| GU Health | |
|---|---|
| Registered insurer | GU Health |
| Who can join | Open to anyone |
| Business structure | For-profit, owned by nib |
| Hospital policies (30 June 2025) | 627,626 (10.2% of all hospital policies), covering 1,201,246 people. Figure is for nib Health Funds Ltd, which includes GU Health |
| Hospital tiers on sale (1 September 2026) | Gold, Silver Plus, Silver, Bronze Plus, Basic Plus |
| Excess options on open hospital policies | $250, $500, $750 |
| Age-based discount (18–29) | Not offered on its open hospital policies |
| Ambulance | Emergency ambulance on its open hospital policies; some also cover non-emergency transport |
Corporate cover, from nib
PrivateHealth.gov.au lists GU Health as operating on a for-profit basis and owned by nib. The insurer says it specialises in corporate health insurance and services more than 300 companies. It is listed as an open insurer, but its range is built around employer arrangements: many of its policies are corporate products that you access through your workplace. It sells in every state and territory.
What GU Health sells
GU Health's open hospital policies at 1 September 2026 cover Gold, Silver Plus, Silver, Bronze Plus and Basic Plus, with $250, $500 and $750 excess options. Gold makes up a larger share of its range than at most funds. None were listed with the age-based discount. All include emergency ambulance, and many also cover non-emergency transport.
Corporate policies can include benefits or waiting-period concessions that retail policies don't. Ask your employer's HR team what the arrangement includes before comparing it with retail cover.
The nib figures behind GU Health
nib (including GU Health) accounted for 9.6% of Ombudsman complaints in 2024–25 against a 9.8% market share, in proportion with its size. Retention was 79.0% (industry 85.0%), benefits paid were 82.0% of premiums (industry 84.5%) and management expenses were 10.7% (industry 10.9%). 88.8% of in-hospital medical services had no gap (industry 87.1%), while hospital charges covered were 85.8% (industry 89.0%).
GU Health against the industry: 2024–25 data
Every year the Private Health Insurance Ombudsman compares all insurers on the same measures, and PrivateHealth.gov.au republishes the results on each insurer's profile. The table below is GU Health's (reported at the level of the registered insurer), with the industry result beside each figure. Its complaints-to-market-share ratio was 0.98: a figure of 1.00 means complaints exactly in proportion to size.
| Measure | GU Health | Industry | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Share of all Ombudsman complaints | 9.6% | Market share 9.8% | In proportion to its size |
| Share of investigated complaints | 6.4% | Market share 9.8% | |
| Member retention (hospital cover) | 79.0% | 85.0% | Weaker than industry |
| Benefits paid as % of premiums | 82.0% | 84.5% | Weaker than industry |
| Management expenses % of premium income | 10.7% | 10.9% | In line with industry |
| Hospital charges covered | 85.8% | 89.0% | Weaker than industry |
| Medical services with no gap | 88.8% | 87.1% | Better than industry |
| Medical services with no gap or a known gap | 95.3% | 97.1% | Weaker than industry |
| Extras (general treatment) charges covered | 58.0% | 50.7% | Better than industry |
How to read it: complaint share is the fairest single comparison of service across funds of different sizes, because it's measured against market share. Benefits as a % of premiums shows how much of the premium pool went back to members as claims; a mutual that returns more is not necessarily cheaper, and a fund can move this figure by changing prices. The gap measures show how often members avoided an out-of-pocket medical bill after a hospital stay, which is what most people mean by "good cover".
Hospital agreements
| ACT | NSW | VIC | QLD | SA | WA | TAS | NT | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Private hospitals | 7 | 94 | 67 | 54 | 17 | 20 | 5 | 1 |
| Most held by any insurer | 7 | 97 | 74 | 58 | 17 | 23 | 7 | 2 |
| Day hospitals | 8 | 92 | 60 | 41 | 26 | 22 | 8 | 1 |
| Most held by any insurer | 9 | 98 | 64 | 50 | 30 | 28 | 11 | 2 |
What to check before you join GU Health
- Most GU Health policies are corporate. If you leave the employer, check what happens to your cover and price.
- No age-based discount on its open hospital policies.
- Performance data is nib's combined figure, not GU Health's alone.
- Over 31 and joining for the first time? Work out your Lifetime Health Cover loading first, and if you earn over the threshold, check the Medicare Levy Surcharge you'd avoid.
Common questions about GU Health
Who owns GU Health?
nib. PrivateHealth.gov.au lists GU Health as operating on a for-profit basis and owned by nib.
Is GU Health not-for-profit?
No. It operates on a for-profit basis as part of the nib group.
Can I join GU Health without an employer plan?
GU Health is listed as an open insurer, but it focuses on corporate cover. Check with the fund which policies you can buy directly.
Other fund reviews
See every registered health insurer compared on complaints and benefits, or read how the private health insurance rebate and hospital cover tiers work.
This review is general information based on published government and regulator data. We don't rate or rank funds, and it doesn't consider your circumstances. Check a policy's Private Health Information Statement before you buy.
