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Australians with private health insurance will cop a fresh cost-of-living blow when premiums rise on April 1.

While costs will increase by an average of 3.73 per cent, Australian government data reveals some of the nation’s 35 insurers are hitting their customers with far higher hikes, while others have lodged lower rises – or none at all.

At the top of the list for this year is the not-for-profit Police Health, whose premiums are rising by an average of 9.56 per cent – far more than any other company.

You can check how much your health insurance provider is raising premiums in the table below.

It’s followed by a group of three insurers with increases of between 5 per cent and 6 per cent: NIB (5.79 per cent) and Bupa (5.1 per cent), who make up more than half of Australia’s private health market between them, as well as AIA (5.7 per cent).

Fellow major brands HCF and Medibank aren’t far behind, with hikes of 4.95 and 3.99 per cent respectively.

On the other hand, there are six insurers who haven’t lodged increases this year, according to the Health Department: CUA, health.com.au (which has been merged into Frank Health Insurance), Nurses and Midwives Health, the Queensland Country Health Fund, the Railway and Transport Health Fund, and Transport Health.

It’s at least the second straight year without a price increase for all of those besides the Queensland Country Health Fund, and three – health.com.au, Nurses and Midwives Health, and the Railway and Transport Health Fund – haven’t increased premiums since 2021.

Health Minister Mark Butler during Question Time.
Health Minister Mark Butler signed off on the increases after twice telling insurers to reduce them. (Alex Ellinghausen)

Of the companies actually raising prices, HIF has the smallest hike at 1.91 per cent, while 11 insurers have lodged an increase of between 2 per cent and 3 per cent, including HBF (2.8 per cent), GMHBA (2.44 per cent) and Teachers Health (2.94 per cent).

Private health insurance premiums rise once every year, but have to be approved by the federal health minister.

This year’s average hike of 3.73 per cent is the highest since 2018, but Health Minister Mark Butler said insurers had lobbied for greater rises.

“In December, I wrote to every single one of the 29 insurers asking that they sharpen their pencils and provide us with an increase that was more in the interests of their members,” he said.

“Based on the resubmissions, I was not prepared to tick and flick their asks and instead asked them to resubmit again.”

Around 15 million Australians are currently covered by a private health insurance policy.

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