If you have private health insurance in Australia with coverage for orthodontics, you can claim for Invisalign treatment. Because it is orthodontic work, any claims that you make will come off your orthodontic limit.

What should I do if I have private health insurance that covers orthodontics?

If your current private health care insurance covers orthodontics, you have a couple of options. If you are happy with your plan, you could get started with Invisalign immediately. But it might be worth shopping around to see which health fund offers the best orthodontic benefits in your price range. If you switch to a different policy that covers orthodontic work, you will not need to wait for a year before making a claim.

One important thing to note is that if you switch to a plan that increases your orthodontic allowance, there is a 12-month waiting period before you can claim any additional benefit.

Private health funds that we often work with that cover Invisalign treatment include BUPA, HIF, nib, ahm and HCF. The best coverage we tend to see gives a lifetime limit of around $2500, and this is often paid as a set amount per year, rather than a $2500 once-off lump sum.

What are my options if I have private health insurance, but not an extras policy?

If you are considering Invisalign but don’t currently have orthodontic coverage on your plan, you will need to add the relevant extras policy and wait for twelve months before you will be able to make a claim for your Invisalign treatment. If you feel that you can wait twelve months and are seriously considering Invisalign, work out what the additional costs will be and if it is worth investing in an extras policy. (ie Weigh up what the premiums will cost you vs what rebates your insurance company will pay each year. You may find it is not worth joining.)

How much does Invisalign cost?