There are six categories of membership that provide cover for individuals and different family groupings:
| Number of people covered | Usually listed as |
|---|---|
| 1 adult | Single |
| 2 adults | Couple |
| 2 adults and dependant(s) - includes child/student dependants | Family |
| 1 adult and dependant(s) - includes child/student dependants | Single parent family |
| 1 adult and any dependant(s) - includes child/student/young adult dependants | Single parent extension |
| 2 adults and any dependant(s) - includes child/student/young adult dependants | Family extension |
| Dependants only (no adults) | Children only |
Some funds may require people to be related by birth or in a relationship to be covered under the same policy.
A dependant is an unmarried person under the age of 18 years.
A health fund may choose to consider a person between the ages of 18 and 24 years as a dependant, but will usually require certain conditions to be met for their cover to continue without a change in premiums - for example, the person may have to be a full-time student.
If the person does not qualify as a child or a student, then the fund may still choose to continue their cover as a young adult dependant, in exchange for a higher premium.
These conditions vary between health funds, so check with your fund to see which rules apply to you. See the List of Funds for a list of all the registered health funds in Australia and their contact details.
Health funds may offer cover for some or all categories of membership in one or more states - they do not have to offer cover for all categories. See How health funds work for further information.
