UniMed SmartCare Plus Review NZ
SmartCare+ is UniMed's higher hospital and surgical tier, raising general surgery cover to $500,000 and private hospital medical admission (including chemotherapy and radiation) to $300,000 a policy year, with no separate chemotherapy sub-limit inside that figure. It is also the only SmartCare-family plan that covers non-Pharmac subsidised drugs, within the surgical or non-surgical benefit maximum.
Key facts
- General surgery (incl. CT/MRI tests)
- $500,000 for each person in a policy year, excess applies (source, retrieved 8 September 2026)
- Private hospital medical admission
- $300,000 for each person in a policy year, including chemotherapy and radiation treatment, no separate sub-limit inside this figure (source, retrieved 8 September 2026)
- Non-Pharmac subsidised drugs
- Covered, included within the surgical or non-surgical benefit maximum, excess applies (source, retrieved 8 September 2026)
- Prophylactic surgery
- $80,000 for each person, excess applies (source, retrieved 8 September 2026)
- Bereavement grant
- $10,000 for each person (source, retrieved 8 September 2026)
- Underwriting
- Fully underwritten at application; pre-existing conditions must be disclosed (source, retrieved 8 September 2026)
- Distribution
- Sold direct and through advisers as UniMed (formerly Accuro) (source, retrieved 8 September 2026)
SmartCare+'s headline advantage over SmartCare is that chemotherapy and radiation sit inside a $300,000 limit with no inner cap, and it adds non-Pharmac drug cover, per UniMed's own current SmartCare+ policy document (Sept 2025, retrieved 8 September 2026).
| Benefit | Limit |
|---|---|
| General surgery | $500,000 for each person in a policy year (source, retrieved 8 September 2026) |
| Private hospital medical admission (incl. chemo/radiation) | $300,000 for each person in a policy year, no separate chemotherapy sub-limit (source, retrieved 8 September 2026) |
| Non-Pharmac subsidised drugs | Covered within the surgical/non-surgical benefit maximum (source, retrieved 8 September 2026) |
| Prophylactic surgery | $80,000 for each person, lifetime (source, retrieved 8 September 2026) |
| Bereavement grant | $10,000 for each person (source, retrieved 8 September 2026) |
Entry ages
| Cover | Entry ages |
|---|---|
| SmartCare+ | No single entry-age table is published; the base plan is for New Zealand citizens, residents, or people entitled to public healthcare funding. (source, retrieved 8 September 2026) |
Waiting periods
| Cover | Waiting period |
|---|---|
| SmartCare+ | Not published as a fixed universal waiting period (source, retrieved 8 September 2026) |
Exclusions
- Pre-existing conditions must be disclosed at application; UniMed may decline cover or add a personal exclusion lasting from 1 year to life. (source, retrieved 8 September 2026)
- The non-Pharmac drugs benefit is not usable in combination with a benefit on an additional module; it applies only within the Hospital and Surgical+ base plan. (source, retrieved 8 September 2026)
Questions about UniMed SmartCare+
What is the difference between SmartCare and SmartCare+?
SmartCare+ raises general surgery cover to $500,000 (from $300,000), private hospital medical admission to $300,000 with no chemotherapy sub-limit (from $200,000 with a $65,000 chemo cap), and adds non-Pharmac drug cover SmartCare does not have (SmartCare and SmartCare+ Health Plan documents, retrieved 8 September 2026).
Does SmartCare+ cover non-Pharmac drugs?
Yes. Medsafe-registered prescription drugs not funded by Pharmac are covered, within the surgical or non-surgical benefit maximum, when the treatment is prescribed by a registered medical specialist and not otherwise excluded (SmartCare+ Health Plan document, retrieved 8 September 2026).
Is SmartCare+ worth the extra premium over SmartCare?
It depends mainly on cancer risk: the biggest practical gap between the two plans is that SmartCare+ removes the $65,000 chemotherapy sub-limit and adds non-Pharmac drug cover, both of which matter most in exactly the scenario, a cancer diagnosis, that policies are bought to protect against.
How much bereavement cover does SmartCare+ pay?
$10,000 for each person, four times SmartCare's $2,500 grant, with no excess applying to this benefit (SmartCare+ Health Plan document, retrieved 8 September 2026).
What's the best health insurance in NZ?
No independent body ranks a single best insurer. SmartCare+ is UniMed's higher hospital tier; compare it against Southern Cross UltraCare and nib's Ultimate Health range for the equivalent comprehensive tier from other insurers.
Can you have two health insurances in NZ?
Yes, it is legal, but UniMed and other insurers generally pay eligible charges only once and ask about other cover held, so holding two overlapping policies is rarely worthwhile.
Does SmartCare+ have a chemotherapy limit?
Not a separate one. Chemotherapy and radiation sit inside the $300,000 private hospital medical admission benefit with no inner sub-cap, unlike SmartCare, which caps chemotherapy and radiation at $65,000 within its lower $200,000 limit (SmartCare+ Health Plan document, retrieved 8 September 2026).
What is better, Bupa or nib?
Bupa does not sell health insurance in New Zealand. UniMed's SmartCare+ competes most closely with nib's Ultimate Health and Southern Cross's UltraCare as a top-tier hospital and surgical plan.
Is UniMed the same as Accuro?
UniMed is the rebranded name for Accuro; SmartCare+ is the same product that was previously issued under the Accuro brand, and existing policies continue on their original terms through the transition (SmartCare+ Health Plan document, retrieved 8 September 2026).
Adviser's view
QuoteHub reads SmartCare+'s case as strongest for cancer risk specifically: the removal of SmartCare's $65,000 chemotherapy sub-limit and the addition of non-Pharmac drug cover both concentrate their value in exactly the scenario a hospital plan exists to protect against, so weigh the premium gap against that risk rather than against the general surgery limit alone.
Documents
- SmartCare+ Health Plan document (September 2025), retrieved 8 September 2026
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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). UniMed SmartCare Plus Review NZ: Benefits and Limits. www.quotehub.co.nz/health-insurance/unimed/smartcare-plus. Updated 2026-09-08.
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