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Updated 19/01/2024

A guide to ambulance cover in Australia

Why take out ambulance cover?

Ambulance services vary across Australia, both in terms of cost and accessibility. Each state has their own ambulance service, and they all work pretty much independently.

Key Points

  • Medicare generally doesn’t cover your ambulance costs.

  • Ambulance services are only free to residents of Queensland and Tasmania, but the cost in other states and territories varies.

  • Ambulance cover can be purchased as a standalone policy or as part of your private hospital cover.

  • Purchasing extras-only health insurance may not cover you for ambulance cover.

The cost of ambulance services varies across Australia – South Australian ambulance cover and NSW ambulance cover is different to how ambulance cover works for Queensland residents, for example. 

It means without the right ambulance insurance, you could be facing a large bill for a journey to hospital. 

Use this guide to understand what ambulance cover you need depending where you live and how cover works cross-state. It’s useful to compare your health insurance to make sure you’re getting the best possible price.  

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What is ambulance cover?

Ambulance cover is a type of insurance that covers your costs if you need to call out paramedics and be taken to hospital in an ambulance. 

It’s really important to note that ambulance fees are very different depending in which state you live. We’ll get into that shortly.

What your ambulance cover includes can vary, depending on your policy and provider. Some offer cover for all ambulance-related services, while others only cover your costs if you need to travel in an ambulance (so they may not cover your callout cost for the paramedic if you don't need to be taken to hospital). That’s why it's a good idea to compare policies before committing to one. 

What is the waiting period for ambulance cover?

The waiting period for ambulance cover is usually 1 day.

How much can an ambulance trip cost?

This depends on the state ambulance service you’re using - and whether or not you actually live in that state. You could be travelling interstate for example, and need an emergency trip to hospital. In this case, you could be up for a significant bill, unless you have ambulance cover.

State/Territory

Callout Fee

$/kilometre

ACT

$1,032

$14 for every km outside the ACT

NSW

$415

$3.74

NT

$815 (first 10km)

$5.25 (per km greater than 10km)

QLD

Free

$0

SA

$1,085

$6.20

TAS

Free

$0

VIC

$1,306 (Metropolitan) $1,927 (Regional)

$0

WA

$1,072 (Perth)

$0

Source: Each state ambulance service. Prices correct as of July 2023. Does not include costs for air ambulance services.

What are the benefits of ambulance cover?

The costs associated with an ambulance call out can be high. Some call-out fees cost upward of $1,900. That’s a hefty bill if you’re ill or injured enough to need a paramedic.

The right ambulance cover gives you peace of mind that you’re covered and won’t be facing a massive bill in the case of a medical emergency. 

Does health insurance include ambulance cover?

Yes.

Most private health insurers provide Ambulance Cover.

This often comes as part of your Hospital Cover.

Even a lot of cheap Basic Hospital Cover policies will include a form of ambulance cover.

But the level of cover varies from insurer to insurer.

Some funds provide cover for all ambulance travel, while others may only cover the costs of the emergency transport to the nearest hospital.

That's why it's a good idea to compare policies before you buy.

Do pensioners get free ambulance cover Australia wide?

Yes!

We cover this in more detail below for the differences across states. 

Which states offer free ambulance cover?

This is where it gets a bit complicated. Not every Australian needs Ambulance Cover.

Some states provide the whole service for free, while others have a more complex system of calculating your costs.

Here's how coverage varies from state to state.

Queensland:

The state government provides Ambulance Cover to all QLD residents. This includes pre-hospital ambulance treatment and transport throughout Australia.

It covers residents for emergency pre-hospital ambulance treatment and transport all over Australia.

So if you're in the Sunshine State, you can stop reading now and get on with saving money on your health insurance.

Tasmania:

Residents’ ambulance costs are covered by the state government, but only within Tasmania. There are reciprocal agreements with Victoria, WA, NT, and the ACT for emergency ambulance road travel only. 

You'll need to forward your invoice and proof of Tasmanian residency to Ambulance Tasmania and they'll take care of the invoice.

New South Wales:

NSW extends free Ambulance Cover exclusively to pensioners holding a valid Pensioner Concession Card, Health Care Card, or Commonwealth Seniors Health Care Card. Certain other exemptions apply to ambulance fees, such as for survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, or child abuse.

All other NSW residents will need ambulance cover if they want to avoid those hefty bills. NSW and ACT residents with a hospital policy are covered for ambulance services in NSW & ACT by a state based levy scheme.

Everyone else needs Ambulance Cover to avoid getting landed with a bill.

You can read more about NSW ambulance cover in our guide.

Australian Capital Territory:

Yes, ACT residents will need health insurance to avoid a bill. ACT does have some very specific exemptions for residents.

These are:

  • Pensioners and Concession Card holders. There's no reciprocal ambulance agreements with QLD, WA and SA, so if you're travelling to these states, you may want to get cover.

  • School students who are ill or injured during school excursions.

  • People injured in a road accident on the ACT's roads.

  • Good Samaritans injured in the course of a "Good Samaritan act". You'll need to prove this though to get exemption from ambulance fees.

  • Victims of sexual violence or domestic assault.

  • If you die in the care of ACT paramedics while being transported to hospital.

Northern Territory:

Residents holding Centrelink Pensioner Concession or Health Care Cards are entitled to free ambulance transport services. St. John Ambulance members are also exempt from fees, but all other NT residents must pay.

Victoria:

Victorians with valid Pensioner Concession or Health Care Cards may receive free clinically necessary transport. All others need private health cover or an Ambulance Victoria membership to avoid paying up.

Important Note: Your Ambulance Victoria membership does not cover you in every border town. You’ll need to check your cover with Ambulance Victoria before travelling.

Western Australia:

Western Australia pensioners over 65 receive free emergency ambulance services in WA, with a 50% discount available for those over 65 not drawing a pension or holding a valid Pensioner Concession Card. All other residents must pay the full fee or take out ambulance cover.

South Australia:

South Australia does not grant any ambulance fee exemptions at all so taking out an ambulance cover policy makes good sense. 

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Which states charge you for ambulance journeys?

Queensland and Tasmania don’t charge residents for ambulance services. If you live in any other states, you’ll need ambulance cover to avoid paying fees for these services.

How much do ambulance services actually cost?

New South Wales:

New South Wales ambulance costs can be significant.

Luckily, residents are only billed for 51% of the ambulance fee -- the rest is subsidised by the NSW government -- but you'll still need health insurance or ambulance cover to avoid the rest of the fees.

Australian Capital Territory:

In general, ACT residents are responsible for paying their own way, you have health insurance.

Victoria:

Victorians will have to cover the costs of an ambulance ride if it's not covered through an Ambulance Victoria membership or a private health fund.

South Australia:

SA residents will be liable to pay for ambulance services, unless they're a member of the SA Ambulance Service or a private health fund.

Northern Territory:

Residents will have to pay for ambulance services unless they're a member of St Johns or have private health insurance.

Western Australia:

The same rules in the NT apply to WA.

Can I use ambulance cover interstate?

This depends on which state you live in. The QLD government pays for ambulance cover Australia wide if you’re a resident, while Tasmanian residents can only get cover within their state.

Even exempt residents may not be covered outside of their home state, so if you’re travelling interstate, it’s wise to check with your state ambulance service, Concession Card provider or health insurer as to whether you’ll be covered for ambulance trips or not.

What are the different types of ambulance cover?

You have two options:

  1. Hospital cover: most hospital coves include some form of ambulance cover, but they also cover some of your hospital costs such as medications and surgical procedures.

  2. Ambulance-only cover: this includes ambulance cover only, but not your in-hospital accommodations or treatments and procedures.

What is the cost of an ambulance trip?

If you don’t have ambulance cover, here’s an idea of what you could be paying:

Is ambulance-only cover worth it?

Ambulance-only cover - also called ‘standalone ambulance’ is certainly better than not having any cover at all in an emergency but it really is ambulance cover only.

It’s worth looking at the difference in premiums for ambulance-only cover, and a Basic hospital cover policy. You may find basic or bronze tier hospital cover offers better overall value for money. Hospital cover can include your ambulance call outs and emergency treatment, as well as hospital stays and some medical procedures (depending on your specific insurer and your policy).

Are ambulance fees waived for COVID-19 patients?

Yes, in some states. Patients in New South Wales will not be charged a fee if they need ambulance for COVID-19 treatment or transport, or for adverse reactions to a Covid-19 vaccination. At the time of writing (2024), these exemptions are still in place

Ambulance charges do not apply for Queensland and Tasmanian residents in their home state. 

Victoria has also said that special consideration currently applies where an ambulance was called due to your positive COVID-19 status.

At the time of writing, South Australia, Western Australia, and the ACT and NT are not waiving fees for COVID-19 patients.

Is ambulance cover compulsory?

No, it's not. If you don't have ambulance cover or appropriate hospital cover, you'll need to pay the full cost of any ambulance services (if you’re not exempt).

Does Medicare cover ambulance journeys?

No, Medicare doesn’t cover emergency transport costs or any other ambulance services.

Is standalone ambulance cover worth it?

Standalone ambulance cover is definitely better than not having any cover at all if you want peace of mind that you won't have to pay any fees.

That said, you may get better overall value for money by taking out Hospital Cover that may also cover you for ambulance call outs and journeys.

That way, you'll also be covered for items such as getting a private room or be able to choose your own doctor.

Even if your main priority is to avoid the Medicare Levy Surcharge, a lot of Basic policies will come with ambulance cover.

Looking into Hospital Cover? We'd recommend reading our guide to Hospital Cover first.

Which health insurance policies include ambulance cover?

The different state regulations means ambulance cover can be surprisingly confusing.

As a general rule of thumb, if you've got hospital cover then you'll likely be covered for some ambulance fees.

Most private health insurers include ambulance cover in their hospital cover policies, but it's important to be aware of any limitations and exclusions.

For example, does your cover include all forms of emergency transport, or is it only for road services? The best way to find out what you’re covered for - and what you’re not - is to compare# your cover with what else is available for you.

Ready to get started on finding the cover you need? Compare policies with Compare Club and let our expert team get you the right cover at our best price.

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This guide is opinion only and should not be taken as medical or financial advice. Check with a financial professional before making any decisions.

*Based on 136,746 customers between 1 Jan 2018 - 23 December 2022.

Chris Stanley is the sales & operations manager of health insurance at Compare Club. With extensive experience and expertise, Chris is a trusted leader known for his deep understanding of health insurance markets, policies, and coverage options. As the sales & operations manager of health insurance, Chris leads a team of dedicated professionals committed to helping individuals and families make informed decisions about their health insurance needs.

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Meet our health insurance expert, Chris Stanley

Chris's top health insurance tips

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  • 2

    An appropriate private health insurance policy can speed up your surgery, relieving your pain sooner.

  • 3

    Family health cover means your children are covered under the same policy as you.

  • 4

    Many health insurance policies come with a 12-month waiting period for pregnancy-related cover, so it’s a good idea to get a family policy organized well before starting your family. This means your child will be covered from birth until at least their early twenties (depending on which health fund you select).