What to do when you can't pay your premium

Unlike other services like your phone or Internet, insurance premiums are always paid in advance. This means that if your policy falls into arrears, you don’t automatically cease being eligible for services and benefits; however, you may not be able to claim until your payments are up to date.

If you’re not paying for your cover via direct debit and your policy falls into arrears, you will need to pay the arrears and at least one month in advance.

For example, if you see the physio when your policy is in arrears, you will need to pay for the service in full. Once you have paid your arrears, you can submit the claim as usual.

Your policy can be up to 63 days in arrears. After that time, our system will automatically close the policy from the date it was paid to. To rectify this situation, you will need to contact us.

Please note that if your payments are in arrears, you won’t be able to update your direct debit online without paying your arrears beforehand.

If you’re paying by direct debit and the payment was rejected because of insufficient funds, we’ll attempt to take the payment three times, three days apart. If this fails after the third time, we’ll automatically remove the direct debit details and your payment method will change to monthly manual payment.

If your payment was rejected because your card was stolen or cancelled, we’ll automatically remove the direct debit details and your payment method will change to monthly manual payment. If this happens, you can log into My Medibank online or on the app, pay your arrears and set up direct debit once again.

If you need to change, delay, or cancel a direct debit payment, please keep in mind that you'll need to give us a minimum of three business days’ notice. You can change when your payments happen easily on the My Medibank app or My Medibank online. Select "Manage payments" on the app, or "Payments" online. To delay or cancel a payment, please get in touch.

There are circumstances where you may need to suspend your policy:

• Overseas travel (not applicable to OSHC)
• Financial Hardship - Centrelink assistance, Temporary financial hardship and Natural disasters (not applicable to Visitors Cover, including Overseas Workers, or OSHC)
• Imprisonment (not applicable to Visitors Cover, including Overseas Workers, or OSHC)

Standalone ambulance cover can’t be suspended for any reason.

To suspend your policy, please fill out the Suspension of membership request form and send to us as directed on the form.

Suspending your cover has rules and implications, and we strongly recommend that you contact us if you’re considering a suspension so we can talk you through these.

To cancel your policy, please get in touch.

Please note that it’s not possible for you to cancel your policy online. This is to safeguard you and your health cover, and also because we need to inform you of all the implications of cancelling your policy. Closing your health insurance policy can be a big decision, and we need to make sure you are well informed.