Simple 60

See-u's most comprehensive extras package offering their highest returns and limits. Minimum 60% returns.

Key inclusions:

• General dental

• Major dental

• Remedial Massage

Combined hospital and extras

Union Health offers a single hospital and extras package. The Bronze+ Young Choice includes:

Wide hospital cover suitable for young and healthy individuals – only excluding services like pregnancy, cataracts, joint replacement, weight-loss surgery and other major issues. Excess of $250 Generous benefits and annual limits on extras cover, including dental, optical and a variety of therapies.

Waiting periods

To stop people signing up, claiming, then cancelling their health insurance, all insurers apply waiting periods. Generally, the more expensive the treatment, the longer you'll wait. But keep an eye out for special deals with waiting periods reduced or waived.

Hospital and extras waiting periods

Hospital waiting periods

• 1 day for accident cover

• 12 months for pre-existing conditions, ailments or illnes

• 2 months for rehabilitation, palliative care and hospital psychiatric services and all other hospital treatments

Extra waiting periods

• 12 months for major dental services

• 6 months for corrective contacts, prescription lenses and frames

• 2 months for all other services.

If you've transferred from another fund on a comparable policy and have already served the waiting period, you’ll be able to make a claim straight away. There are no waiting periods for accidents that happen to you after joining the fund.

Member benefits

See-u Health members receive:

• Members will also have access to a range of discounts across most major optical retailers including OPSM, Specsavers, Bailey Nelson and more when purchasing prescription glasses with their extras.

• Discounts on a range of optical upgrades at most major retailers.

• Emergency ambulance transport is covered when you have combined hospital and extras cover (in states where this isn’t provided by the government).

How to claim:

Claiming is made easy through your providers HICAPS machine. Simply swipe your card at your appointment. Claiming can also be done by submitting a receipt via the see-u Health App, online services or by mail.

When comparing policies, it's worth checking if your local hospitals and clinics are covered.

Our specialists at Compare Club can do this for you.

Customer service

See-u received 2.2% of complaints in 2025 and has a market share of 8.1% market share.. Source: Ombudsman.gov

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Union Health a not-for-profit fund?

Yes, Union Health is a non-for-profit insurer.

Who can apply? Are there restrictions?

Union Health is open to all current or former Australian union members, as well as their families.

Is it easy to switch to Union Health?

Union Health isn’t on our panel so you will need to contact them directly if you wish to make a switch. However, we’re confident our Compare Club experts can find you a great deal from the exceptional insurers on our panel.

Do I need to re-serve waiting periods?

If you switch to a comparable or lower level of cover with Union Health, you won’t have to serve new waiting periods as long as you have already served them with your previous fund.

Can I change my level of cover?

Yes, you can change your level of cover directly with Union Health. Remember, though, that if you take out a higher level of cover, you may need to re-serve new waiting periods on any extra services or higher benefits.

Do I get the government rebate?

For every dollar of private health insurance premiums, the Australian Government provides eligible Australians with a rebate of up to 32.812% (depending on your age and income). To learn what you’re entitled to, read our rebate guide.

Do I have to pay the Lifetime Health Cover loading?

If you’re 31 or over, you usually need to pay 2% loading for each year you’ve gone without hospital cover since the 1st July following your 31st birthday. You can find out more here.

Up to what age are children covered?

At Union Health, a policyholder’s adult child can be covered so long as they are under 21 years of age, are not married and are not in a de facto relationship.

Chris Stanley is the sales & operations manager of health insurance at Compare Club. With extensive experience and expertise, Chris is a trusted leader known for his deep understanding of health insurance markets, policies, and coverage options. As the sales & operations manager of health insurance, Chris leads a team of dedicated professionals committed to helping individuals and families make informed decisions about their health insurance needs.

Meet our health insurance expert,  Chris Stanley

Chris's top health insurance tips:

• 1

  Australia’s public health system is world-class, but wait times for public hospitals can be long, inconvenient - and leave you living in constant pain while you wait.

• 2

  An appropriate private health insurance policy can speed up your surgery, relieving your pain sooner.

• 3

  Family health cover means your children are covered under the same policy as you.

• 4

  Many health insurance policies come with a 12-month waiting period for pregnancy-related cover, so it’s a good idea to get a family policy organized well before starting your family. This means your child will be covered from birth until at least their early twenties (depending on which health fund you select).