What are the leading causes of death in Australia?

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) monitors the causes of deaths registered in Australia each year. According to the latest revised figures released in May 2025, the total number of deaths in 2023 was 183,131, that’s a drop of 4.1% since 2022 when 190,939 deaths were recorded. More than half (55.5%) of all deaths were people aged 80 years and older, with the median age at death remaining at 82 years (79.6 for males and 84.6 for females).

The top five leading causes of death

The top five causes of death in 2023 accounted for approximately one-third of all registered deaths. According to the ABS they were:

• Ischaemic heart diseases (heart attack)
• Dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease
• Cerebrovascular diseases (stroke)
• Lung cancer
• Chronic lower respiratory diseases

The ABS notes the first and second leading causes of death in Australia are the closest they have ever been, with less than 250 deaths separating ischaemic heart disease (9.2%) and dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease (9.1%).

The number of deaths from dementia has been increasing for a number of years and has been the leading cause of death for women since 2016.

COVID-19 fell out of the top five leading causes of death, dropping to ninth (from third place in 2022). In Australia there were 5,001 deaths registered that were due to COVID-19, decreasing from 9,862 deaths in 2022.

Cause 1: Ischaemic heart disease

Ischaemic heart disease (in which the heart is starved of oxygen due to a reduced blood supply) was the leading single cause of deaths in Australia, but it’s interesting to note the standardised death rate for ischaemic heart disease in 2023 is the lowest since official cause of death statistics began collection in 1968. It was responsible for 16,922 deaths in 2023 (down from 18,782 in 2022).

Also known as coronary heart disease (CHD), the condition occurs due to blockages in the heart and can manifest as angina or a heart attack. According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW), the condition affects a higher percentage of men than women in Australia.

The Heart Foundation of Australia highlights that people from lower socio-economic groups, living in remote areas and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are at an increased risk of heart disease. Statistics from the AIHW supports this, reporting that the rate of CHD among Indigenous adults was 2.8 times that of non-Indigenous adults. Another high risk factor is a family history of heart disease.

Private health cover for the heart and vascular system treatment category is mandatory on Gold and Silver hospital policies, and it may be offered as a restricted benefit on some Bronze and Basic policies.

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Cause 2: Dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease

Dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, claimed 16,685 lives in 2023, and was the leading cause of death for females.

Dementia Australia defines dementia as a collection of symptoms caused by disorders affecting the brain, and is not a normal part of ageing. Dementia can cause problems with memory and changes to your thinking, mood and behaviour. Symptoms change and express differently for each individual, but progressively become stronger over time. It can happen to anybody, but the risk increases with age and becomes much more common after the age of 65.

Cause 3: Cerebrovascular diseases

Cerebrovascular diseases refers to disorders of the blood supply to the brain and its membrane, such as a stroke. The condition accounted for 9,359 deaths in 2023, but has been declining overall, with the ABS reporting a 31.2% decrease since 2014.

The Stroke Foundation defines a stroke occurs when blood cannot get to your brain because of a blocked or burst artery. This causes brain cells to die because of a lack of oxygen. Despite cerebrovascular diseases being the number three killer in Australia, the Foundation says more than 80% of strokes can be prevented.

Knowing whether you’re at risk and making time for a health check are some of the ways you can help prevent a stroke. Some of the most common risk factors include high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, irregular heart rhythm, smoking and a high intake of alcohol.

Cause 4: Lung and throat cancers

Lung and throat cancers were the fourth-biggest killers in 2023, accounting for 8,976 deaths. The disease was more prominent in males and made up over half the recorded deaths from lung cancer.

The reason cancer in general is not listed as Australia’s biggest killer is because the ABS records deaths across a range of different cancers such as breast, colon, lung, pancreas, prostate, skin and so on. The AIHW estimates that lung cancer will be the fifth most commonly diagnosed cancer in 2024. Of the five most common cancers in Australia, lung cancer survival rates are the lowest.

Smoking is the biggest preventable cause of cancer, according to the Cancer Council, and accounts for about 13% of cancer cases each year; with two out of three deaths in current long-term smokers directly attributed to smoking.

The latest national smoking statistics from the ABS show that one in ten people (10.6%) aged 18 years and over were daily smokers in 2022. This rate has steadily declined over the last twenty years from 22.4% in 2001.As a smoker, you may have to pay more for any life insurance cover.

Private health insurance cover for cancer treatments such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and immunotherapy is a minimum requirement of Bronze, Silver and Gold hospital policies, and may be offered as a restricted benefit on Basic policies.

→ Read more: How much does chemotherapy cost?

Cause 5: Chronic lower respiratory diseases

Rounding out the top five causes of death in Australia are chronic respiratory conditions accounting for 8,359 deaths in 2023.

According to AIHW these typically affect the airways, including the lungs and the passages that transfer air from the mouth and nose into the lungs. These conditions are characterised by symptoms such as wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness and cough.

The two most common chronic respiratory diseases are asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

According to the ABS National Health Survey around 8.5 million (34%) people in Australia were estimated to have chronic respiratory conditions, this included:

• 8 million (11%) people who were estimated to be living with asthma
• 638,000 (2.5%) people who were estimated to be living with COPD

Australia is a land of deadly creatures, but do they really kill?

Despite Australia’s reputation as home to some of the world’s deadliest creatures and critters, including the world’s most venomous snake and spider – the actual fatalities caused by wildlife are relatively low.

The National Coronial Information System’s fact sheet on animal-related deaths in Australia notes an average of 32 animal-related deaths reported per calendar year.

Land mammals comprised the majority (71.0%) of deaths, followed by reptiles and amphibians (10.7%) and insects and invertebrates (8.7%). Nearly one third (31.8%) of animal-related deaths involved horses.

How could your cause of death affect your life insurance policy?

Life insurance policies are generally designed to provide help to a beneficiary you’ve named (such as your partner) if you die due to an unforeseen illness or accident.

But there may be certain causes of death that are listed as exclusions on your life insurance policy. For example, some policies may not cover death by suicide, or there may be an extended waiting period of a year or more after the policy is initially taken out during which suicide would not be covered.

Some life insurers may not provide cover for deaths caused by pre-existing medical conditions you were aware of but didn’t disclose when taking out the policy.

Make sure you read the product disclosure statement (PDS) and your certificate of insurance, and check with your insurer if you are not sure what limits or exclusions might apply to your cover.

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Cover image source: KieferPix/Shutterstock.com