Medical aid: hospital plans, comprehensive cover, and how to get options

A medical aid is a scheme that pays for your healthcare, from hospital stays to day-to-day visits, in exchange for a monthly contribution. Hospital plans cover in-hospital treatment only and start from around R1 000 a month across the market. Comprehensive options add day-to-day cover at a higher price. Schemes are regulated by the Council for Medical Schemes, and only accredited brokers may advise you. Updated September 2026.

Get medical aid options

Who it suits

A hospital plan suits people who can pay for a GP visit themselves but could not pay for an operation. A plan with savings suits families with regular doctor and pharmacy costs. Comprehensive cover suits people with ongoing conditions or who want most costs handled. The strongest time to switch is October to December, when schemes publish their new prices for the year ahead. We pass medical aid requests only to brokers and schemes accredited by the Council for Medical Schemes.

What the insurer will ask, and why

These are the questions on our form for medical aid, with what the insurer does with each answer. Nothing here is optional guesswork: every question exists because a licensed insurer needs it to quote.

Members to cover: Contribution tables are per principal, adult dependant and child dependant.
Number of children
Age of the oldest member: Late-joiner penalties apply from 35 without prior cover.
Are you on a medical scheme now?: Waiting periods and late-joiner penalties depend on continuity.
What kind of cover?
Monthly budget for the whole family: Under R1 500 for a family routes to income-rated or primary-care options only.
Household monthly income before tax (optional)
Does anyone to be covered have a chronic condition or planned procedure? (optional): Condition-specific waiting periods (up to 12 months); PMB chronic cover.
Your date of birth: Age is the primary rating factor across every product.
Which province do you live in?: Regional risk and pricing tables.
Town or suburb (optional): Postal-code rating for short-term products; language and dialect hints for call centres.
What best describes your work situation?: Affordability and, for income products, insurability.
Do you have a bank account you can pay from by debit order?: Collection method.

Questions people ask

What is a late-joiner penalty?

If you join a scheme for the first time after 35, or after a long gap without cover, the scheme may add a permanent loading to your contribution. The earlier you join, the smaller it is.

Are there waiting periods?

Usually a three-month general waiting period for new members, and up to twelve months for a condition you already had. Moving directly from one scheme to another often reduces these.

Does the scheme price on my health?

No. Contributions are the same for everyone on an option, regardless of health. Age and prior cover affect penalties and waiting periods, not the base price.

Olvian is a marketing and lead-referral service. We are not a licensed financial services provider, we do not give advice, and we do not sell insurance.