Are my adult children eligible to be my health cover dependant?

An eligible health cover dependant is defined as the child of a HCi member (or of the member’s partner),  including step children and adopted children. The dependant must be primarily reliant on the HCi member for maintenance and support. Other than those with a disability, health cover dependants cannot have a spouse or be living in a de-facto relationship.

Adult children can remain on your family policy in some situations, as follows.

Your eligible dependent child can be covered on your family (or single parent) membership until they turn age 23, regardless of their student or employment status.

That cover on can then continue between 23 and 31 years of age (inclusive) if they are studying full-time (ie a dependent student), subject to providing us with a Dependants Declaration each year.

However, if they are aged between 23 and 31 years of age (inclusive), and not a full-time student, then they must also live with the HCi member to remain eligible (ie a dependent non-student).

Since 1 September 2022, a dependant with a disability can remain on your family policy, even after age 32, if they hold an active NDIS Plan in the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).

How do I add someone to my membership?

It’s easy to add your spouse and/or children to your HCi policy. Exactly how depends on your current membership type and the age of your child.

Single membership

If your policy covers just you, you will need to upgrade to a couple, parent or family policy from the date you add a health cover dependant. Please call us or use our policy update form to change to a family or single parent policy. You can give us your child’s details at the same time.

Adding a baby

If you already have a single parent or family policy, you can add a baby by completing a policy update form or contacting us directly. We usually will require a copy of the baby’s birth certificate or equivalent certification.

Letting us know within two months of a baby’s birth means the baby and member will have the same waiting periods.

Adding a child as a health cover dependant

You can add a child (aged anywhere between two months and 23 years!) by calling us or completing our policy update form. Unless switching from another fund or policy, your child will have to serve waiting periods (including pre-existing conditions) before being eligible for any claims.

Once your child reaches age 23, they may be eligible to remain on your policy but you need to declare their eligibility each year via our dependant registration form. We’ll send you a reminder each year.

Adding an adult to your policy

You can add a partner (spouse) or a child over 23 to your policy at any time by sending us a completed policy update form or calling us. Note that an adult dependant declaration is required to help us assess your adult child’s eligibility. This declaration needs to be made each year and when your child changes study status.

Unless switching from another fund or policy, your new dependant will have to serve waiting periods (including pre-existing conditions) before being eligible for any claims.

What happens if my “health cover dependant” is not eligible?

If someone listed on your policy is not eligible, they are not covered for any claims. They need to be removed from your policy – which may just reduce your premiums, too. You can notify us of any changes in who is included in your policy via our policy update form.

When your dependant becomes ineligible, they can join HCi on their own policy. By starting their own cover within two months of becoming ineligible on your cover, they will not have to re-serve waiting periods for an equivalent or lower level of cover. HCi has a great range of products to suit a range of cover needs, including singles cover for young people.

* Proof of full time studies is required each year. Our dependants declaration makes it easy!