Insurance products

Expensive Gold health insurance policies to avoid

These policies are costing you $500–$1000 more a year than similar Gold products.
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Checked for accuracy by our qualified fact-checkers and verifiers. Find out more about fact-checking at CHOICE

Last updated: 5 Nov 2025
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Need to know

  • You can compare and switch health insurance policies at any time to make sure you're getting the best cover and value
  • We found 89 Gold policies that cost you $500 (single) or $1000 (couple/family) more a year than similar policies
  • Medibank, Bupa and Qantas (NIB) are among the health funds selling these overpriced Gold policies

Are you on the best value health insurance policy? You can compare health insurance and switch at any time, and it’s important to do this regularly to make sure you have the most appropriate cover and best value. 

We’ve found 89 Gold hospital insurance policies that cost at least $500 per year more for a single person, or $1000 more for a couple or family, than the cheapest Gold policy in the same state. 

All Gold products include cover for the same treatment categories –- meaning that there’s little difference in the value they provide, so it’s pretty easy to tell if you’re paying too much. If you have Gold hospital insurance and are paying more than the cheapest policy in your state costs, it’s time to compare your options. 

Beware of these expensive policies

There are many Gold policies that cost over $500 per year more than the cheapest Gold policy in that state – for essentially the same product. We’ve listed below all the policies with a $750 excess that are at least $500 a year dearer than the cheapest policy available in each state.

AHM Advanced Hospital Gold is the most expensive non-restricted policy in most states of Australia. Ditching this policy and buying the cheapest Gold instead could save a single person between $1000 and $2130 a year, depending on what state you live in. 

AHM Advanced Hospital Gold is the most expensive non-restricted policy in most states

Our complete list of expensive Gold policies is in the table below. If you have one of these policies, it makes sense to dump it for a cheaper one. Compare health insurance options to find the right policy for you. 

Read more:
Insurers hiding soaring increases to top-level health cover
Text-only accessible version

Notes: 

All premiums are for single policies without the health insurance rebate; families and couples pay about double.

All policies have a $750 excess. applies once per person a year and twice for a family or couple policy.

All Gold policies are at least $500 (single) or $1000 (couple and family) a year more expensive than the cheapest Gold policy in their state.

Sourced from data.gov.au, October 2025. 

Cheapest Gold policies
ACT/NSW: Medibank Gold Advanced ($500 excess), $313/month.

NT: Medibank Gold Advanced ($500 excess), $163/month.

QLD: Medibank Gold Advanced ($500 excess), $334/month.

SA: HBF Gold ($750 excess), $284/month.

TAS: St Lukes Gold ($750 excess), $238/month. 

VIC: HBF Gold ($750 excess), $333/month.

WA: Medibank Gold Advanced ($500 excess), $266/month.

The Gold policies that are $500/year more expensive than the cheapest Gold policy are:

NSW

AAMI (NIB) Gold Hospital, $271 per month for a single person

Bupa Gold Comprehensive, $370 per month for a single person

HIF Gold Top Hospital, $372 per month for a single person

Frank (GMHBA) Gold Hospital, $378 per month for a single person

Australian Unity Complete Hospital (Gold), $379 per month for a single person

GMHBA Gold Optimum, $382 per month for a single person

HBF Gold Elevate, $390 per month for a single person

Health Partners Gold Advantage, $393 per month for a single person

AAMI (NIB) Gold Hospital, $404 per month for a single person

Suncorp (NIB) Gold Hospital, $404 per month for a single person

Qantas (NIB) Gold Top Hospital, $411 per month for a single person

AHM Advanced Hospital Gold, $420 per month for a single person

NT

HBF Gold Elevate, $206 per month for a single person

Australian Unity Complete Hospital (Gold), $208 per month for a single person

HBF Gold Elevate & Ambulance Care, $208 per month for a single person

AHM Advanced Hospital Gold, $215 per month for a single person

HIF Gold Top Hospital, $235 per month for a single person

Mildura Health Fund Five Star Gold, $236 per month for a single person

Suncorp (NIB) Gold Hospital, $240 per month for a single person

AAMI (NIB) Gold Hospital, $240 per month for a single person

Doctors’ Health Prime Choice Gold, $242 per month for a single person

Qantas (NIB) Gold Top Hospital, $246 per month for a single person

Health Partners Gold Advantage, $248 per month for a single person

Doctors’ Health Top Cover Gold, $336 per month for a single person

QLD

HIF Gold Top Hospital $388 per month for a single person

Doctors’ Health Top Cover Gold, $390 per month for a single person

Frank (GMHBA) Gold Hospital, $396 per month for a single person

GMHBA Gold Optimum, $398 per month for a single person

Bupa Gold Comprehensive, $398 per month for a single person

Australian Unity Complete Hospital (Gold), $403 per month for a single person

Health Partners Gold Advantage, $410 per month for a single person

HBF Gold Elevate, $416 per month for a single person

AAMI (NIB) Gold Hospital, $421 per month for a single person

Suncorp (NIB) Gold Hospital, $421 per month for a single person

Qantas (NIB) Gold Top Hospital, $422 per month for a single person

AHM Advanced Hospital Gold, $435 per month for a single person

SA
Frank (GMHBA) Gold Hospital, $335 per month for a single person

GMHBA Gold Optimum, $338 per month for a single person

AAMI (NIB) Gold Hospital, $339 per month for a single person

Suncorp (NIB) Gold Hospital $339 per month for a single person

Australian Unity Complete Hospital (Gold), $339 per month for a single person

Bupa Gold Comprehensive, $341 per month for a single person

HBF Gold Elevate, $341 per month for a single person

Qantas (NIB) Gold Top Hospital, $342 per month for a single person

HBF Gold Elevate & Ambulance Care, $343 per month for a single person

Health Partners Gold Advantage, $345 per month for a single person

AHM Advanced Hospital Gold, $386 per month for a single person

Doctors’ Health Top Cover Gold, $392 per month for a single person

TAS

Navy Health Premium Gold, $281 per month for a single person

Doctors’ Health Prime Choice Gold, $291 per month for a single person

HIF Gold Top Hospital, $339 per month for a single person

Medibank Gold Protect, $350 per month for a single person

Frank (GMHBA) Gold Hospital, $357 per month for a single person

GMHBA Gold Optimum, $358 per month for a single person

HBF Gold Elevate, $363 per month for a single person

Australian Unity Complete Hospital (Gold), $364 per month for a single person

Bupa Gold Comprehensive, $366 per month for a single person

Suncorp (NIB) Gold Hospital, $373 per month for a single person

AAMI (NIB) Gold Hospital, $374 per month for a single person

Qantas (NIB) Gold Top Hospital, $376 per month for a single person

Doctors’ Health Top Cover Gold, $392 per month for a single person

Health Partners Gold Advantage, $400 per month for a single person

AHM Advanced Hospital Gold, $415 per month for a single person

VIC

Medibank Gold Protect, $382 per month for a single person

Doctors’ Health Top Cover Gold, $385 per month for a single person

HIF Gold Top Hospital,  $387 per month for a single person

Bupa Gold Comprehensive, $399 per month for a single person

Australian Unity Complete Hospital (Gold), $416 per month for a single person

Frank (GMHBA) Gold Hospital, $416 per month for a single person

Health Partners Gold Advantage, $421 per month for a single person

GMHBA Gold Optimum, $422 per month for a single person

HBF Gold Elevate, $430 per month for a single person

HBF Gold Elevate  & Ambulance Care, $432 per month for a single person

Suncorp (NIB) Gold Hospital, $435 per month for a single person

AAMI (NIB) Gold Hospital, $435 per month for a single person

Qantas (NIB) Gold Top Hospital, $439 per month for a single person

AHM Advanced Hospital Gold, $453 per month for a single person

WA

HIF Gold Top Hospital, $312 per month for a single person

GMHBA Gold Optimum, $318 per month for a single person

Australian Unity Complete Hospital (Gold), $318 per month for a single person

Frank (GMHBA) Gold Hospital, $319 per month for a single person

AAMI (NIB) Gold Hospital, $325 per month for a single person

Suncorp (NIB) Gold Hospital, $325 per month for a single person

Qantas (NIB) Gold Top Hospital, $331 per month for a single person

Bupa Gold Comprehensive, $331 per month for a single person

Doctors’ Health Top Cover Gold, $336 per month for a single person

Health Partners Gold Advantage, $341 per month for a single person

AHM Advanced Hospital Gold, $347 per month for a single person

HBF Gold Hospital Elevate, $347 per month for a single person

HBF Gold Hospital Elevate & Ambulance Care, $349 per month for a single person

How we compare Gold health insurance

We looked at the cheapest non-restricted Gold policies for a single person in each state and territory with any excess, and selected all Gold policies with a $750 excess that were $500 a year more expensive (before the private health insurance rebate is applied).

We excluded any Gold policies that were only available with an extras policy from the same fund.

Read more:
How to downgrade your top cover health insurance and save $2000 or more

Should I buy Gold health insurance?

Gold health insurance is the highest level of private hospital cover available in Australia. However, given the rising cost of Gold tier health insurance, most people would actually get better value from a Silver Plus policy than with a Gold.

Gold policies provide cover for all of the following treatment categories, but if you only need cover for one or two of these, you’re probably better off looking for a Silver Plus that includes that option: 

  • IVF, pregnancy and birth
  • Cataract eye surgery
  • Hip or knee replacement
  • Pain management with a device for chronic health issues
  • Insulin pumps
  • Gastric banding surgery
  • Private treatment for psychiatry or rehabilitation.

In Australia, the four different tiers for hospital insurance are:

  • Gold – full or top health insurance cover in a private hospital
  • Silver – medium cover
  • Bronze – low cover
  • Basic – very little cover, if any.

Lower tier policies that include services usually covered by a higher tier are called Plus policies. If you need cover for a service usually provided by Gold, it will also be covered in some Silver Plus policies. 

What if I already have a cheap Gold policy? 

If you’re already paying for a Gold policy that’s cheaper than the premiums we listed as cheapest, it could be worth sticking with your current insurer. 

The above analysis is only using policies that are open to new members. When health funds open a new policy for sale, they don’t immediately get rid of the old ones. These are referred to as “closed policies” and they can be around for years, sometimes providing good value to those existing members, but are closed to new members.

It’s become increasingly common for health funds to open new policies instead of raising the price of old policies to evade the watchful eyes of the regulator. We call this phoenixing – it’s an incredibly sneaky practice that increases confusion while limiting choice and transparency, and we’re hoping the government will crack down on it soon.

More about what Gold health insurance covers

Gold health insurance provides cover for the following treatments in a private hospital (though you still may have out-of-pocket costs):

  • Pregnancy and birth, including fertility treatments such as IVF
  • Joint replacements and reconstructions
  • Cataracts
  • Rehabilitation
  • Hospital psychiatry
  • Palliative care
  • Gastric banding and obesity surgery
  • Diabetes management including insulin pumps
  • Sleep studies
  • Dialysis
  • Pain management with or without a device (for example, a surgically implanted device to manage pain caused by heart disease)
  • Heart and vascular surgery
  • All cancer surgeries, chemotherapy and radiation
  • Lung and chest surgeries
  • Medically necessary plastic and reconstructive surgery
  • Bone marrow transplants and other blood-related treatments
  • Investigation and treatment for back, neck and spine problems such as sciatica and scoliosis
  • Dental surgery including wisdom teeth removal and dental implants in hospital
  • Implantation of hearing devices
  • Accommodation in hospital for podiatric surgery
  • Skin-related procedures including treatments for lesions and abscesses, and allergy skin-prick testing
  • Broken bones and other bone, joint and muscle treatments
  • Endoscopy and colonoscopy plus other digestive system procedures including removal of gallstones or haemorrhoids
  • Gynaecology, miscarriage and termination of pregnancy, sterilisation (male and female)
  • Ear, nose and throat surgery including tonsils, adenoids and grommets
  • Hernia and appendix surgery
  • Brain and nervous system treatments for stroke, epilepsy and Parkinson’s disease.
jane_bardell_100x100
Jane Bardell

Jane Bardell is a Content producer in the Insurance and utilities team. She writes about home, car, pet and health insurance. Previously at CHOICE, she checked facts, figures and statistics as a Verifier with the Editorial and investigations team. Jane has a Bachelor of Science from the University of New South Wales.  Find Jane on LinkedIn.

Jane Bardell is a Content producer in the Insurance and utilities team. She writes about home, car, pet and health insurance. Previously at CHOICE, she checked facts, figures and statistics as a Verifier with the Editorial and investigations team. Jane has a Bachelor of Science from the University of New South Wales.  Find Jane on LinkedIn.

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