Policies compared

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Hospital-only policies - also called Hospital and surgical only policies. These cover hospital expenses and non-urgent semi-acute surgery such as a heart bypass. They also cover related tests and specialists visits in the period before and after the operations (usually three to six months.)

Hospital plus specialist and tests cover - Hospital and surgical only policies with add-ons that cover tests and specialist consultations unrelated to surgical treatment or hospitalisation. They can provide peace of mind when quick access to a diagnosis is important.

Note that we haven't included comprehensive policies, which includes hospital and specialist fees, GP fees and prescription charges. Comprehensive policies are unlikely to be worth the cost - at best it's likely to be just a dollar-swapping exercise - and we don't recommend them.

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Rating is a 5 star system, where 5 stars is the most comprehensive policy.