Your cover will start as soon as your application has been approved and relevant premiums are paid. Waiting periods may apply so check how this might affect your membership before you join.
A Waiting Period is the period of time you need to be covered before you’re eligible to claim on certain procedures or services. Waiting Periods apply to new or upgraded policies, but if you're switching to Emergency Services Health you won’t need to re-serve waiting periods that you’ve already served with your old fund. Our standard Waiting Periods are as follows:
Waiting Periods for Hospital
- 2 months membership for all benefits, excluding accidents.
- 12 months membership for pregnancy and birth related (obstetrics) treatment.
- 12 months membership for pre-existing conditions, excluding psychiatric care, rehabilitation or palliative care.
- 12 months membership for continuous positive air pressure (CPAP) machines, and goods and services under Non-surgically Implanted Items and Appliances and other aids and appliances, travel and accommodation (general treatment) and home nursing.
Waiting Periods for Extras
- 2 months membership for all benefits, excluding accidents.
- 12 months membership for Major Dental (such as crowns, bridges, inlays, indirect fillings and dentures), orthodontic, hearing aids, nebulisers, blood glucose and blood pressure monitors, blood coagulation monitor and for pre existing conditions.
- 12 months membership for Rollover Benefit and access to Rollover Maximum (2 years for Major Dental).
Waiting Periods for Combined cover (in addition to the above)
- 3 years membership for corrective laser eye surgery.
Lodging claims with Emergency Services Health is easy:
- Claim on the spot with your membership card
- Take a photo using our App
- Submit a claim via our website
- Download a claim form to email us
Read more about how to claim.