Southern Cross Wellbeing One vs Two
Wellbeing One and Wellbeing Two are published in the same Southern Cross policy document because they are almost the same plan. Wellbeing Two adds obstetric care and $70-a-year laboratory tests, and removes the rule confining specialist consultations, diagnostic imaging and tests to the six months before or after eligible surgery, chemotherapy or radiotherapy that applies under Wellbeing One.
Key facts
- Specialist consultations timing rule
- Wellbeing One: covered only within 6 months before or after eligible surgery, chemotherapy or radiotherapy. Wellbeing Two: no timing condition (source, retrieved 8 September 2026)
- Obstetric care
- Not covered on Wellbeing One; covered on Wellbeing Two, subject to policy limits and exclusions (source, retrieved 8 September 2026)
- Laboratory tests
- Not covered on Wellbeing One; $70 each claims year on Wellbeing Two (source, retrieved 8 September 2026)
- Excess options
- $500, $1,000, $2,000 or $4,000, applying once per claims year per person to the Surgical procedures, Chemotherapy (base and Cancer Cover Plus) and Radiotherapy benefits only (source, retrieved 8 September 2026)
- Specialist consultations limit
- $5,000 each claims year (source, retrieved 8 September 2026)
- Diagnostic imaging limit
- $60,000 each claims year (source, retrieved 8 September 2026)
- Chemotherapy for cancer (base)
- $60,000 each claims year, including up to $10,000 for chemotherapy drugs not Pharmac-approved but Medsafe-indicated (source, retrieved 8 September 2026)
- Cancer Cover Plus upgrades
- Optional Chemotherapy 100 ($100,000/yr) or Chemotherapy 300 ($300,000/yr), excess applies, excludes cover for a family history of the cancer diagnosed (source, retrieved 8 September 2026)
- GP visits
- Not covered on the base plans; $65 a visit is only available under an added Wellbeing Plus Option module (Keeping Well or Day-to-day) (source, retrieved 8 September 2026)
- Underwriter
- Southern Cross Medical Care Society (source, retrieved 8 September 2026)
Three things separate the two plans, and the table below sets them out exactly as Southern Cross publishes them (Wellbeing One and Two policy document, effective 1 April 2026, retrieved 8 September 2026).
| Benefit | Wellbeing One | Wellbeing Two |
|---|---|---|
| Surgical treatment | Covered (source, retrieved 8 September 2026) | Covered (source, retrieved 8 September 2026) |
| Cancer treatment | Covered (source, retrieved 8 September 2026) | Covered (source, retrieved 8 September 2026) |
| Specialist consultations, diagnostic imaging, tests | Only within 6 months of related eligible surgery, chemotherapy or radiotherapy (oncologist and radiation oncologist consultations exempt) (source, retrieved 8 September 2026) | Covered, no timing condition (source, retrieved 8 September 2026) |
| Obstetric care | Not covered (source, retrieved 8 September 2026) | Covered, subject to policy limits (source, retrieved 8 September 2026) |
| Laboratory tests | Not covered (source, retrieved 8 September 2026) | $70 each claims year (source, retrieved 8 September 2026) |
Every other benefit limit is shared by both plans, and the excess applies once each claims year to only three of them (Wellbeing One and Two policy document, retrieved 8 September 2026).
| Benefit | Limit |
|---|---|
| Specialist consultations | $5,000 each claims year (source, retrieved 8 September 2026) |
| Diagnostic imaging | $60,000 each claims year (source, retrieved 8 September 2026) |
| Diagnostic tests | $3,000 each claims year (source, retrieved 8 September 2026) |
| Psychiatrist consultations | $750 each claims year (source, retrieved 8 September 2026) |
| Chemotherapy for cancer (base) | $60,000 each claims year, excess applies (source, retrieved 8 September 2026) |
| Overseas treatment allowance | $30,000 each claims year (source, retrieved 8 September 2026) |
| Post-operative home nursing | $175 a day, to $2,800 each claims year (source, retrieved 8 September 2026) |
| Ambulance allowance | $180 each claims year (source, retrieved 8 September 2026) |
Entry ages
| Cover | Entry ages |
|---|---|
| Wellbeing One and Wellbeing Two | Southern Cross does not publish a single entry-age table in the policy document; eligibility is assessed at application. Ask an adviser or Southern Cross for the age limits that apply to a new application. (source, retrieved 8 September 2026) |
Waiting periods
| Cover | Waiting period |
|---|---|
| Both plans | No fixed waiting period is set out in the policy document for standard cover (source, retrieved 8 September 2026) |
Exclusions
- Pre-existing conditions are not covered unless the membership certificate states otherwise; this exclusion does not apply to the optional Wellbeing Plus Options modules. (source, retrieved 8 September 2026)
- A list of chronic conditions is permanently excluded, including cystic fibrosis, dementia, kyphosis, Loeys-Dietz syndrome, Marfan syndrome, pectus carinatum, pectus excavatum, polycystic kidney disease, scoliosis and spina bifida. (source, retrieved 8 September 2026)
- Congenital conditions are excluded except umbilical hernia, inguinal hernia, undescended testes, hydrocele, tongue tie, phimosis and squint. (source, retrieved 8 September 2026)
- Costs related to an accident, treatment injury or work-related gradual process injury that ACC covers are excluded, other than the Accident and treatment injury top-up benefit for any shortfall. (source, retrieved 8 September 2026)
- Cosmetic treatments and procedures that change, improve or enhance appearance are excluded regardless of the reason. (source, retrieved 8 September 2026)
- Pregnancy and childbirth costs are excluded except the Obstetrics allowance available with Wellbeing Two and, after one year of continuous cover on some other Southern Cross plans, sterilisation. (source, retrieved 8 September 2026)
Questions about Southern Cross Wellbeing One and Two
What is the main difference between Southern Cross Wellbeing One and Two?
Wellbeing Two adds obstetric care and $70-a-year laboratory tests, and removes the rule that confines Wellbeing One's specialist consultations, diagnostic imaging and tests to the six months before or after eligible surgery, chemotherapy or radiotherapy (Wellbeing One and Two policy document, retrieved 8 September 2026).
What is the 6 month rule Southern Cross?
Under Wellbeing One, a specialist consultation, scan or diagnostic test is covered only within six months before or six months after eligible surgical treatment, chemotherapy or radiotherapy; oncologist and radiation oncologist consultations are exempt. Wellbeing Two has no such timing condition (Wellbeing One and Two policy document, retrieved 8 September 2026).
Does Wellbeing Two cover dental?
Not on its own. Neither Wellbeing plan covers dental treatment; dental services are only available by adding the optional Vision and Dental Module or Keeping Well Module from Southern Cross's Wellbeing Plus Options, each with its own claims-year limit (Wellbeing One and Two policy document, retrieved 8 September 2026).
Does Southern Cross Wellbeing 2 cover physio?
Not as everyday physiotherapy. Wellbeing Two covers post-operative physiotherapy up to $60 a visit to $300 each claims year, but only within six months of related eligible surgery, chemotherapy or radiotherapy, not for general physio needs (Wellbeing One and Two policy document, retrieved 8 September 2026).
How much does Wellbeing One cost per month with Southern Cross?
Southern Cross prices Wellbeing One on age, sex, location, excess and health history at application, so no single monthly figure applies to everyone; premiums are not published as a rate table. An adviser or a Southern Cross quote can give a figure for your own circumstances.
Which insurance will cover pre-existing conditions?
Neither Wellbeing plan covers a pre-existing condition unless it is specifically stated as covered on your membership certificate; Southern Cross assesses each pre-existing condition at application rather than applying a blanket waiting period (Wellbeing One and Two policy document, retrieved 8 September 2026). See our guide to health insurance and pre-existing conditions.
Is Southern Cross Wellbeing one or two better?
Neither is better in general; it depends on how you are likely to use the policy. Wellbeing One suits someone happy to self-fund investigations that do not lead to surgery, in exchange for a lower premium; Wellbeing Two suits someone likely to need specialist visits, scans or obstetric care without necessarily ending up in theatre.
Can you have two health insurances in NZ?
Yes, nothing in New Zealand law stops a person holding two health insurance policies at once, but most insurers, Southern Cross included, will only pay eligible charges once and may ask about other cover you hold; running two policies for the same benefit is usually poor value rather than double cover.
Does Southern Cross cover ADHD assessment?
The Wellbeing One and Two policy document does not name ADHD assessment as a specific benefit. An assessment performed by a psychiatrist could fall under the Psychiatrist consultations benefit ($750 each claims year), subject to its terms; an assessment by another provider type is not described as covered in the published document, so confirm with Southern Cross before booking.
What is better, Bupa or nib?
Bupa does not sell health insurance in New Zealand, so this is not a live comparison here; nib is one of New Zealand's three main health insurers alongside Southern Cross and UniMed. See our nib Ultimate Health and Easy Health reviews for what nib actually covers.
What's the best health insurance in NZ?
There is no independent ranking body that names a single best health insurer in New Zealand; Southern Cross, nib and UniMed are the three largest, and the right plan depends on whether you want catastrophic-only cover, day-to-day cover, or a shared-cost budget plan, and on your own health history and budget.
What are the excess options on Wellbeing One and Two?
$500, $1,000, $2,000 or $4,000, applying once per claims year for each covered person and only to the Surgical procedures, Chemotherapy (base and Cancer Cover Plus) and Radiotherapy benefits; every other benefit on the plan carries no excess (Excesses for Wellbeing One and Wellbeing Two plans, Southern Cross, retrieved 8 September 2026).
Adviser's view
QuoteHub's read is that the honest way to decide is not to compare the feature lists, which are almost identical. It is to ask how you are most likely to use the policy: Wellbeing One pays for investigation that leads to treatment, Wellbeing Two pays for investigation itself, and that difference is worth more than any premium saving if scans and specialist visits are the likely path.
Documents
- Wellbeing One and Two, Policy document (effective from 1 April 2026), retrieved 8 September 2026
- Excesses for Wellbeing One and Wellbeing Two plans, retrieved 8 September 2026
Compare health cover with a licensed NZ adviser · free, no obligation.
Financial advice is provided by Craig Smith Business Services Limited, trading as Smiths Insurance & KiwiSaver, a licensed Financial Advice Provider (FSP712931). QuoteHub is a trading name.
Cite this page QuoteHub NZ (2026). Southern Cross Wellbeing One vs Two: Which Plan? (2026). www.quotehub.co.nz/health-insurance/southern-cross/wellbeing-one-two. Updated 2026-09-08.
Explore related pages: Life Insurance, Income Protection, Health Insurance, Trauma Insurance, Technology.