InvoluntaryUnemployment Assistance

HELP WHEN YOU NEED IT MOST

Losing your job can be an incredibly stressful experience and you might be wondering how you’re going to make ends meet. We’re here for you, and we’ll do what we can to help you with your health cover.

Call us: 13 13 34

FINANCIAL HELP DURING COVID-19

We know that many of our members are struggling financially because of the impacts of COVID-19 - so it’s important we make sure those who are doing it tough get the help they need.

And at HCF, our members are at the heart of everything we do and we put their health before anything else. That’s why we’ve made the decision to ease our Involuntary Unemployment Assistance eligibility and temporarily extended our COVID-19 support for members doing it tough.

During COVID-19, our Involuntary Unemployment Assistance has been helping more than 71,000* eligible members remain covered by paying their premiums for up to 6 months.

WHO CAN ACCESS OUR SUPPORT?

To qualify for Involuntary Unemployment Assistance during this period of extended support, you must meet the following criteria:

  • You or your partner have held an HCF hospital cover (excluding Overseas Visitors Health Cover) for at least 12 months.
  • You or your partner had at least 20 hours of permanent employment (not temporary or a fixed contract) per week, can prove loss of income through no fault of your own and are actively looking for work^. If you’re self-employed+, contact us to chat about your options.
  • You’ve told us about your change in circumstances within 3 months of losing your income due to COVID-19.

We're here to help you review the options that will be right for your needs, including other options that are available if you've been with us for less than 12 months or don’t meet the criteria for Involuntary Unemployment Assistance, and we can also advise you where conditions might apply

HOW TO GET IN TOUCH

There are a few ways to get in touch with us if you need financial help during COVID-19.

  1. Call us to chat
    If you're worried and struggling to pay your premiums, please call our team on 13 13 34.
  2. Email us using our Contact Us page
    Send us a message about your current situation, and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can. Go to our Contact Us page and fill out the form choosing ‘Financial support due to COVID-19’ from the list. Click here to email us.

Other ways we can help

If you haven’t lost your job and need some financial help, we have other options available including premium waivers. Go to our member support page for more details.

Go to member support

Ways to connect with us

CALL US TODAY

We’re open: Mon-Fri 8am-8pm, Sat 9am-5pm (AEST/AEDT). Call 13 13 34.

SEND AN EMAIL

Head over to our Contact Us page and complete the form to send us an email.

USE THE APP

The My Membership app is the easiest way to stay on top of your health insurance admin – no matter where you are, or what time of day it is.

LOG IN ONLINE

Managing your account on the go is easy with our Online Member Services tool.

Important Information

*Figures for the period 1 March 2020 to 30 June 2021.

^If you're not self-employed, had at least 20 hours of permanent employment per week and have been involuntarily made redundant, stood down or seen a reduction in your hours, HCF requires a letter from the employer confirming the impact to your income is due to COVID-19.

+If you’re self-employed and your business continues to operate but your income is impacted by COVID-19, call us on 13 13 34 or email us at service@myhcf.com.au to chat about your options. If your business no longer operates due to COVID-19, HCF requires confirmation from the Australian Financial Services Authority or a letter from your accountant or solicitor on company letterhead.