How does health insurance with a gym membership work?
Generally speaking, gym memberships and yoga and Pilates classes, personal training and even weight management courses are covered by the extras component of private health insurance. This doesn't necessarily mean that your health insurer will cover you for all of these things - as a starting point, it could be worth asking your current provider what they offer in the way of ‘health management benefits’, ‘healthy lifestyle benefits’, or ‘wellness benefits’. You may also need a doctor's referral to claim certain services.
Exclusions can also apply—for example, some providers won’t cover the cost of personal trainers, while others will only cover sessions with trainers approved by them that hold recognised certification. Recreational and competitive sports or activities may also not be covered. There will generally be annual limits and sub-limits to how much you can claim, as well as waiting periods, so check the policy’s Private Health Information Statement (PHIS) for more details.
Gym membership discounts may only apply for specific partner gyms and fitness centres and usually come with their own terms and conditions, such as only applying for certain membership types or durations.
Below is a list of current health insurance providers that offer gym and fitness related benefits and discounts. The list is based on the providers rated in Canstar’s Health Insurance Star Ratings and Awards, which means it’s not an exhaustive list, but can give you a good starting point. Check the terms and conditions on each provider's website for more details.
Health insurance providers with gym membership discounts and benefits
AAMI
If you have AAMI’s Everyday Active Extras or Premium Active Extras health cover, you can claim a range of Healthier Lifestyle services, including gym memberships, weight management, quit smoking programs and personal training sessions. Your healthcare professional would need to sign a Health Management Program Supporting Evidence form for the claim to be eligible.
Ahm
If you have Health Improvement Benefits included in your Ahm health insurance cover, you may be able to claim for certain exercise classes. Your healthcare professional would need to submit a Health Improvement Benefit Approval Form specifying the health condition that's being managed through the exercise program for the claim to be eligible.
Ahm is also partnered with Goodlife Health Clubs and offers a free five day trial for you and a friend before you join, as well as 15% off new selected memberships.
AIA
AIA offers discounted gym memberships through Goodlife Health Clubs, Fitness First and BFT (Body Fit Training) as well as discounts on certain fitness devices. They also provide coverage for quit smoking programs and nutrition consultations.
Apia
With Apia’s Advanced Extras health cover, you may be able to claim a portion of the costs of your gym membership, personal training or weight-management program. Some quit-smoking programs may also be eligible. However, the services need to be recommended by your referring healthcare professional as part of a health management program for treating a health-related condition, and you may need to use the services of a provider recognised by Apia.
Bupa
You may be able to claim gym membership and personal training fees when the exercise program is recommended by your healthcare professional to address or improve a specific diagnosed health condition—for example, diabetes. Your healthcare professional (GP, medical specialists or exercise physiologist) must complete a Health Management Gym and PT Medical Form on your behalf. Bupa also notes that it only pays benefits for Bupa recognised gyms and personal training providers.
Frank Health Insurance
You may be able to claim gym memberships and exercises classes if your Frank extras cover includes Health Maintenance Programs. An approval form must be completed and signed by a healthcare professional listing the specific health condition being managed and the duration of the program for the claim to be eligible.
HBF
HBF has partnered with several gyms and fitness clubs to offer discounts to its members. Get 15% off Blue and Platinum 12-month and 18-month Goodlife Health Clubs memberships, 10% off 12-month Zap Fitness Passport memberships (also saving on start-up fees) and pay only $8 a week for 8 weeks, plus two complimentary personal training sessions and no joining fee for Snap Fitness.
HCF
You may be able to claim an exercise or gym program that’s recommended by your medical practitioner or allied health professional, if its purpose is to treat a specific medical condition (like arthritis, hypertension, obesity, asthma, diabetes or osteoporosis). Your medical professional would have to confirm your condition on an Exercise and Gym Benefits Form. Recreational or competitive sports and activities aren’t covered by this. You may also be able to claim for a dietitian-led HCF-approved weight management program.
HIF
You may be able to claim a benefit on your gym membership if your healthcare professional helps you complete a Health Management Form. Once completed, you’ll also need to submit your claim with appropriate gym-related invoices.
Medibank
Medibank members can get 20% off 12 or 18-month Platinum, Home, Passport or Titanium memberships with Fitness First, Blue or Platinum memberships with Goodlife Health Clubs or any 12 or 18-month membership with Zap Fitness.
nib
You may be able to claim gym memberships and weight management programs if you have nib Extras health cover with Healthier Lifestyle benefits. You’ll need a medical professional to sign a Health Management Form to confirm that the membership or services are part of a health management program. Personal training and quit smoking programs may also be eligible.
Peoplecare Health Insurance
You may be able to claim fitness equipment, swimming lessons, health programs and screenings under Peoplecare Health Insurance extras cover. You will need a doctor or other registered healthcare professional to have diagnosed you with a condition that needs things like gym equipment to treat and you may be able to claim back some of the costs. They would also need to help you fill out a Declaration of Condition Form.
Phoenix Health Fund
Through Phoenix Health Fund’s Healthy Lifestyle Program, you can claim benefits towards the cost of approved health-related programs. This program could contribute towards some of the costs of approved quit smoking courses, gym memberships, asthma and diabetes management classes, weight management programs and health screening and diagnostic testing. The Healthy Lifestyle Programs is only offered on selected Extras covers and in some cases the services will need to be recommended by your referring healthcare professional as part of a health or chronic disease management program. Benefits are only payable when the service is delivered by a registered health professional recognised by Phoenix Health Fund and who meets all required registration and qualification standards.
Qantas Insurance
If you have Qantas Active Extras cover, you may be able to claim a portion of your gym membership, personal training or weight-management program costs. Some quit-smoking programs may also be eligible. However, some of these services need to be recommended by your referring healthcare professional as part of a health management program for treating a health-related condition, and you may need to use the services of a provider recognised by Qantas Insurance.
Westfund
If you hold an eligible Westfund extras cover and have served the two month waiting period, you may be able to claim a benefit towards the cost of health management programs like aquatic programs, fitness centres, weight loss programs and mental health programs. To make a claim, you’ll need a Medicare registered practitioner, such as a GP, Medical Specialist or Exercise Physiologist to complete a Health Management Declaration Claim Form every calendar year to confirm that the claimable program/s are for the management of a health condition.
Source: All offers are based on advertised online promotions on each provider’s website on 25 November, 2025. Please note, conditions, exclusions and annual limits may apply to these offers and benefits. Read all terms and conditions provided by the relevant health insurance provider before deciding whether to commit to a policy.
How much can you claim on gym memberships each year?
If your provider offers gym membership as a benefit, they will often set annual limits, combined limits and/or sub-limits up to which you can claim for. Combined limits group different services and treatments together giving you a specific dollar amount for the whole group (e.g. lifestyle benefits). Sub-limits allow you to claim dollar amounts for specific services within a combined limit category (e.g. gym membership). These will often differ between policies and providers. Whether these benefits will assist you will ultimately come down to your own financial needs and depend on what policy you have, which other extras are included and the limits placed on them.
How to find the right health management benefit for you
It’s important to note that a discounted rate on a gym membership or a health management benefit shouldn’t be the only reason for choosing one health insurance provider over another. It’s important to weigh up the quality of the policy’s coverage, as well as its overall cost. You may find that the right policy for you doesn’t include a gym membership discount or benefit. Some health insurance providers also offer sign-up deals and discounts for people looking to switch providers or take out a policy for the first time.
Extras policies also often come with a variety of inclusions, like dental, physiotherapy and remedial massage etc., so it may be worth thinking about how and if you would use these extras if you were to take out a policy. If you already have a policy and are thinking of switching or if you're taking out a policy for the first time, you can compare health insurance policies with Canstar.
If you’re unsure about which gym or fitness club to join, you may find Canstar’s Gyms and Fitness Clubs Customer Satisfaction Awards helpful when making a decision.
