2026 premium increase
+2.15%
Industry average: +4.41%(-2.26 pts vs avg)
Effective 1 April 2026.
About HBF
HBF is a not-for-profit insurer that started in Western Australia and now serves members nationally. Member-owned; consistently scores well for member satisfaction.
Typical strengths
- Strong member-satisfaction scores
- No-gap and known-gap arrangements
- Competitive 2026 rate rise
Things to weigh up
- Provider network density is highest in WA
Premium increases — last 5 years
How HBF's gazetted average increase has tracked against the industry each April.
HBF has beaten the industry average 2 of the last 5 years.
Source: Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, gazetted premium rounds 2022–2026. Years without a published figure are shown as gaps, not zero.
How HBF performs for members
Size, complaints, retention and how much of a hospital bill members actually see covered — from the Ombudsman's 2023–24 report.
Complaints share
2.2%
Fewer complaints than HBF's size would suggest.
Market share
8.1%
Share of all Australians with private health cover.
Member retention
88.9%
Members who stayed with the fund across the year.
Charges with no/known gap
93.1%
Hospital-related charges covered with no gap or a gap agreed up front.
Extras charges covered
54.1%
Average share of extras bills the fund's benefits pay.
Premiums returned as benefits
83.6%
Industry-leading funds return around 89–94% of premiums as benefits; the market typically returns 79–89%.
Agreement private hospitals
519
Private hospitals with agreements, where members are covered with no or known gaps.
Source: Commonwealth Ombudsman, State of the Health Funds Report 2023–24, and Comparify's hospital agreement dataset.
Open policies right now
Every HBF policy currently open to new members, straight from the Government's PHIO dataset.
- Basic6
- Bronze4
- Silver6
- Gold4
10
Extras-only policies
From $4/mo
0
Combined policies
Full hospital and extras coverage bundled together
Cheapest hospital premium
Per month, before rebate
How HBF's hospital cover prices compare
Each row shows the whole market's monthly premiums for that tier, with HBF's own open policies marked in purple.
VIC, single cover, monthly premiums before rebate. Plus variants are folded into their base tier. Combined policies are excluded.
How HBF's extras cover prices compare
Extras-only policies grouped by what they actually cover, using the same VIC single cohort selected above.
- Everyday extras
- General dental and everyday services — no major dental
- Mid extras
- Major dental covered, orthodontics not covered
- Top extras
- Major dental and orthodontics both covered
Compare HBF against the market — with an advisor
Same price as joining HBF direct. No obligation, no upsell — just a clear side-by-side comparison from a real human.
HBF questions, answered honestly
Can't find what you're looking for? Our Aussie-based advisors are a phone call away — 7 days a week.
See all explainersOther funds we compare
Prices shown are PHIO-listed base premiums before the Australian Government Rebate and any age-based discount, sourced from the Government's Private Health Information Statement data (August 2026). Comparify compares a subset of these funds through its advisors.