Health Insurance
Over 40,000 Kiwis are waiting longer than four months for surgery. Private health insurance covers illnesses and conditions not handled by ACC, giving you the ability to bypass public system wait times when you need specialist care, surgery, or treatment.
What you need to know
Right now, more than 40,000 New Zealanders are waiting longer than four months for elective surgery. For procedures like hip replacements, the wait in the public system can stretch to 12–18 months. The same procedure through a private hospital? Six to eight weeks. That gap is why 1.4 million New Zealanders—roughly 27% of the population—hold private health insurance.
How this protects you
Hospital and surgical cover for private procedures when public wait times are too long
Specialist consultations within days instead of the 70-day public system average
Diagnostic tests and imaging like MRI scans covered (typically $800-$1,500 each)
Non-Pharmac funded medications including cancer treatments exceeding $100,000
Everyday benefits: GP visits ($200-$500 annually), dental, and optical coverage
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What's covered
Private health insurance covers illnesses and conditions not covered by ACC, giving you vital options beyond the public system. Core coverage includes hospital and surgical procedures at private facilities, specialist consultations with significantly reduced wait times (days instead of the public system's 70+ day average), and diagnostic tests like MRI scans that typically cost $800-$1,500 each.
Your policy also covers non-Pharmac funded medications, which is crucial for conditions like cancer where advanced treatments can cost over $100,000 annually. Many policies include everyday benefits such as GP visits ($200-$500 in annual benefits), dental care, optical services, and physiotherapy—helping you manage routine healthcare costs throughout the year.
Private health insurance runs alongside the public system, not in place of it. You can still access public healthcare for urgent or emergency treatment, while your private insurance gives you the ability to bypass queues for elective procedures, specialist appointments, and treatment for chronic conditions. Standard waiting periods apply: typically 3 months for minor procedures and 12 months for major surgeries, with pre-existing conditions subject to specific terms.
Why you need this
More than 40,000 New Zealanders are currently waiting longer than four months for elective surgery, according to Te Whatu Ora's own 2023 data. For hip replacements, the public system wait time averages 12-18 months, while private hospitals can complete the same procedure in 6-8 weeks. This isn't a worst-case scenario, it's the reality for thousands of Kiwis right now.
ACC covers accidents, but not illnesses. That means no coverage for cancer, heart disease, diabetes complications, arthritis, chronic conditions, or the vast majority of health issues you'll face in your lifetime. The public system does provide care for these conditions, but it gets stretched for non-urgent specialist appointments, elective procedures, and advanced treatments that aren't immediately life-threatening.
Private health insurance isn't about replacing our public system, it's about having options when waiting isn't possible. Whether you're self-employed and can't afford months off work, you're caring for family members and need to stay healthy, or you're facing a condition where early treatment makes a significant difference to outcomes, private insurance protects you from both the wait times and the financial impact of serious illness. That's why 1.4 million Kiwis (27% of the population) choose to hold private health cover alongside their public healthcare access.
How to Get the Right Health Insurance
Working with Gerrards to find cover that actually protects you when it matters
Identify Your Priorities
Start with what matters most to your situation, surgery wait times, cancer treatment access, or specialist care. Your specific concerns and health priorities shape the type of policy you need.
Get Expert Advice
Policy documents are dense and exclusions are specific. A broker explains what you're actually buying, interprets the fine print, and spots the exclusions on page 47 that comparison sites miss.
Compare the Full Market
We work with different health insurers, comparing not just prices but claims processes, exclusions, benefit structures, and what's actually covered when you need to make a claim.
Make an Informed Decision
Your age, health history, budget, and protection needs determine the right policy. We help you choose cover that holds up when you need to use it, not just when you're buying it.
Pricing factors
Health insurance premiums vary based on several key factors that you should understand before comparing policies:
- Age and health history – Premiums increase with age, and your current health status affects both eligibility and cost. Pre-existing conditions are typically excluded or subject to extended waiting periods.
- Excess levels – Choosing a higher excess (e.g., $1,000 instead of $250) can reduce annual premiums by 10-20%, but increases your out-of-pocket costs when you claim.
- Smoking status – Smokers pay 20-30% more in premiums compared to non-smokers, reflecting the higher health risks associated with tobacco use.
- Coverage level – Hospital-only policies cost significantly less than comprehensive plans that include specialist consultations, diagnostic tests, and everyday benefits like GP visits and dental care.
- Premium inflation – Health insurance premiums increase by an average of 7-9% annually across the NZ market (HFANZ 2023), driven by medical inflation that exceeds general inflation rates.
- Policy exclusions – The policy that looks cheapest often has restrictive exclusions that only become visible in the fine print. Understanding what's not covered is just as important as knowing what is.
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