| HBF | |
|---|---|
| Registered insurer | HBF Health Limited |
| Who can join | Open to anyone |
| Business structure | Member-owned mutual, not-for-profit |
| Hospital policies (30 June 2025) | 466,291 (7.6% of all hospital policies), covering 926,746 people. Figure is for HBF Health Limited, which includes see-u by HBF |
| Hospital tiers on sale (1 September 2026) | Gold, Silver Plus, Bronze Plus, Basic Plus, Basic |
| 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 |
| Question | What the official data shows |
|---|---|
| Out-of-pocket costs in hospital | 92.7% of in-hospital medical services had no gap for the member (industry 87.1%), and 91.1% of hospital charges were covered (industry 89.0%), 2024-25 |
| Waiting periods and pre-existing conditions | The legal maximums apply: 12 months for a pre-existing condition (signs or symptoms in the 6 months before you joined or upgraded) and for pregnancy and birth, 2 months for other hospital treatment. Every hospital policy open to new members in the Government's data at 1 October 2026, at every fund, used the 12-month pre-existing wait |
| Switching from another fund | Waits you've already served on the same or a lower level of cover carry across to HBF, and from it. Ask your old fund for a clearance certificate and keep the break between policies short |
| The Medicare Levy Surcharge | Excess options on its open hospital policies go up to $750, so all are within the $750 singles limit, and every policy was flagged as meeting the surcharge rules in the Government's data at 1 October 2026 |
| Adult children (dependants) | Up to age 30, studying or not, in the fund's own record (Government data, 1 October 2026). Adult dependants often need an extended family option |
| Claims experience | 4.4% of Ombudsman complaints about insurers on a 7.9% market share (ratio 0.56), and 5.5% of the complaints the Ombudsman investigated, 2024-25 |
General advice only. This information doesn't take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Consider whether the product is right for you and read the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) and Target Market Determination (TMD) before you decide. We don't compare every product in the market, and we may earn a commission if you take up a product through our links.
Structure and brands
PrivateHealth.gov.au describes HBF Health Limited as a mutual organisation operating on a not-for-profit basis, based on Wellington Street, Perth. The see-u by HBF brand is part of the same insurer and its figures are included in HBF's. Queensland Country Health Fund describes itself as part of HBF; its own performance figures aren't published on a comparable basis.
HBF's membership is concentrated in Western Australia. In the Government's agreement-hospital data at 1 October 2026 it had agreements with 22 private hospitals there, one fewer than the most any insurer held, and with 28 WA day hospitals, more than any other insurer.
Complaints: well below its market share
HBF (including see-u) accounted for 4.4% of Ombudsman complaints in 2024-25 against a 7.9% market share: roughly 45% fewer complaints than its size would predict. Its share of investigated complaints was 5.5%. Member retention was 88.4%, above the industry's 85.0%.
Benefits and gaps
HBF paid 82.2% of premium income as benefits, below the industry's 84.5%, and its management expenses were 13.4% (industry 10.9%). Members fared well on gaps: 91.1% of hospital charges were covered (industry 89.0%), 92.7% of in-hospital medical services had no gap (industry 87.1%) and 99.1% had no gap or a known gap (industry 97.1%).
What HBF sells
HBF's open hospital policies at 1 September 2026 cover Gold, Silver Plus, Bronze Plus, Basic Plus and Basic, with excess options of $250, $500 and $750. None were listed with the age-based discount (see-u by HBF policies do offer it). Many HBF hospital policies come in two versions, with and without 'Ambulance Care' for non-emergency transport; emergency ambulance is included either way.
HBF 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 HBF's (reported at the level of the registered insurer), with the industry result beside each figure. Its complaints-to-market-share ratio was 0.56: a figure of 1.00 means complaints exactly in proportion to size.
| Measure | HBF | Industry | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Share of all Ombudsman complaints | 4.4% | Market share 7.9% | Fewer complaints than its size |
| Share of investigated complaints | 5.5% | Market share 7.9% | |
| Member retention (hospital cover) | 88.4% | 85.0% | Better than industry |
| Benefits paid as % of premiums | 82.2% | 84.5% | Weaker than industry |
| Management expenses % of premium income | 13.4% | 10.9% | Weaker than industry |
| Hospital charges covered | 91.1% | 89.0% | Better than industry |
| Medical services with no gap | 92.7% | 87.1% | Better than industry |
| Medical services with no gap or a known gap | 99.1% | 97.1% | Better than industry |
| Extras (general treatment) charges covered | 52.3% | 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 | 5 | 92 | 68 | 50 | 17 | 22 | 7 | 1 |
| Most held by any insurer | 7 | 95 | 73 | 63 | 17 | 23 | 7 | 1 |
| Day hospitals | 7 | 87 | 58 | 47 | 24 | 28 | 7 | 2 |
| Most held by any insurer | 11 | 109 | 73 | 58 | 35 | 28 | 12 | 2 |
What to check before you join HBF
- Benefits paid (82.2%) and management expenses (13.4%) were both weaker than the industry in 2024-25.
- Wherever you live, check the hospitals near you are on HBF's agreement list: in Queensland it had agreements with 50 private hospitals at 1 October 2026, fewer than Bupa, Medibank, HCF or nib.
- Choose the 'Ambulance Care' version of a policy only if you want non-emergency ambulance cover.
- 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 HBF
Is HBF not-for-profit?
Yes. PrivateHealth.gov.au lists HBF Health Limited as a mutual organisation operating on a not-for-profit basis.
Can you join HBF outside WA?
Yes. HBF is an open fund and operates in all states and territories. Its membership is concentrated in Western Australia, so if you live elsewhere, check that the private hospitals near you have an agreement with it.
Is see-u part of HBF?
Yes. see-u by HBF is a brand of HBF Health Limited, and its figures are reported with HBF's.
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.
General advice only. It doesn't consider your circumstances. Read the PDS and TMD before you decide.
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.