5 Best Gap Cover Options for Under R300
The 5 Best Gap Cover Options for Under R300 in South Africa revealed.
We tested them side by side and verified their gap cover options.
This guide is the best gap cover option under R300 in South Africa.
In this in-depth guide you’ll learn:
- ☑️ What is a Gap Cover?
- ☑️ Should you have a gap cover if you already have medical aid?
- ☑️ Is gap cover affordable in South Africa?
- ☑️ What exactly does gap cover protection cover?
- ☑️ Should you have a gap cover when you have a hospital plan?
- ☑️ What benefits do you get from having a gap cover?
So if you’re ready to go “all in” with the best gap cover options for under R300 in South Africa, this guide is for you.
👉 Let’s dive right in…
Best Gap Cover Options for Under R300
| 🩺 Medical Aid | Gap Cover U/R300 pm | ⚕️ Premiums Per Month |
| 1. TRA Gap Cover | ✅ Yes | From R99 - R620 |
| 2. Old Mutual Gap Cover | ✅ Yes | From R270 |
| 3. Liberty Essential Gap Cover | ✅ Yes | From R253 |
| 4. NetCarePlus Gap Cover | No, just over R300 | From R315 |
| 5. Turnberry Gap Cover | ✅ Yes | From R169 |
5 Best Gap Cover Options for Under R300 Summary
- TRA Gap Cover – Overall, Best Gap Cover Options for Under R300 in South Africa
- Old Mutual Gap Cover – No Medical Tests When Signing Up for The Cover
- Liberty Essential Gap Cover – Essential Accidental Fees Are Fully Covered
- NetCarePlus Gap Cover – 500% More Cover For Specialist
- Turnberry Gap Cover – Affordable Options for Under 65 Year Olds
Introduction to Gap Cover Options for Under R300
💙 Even with some prescribed minimum benefits (PMBs) medical aid plans in South Africa are required to cover by law, it is likely that these PMBs will not pay for the total cost of medical treatment you may need, so members are often left without sufficient coverage.
💙 Even with the coverage provided by medical aid, the entire cost of medical treatment in South Africa becomes unaffordable. Gap Cover is a supplemental insurance policy that can help bridge the gap between what medical aid covers and what you really spend out of money for medical costs.
💙 Gap Cover may help bridge the gap between what medical aid covers and what you actually spend out of pocket for medical expenditures.
What is gap cover?
Gap Cover is sometimes referred to as bridge insurance in some circles. Gap cover insurance is designed to compensate policyholders for the financial shortfall that results when one considers the amount of money that is covered by a medical aid plan and the amount of money that is charged by healthcare providers.
A breakdown of how the gap cover system works shows that the Gap Cover Insurance is intended to fill this coverage gap by providing essential additional financial protection against medical costs that are not covered by the Medical Aid plan. Private insurance companies are the most prevalent suppliers of gap cover insurance.
The Advantages of Having Gap Coverage
Some of the advantages that come along with having Gap Cover are as follows:
- ☑️ Can pay for deductibles, co-payments, and other up-front costs for some medical treatments that medical assistance do not cover completely.
- ☑️ Additional payments are provided in the event of cancer treatments, accidental death, or permanent incapacity.
- ☑️ Provides coverage for certain casualty costs that are not normally included in medical aid packages.
- ☑️ Provides peace of mind by protecting against unanticipated medical costs and paying for any gaps in medical aid coverage
- ☑️ Coverage can be topped up with gap cover in such a way that it acts as a bridge in the event that an individual downgrades their medical aid choice to a plan that is more affordably priced.
- ☑️ Some treatments and procedures are not covered by medical aid programmes, and members are responsible for paying their own share of certain co-payments and deductibles. Between what is covered by the medical aid programme and what the healthcare practitioner bills for their services, this might result in large out-of-pocket payments for the patient.
- ☑️ Void protection kicks in at this point in the process. Gap protection is insurance that pays the difference between what medical aid systems cover and what healthcare providers charge for in-hospital treatments and procedures.
- ☑️ In addition, gap cover may be used to pay for co-payments, deductibles, and other out-of-pocket expenses that are not covered by the medical aid programme.
👉 READ more about the best Hospital Plans under R1500 per month
Comparing Different Gap Coverage Plans
It is crucial to compare gap cover providers in South Africa when looking for medical gap cover. This will allow you to verify that you are receiving the greatest coverage available at a price that is within your budget.
Here are some reasons why you should compare gap cover providers, as well as several ways to do so:
- ☑️ There is a wide variety of gap cover providers, each of which offers its own unique set of advantages and coverage.
- ☑️ By shopping around, you might choose a carrier that offers the coverage and benefits that are appropriate for your needs.
- ☑️ The prices for gap insurance might vary substantially depending on the provider you choose and the level of coverage that you purchase.
- ☑️ If you look about, you should be able to discover a plan that satisfies your requirements at a cost that is within your budgetary comfort zone.
- ☑️ Many gap cover policies require their customers to wait for a certain amount of time before they begin providing coverage.
- ☑️ You might choose a company that has a shorter waiting period or offers instant coverage by comparing the various suppliers.
- ☑️ There is a possibility that the gap cover you obtain will be contingent on the network of healthcare professionals with which some gap cover providers collaborate.
- ☑️ By evaluating several providers, you should be able to select one that has a network that include your chosen healthcare providers.
When comparing gap insurance providers, the first step is to conduct research on the various providers and the services that they offer.
Check out their waiting times, prices, and coverage and perks, as well as their provider network. When you have narrowed down your list of possible providers, it is a good idea to acquire quotations from each one so that you can compare the prices they charge and the locations that they service.
You may also learn about the experiences that other people have had with the service provider by reading reviews that have been posted by current clients as well as clients who have used the provider in the past.
When evaluating different alternatives for medical aid gap cover, it is essential to take into account the quality of customer care provided by each supplier. Look for organizations who have a solid reputation for providing excellent customer service, have personnel that is courteous, and have rapid response times.
👉 Discover: Gap cover under R500 per month
Which Gap Cover Plan Is Best for You
💙 It might be challenging to select the appropriate gap cover plan because there are many different kinds of plans available on the market, each with its own set of characteristics and advantages. In order to make a choice that is based on accurate information, it is vital to first have an understanding of the different gap cover plan possibilities.
💙 Your medical aid plan may not cover all of your in-hospital medical charges, but you can purchase a plan called Basic Gap Cover that will cover some of those costs. The premiums for basic gap cover policies are often lower than those for more comprehensive plans, but these plans offer a smaller number of benefits.
💙 Comprehensive Gap Cover is a form of plan that offers more broad coverage for in-hospital medical bills, in addition to some outpatient charges and co-payments. This type of plan may also cover certain outpatient expenses. The premiums for comprehensive gap cover policies are often more than those for basic plans; however, comprehensive gap cover plans also provide more complete gap coverage.
💙 Top-up Gap protection is a sort of plan that is meant to augment the protection that is given by your medical aid programme, particularly for operations or treatments that are costly. Top-up gap cover policies are beneficial for people who already have a comprehensive medical aid plan but want additional protection against excessive medical bills.
💙 A disease-specific gap cover is a type of plan that offers coverage for certain medical illnesses or treatments, such as therapy for cancer or long-term medication. People who have a greater chance of acquiring certain medical diseases or who require continuing treatment for a particular ailment may benefit from disease-specific gap cover plans.
1. TRA Gap Cover
Overview
Total Risk Administrators Super Cover Plus is a trustworthy short-term insurance product designed to provide extra protection for those with medical aid. The Total Risk Administrators Super Cover Plus Plan starts from R380 ZAR. Total Risk Administrators has a trust score of 4.2.
TRA Super Cover Plus Benefits and Cover Breakdown
| 🟥 Gap Cover | Up to 700% cover. |
| 🟫 Tariff Shortfalls for Theatre and Ward Fees, Consumables, Laparoscopic/Endoscopic Equipment | R1 000 per policy per annum |
| 🟧 Prescribed Minimum Benefits | Covered but subject to medical aid review. |
| ⬛ Shortfalls on Specialist Consultations | 3 consults per policy per annum |
| 🟩 Casualty Unit Benefit | Limited to R13 650 per policy per year. |
| 🟦 Co-payment Benefit (In the network) | Limited to R63,000 per policy per year. |
| 🟪 Co-Payment Benefit Out of Network | 1 co-payment per policy per annum Up to R5 250 |
| 🟨 Co-payment Benefit (Out-of-hospital) for MRIs, CTs, and PET scans | Limited to 1 MRI, CT, or PET scan per policy per year. Limited to R12,600 per scan. |
| 🟪 Sub-limit Benefit – Internal Prostheses | Limited to R11,550 per policy per year. |
| 🟥 Sub-limit Benefits for MRI, CT, and PET scans | Limited to 1 MRI, CT, or PET scan per policy per year. Limited to R3,780 per scan. |
| 🟧 Sub-limit Benefits for Colonoscopies and Gastroscopies | Limited to R13,650 per policy per year and R3,780 per event. |
| 🟩 Dental Benefit | Unlimited cover provided. Subject to the aggregate annual limit per insured person per year. |
| 🟦 Global Fee Benefit | Limited to R12,600 per policy per year. |
| 🟨 Oncology Gap Benefit | Unlimited cover provided. Subject to the aggregate annual limit per insured person per year. |
| 🟪 Oncology Co-payment Benefit (in the network) | Limited to R63,000 per policy per year. |
| ⬛ Oncology Co-Payment Benefit: Out of Network | 1 co-payment per policy per annum. Up to R5 250 |
| 🟥 Oncology Extender Benefit | Limited to R36,750 per policy per year. |
| 🟧 Oncology “New-Tech” Benefit | Limited to R8,610 per policy per year. |
| 🟩 Oncology Gap Benefit for Breast Reconstruction Surgery | Limited to R18,900 per beneficiary per life of the policy. |
| 🟦 Accidental Death Cover | Limited to R21,000 per insured or spouse. Limited to R8,400 per dependent. |
| 🟨 Policy Extender | The cover is valid for 12 months. |
| 🟪 Medical Aid Contribution Waiver | Limited to 6 months. Limited to a maximum of R5,775 per month. |
| 🟥 TRA Assist | - |
| 🟧 Home Drive | 6 trips per policy per annum. Limited to a 50km radius. |
| 🟩 Panic Button | You will have 24-hour access to a crisis manager who will walk you through an emergency. |
| 🟦 Medical Health and Trauma Counselling Line | Access to qualified nurses is unrestricted, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for telephonic emergency medical advice, symptom assessment, medical terminology explanation, etc. Insured persons have access to a COVID-19 care line. |
| 🟨 Claim Submission | Insured members can use the mobile app to submit their claim documents. |
| 🟪 Travel Benefit | Emergency Medical and Related expenses R1 000 000 Medical Evacuation, Repatriation, or Transportation to a Medical Centre Actual expense covered when arranged by Hepstar Financial Services Personal Accident Cover Death: R25 000 / Permanent Disability: up to R25 000 Theft or Accidental Damage during trip R 5 000 / Single item limit: R 1 500 Theft, Damage or loss by Airline R5 000 / Single item limit: R 1 500 Baggage Delay (more than 4 hours) R500 Baggage Delay (more than 24 hours) R1 000 |
Our Verdict on Total Risk Administrators (TRA) Gap Cover
Total Risk Administrators (TRA) is a very reputable provider offering members comprehensive gap cover plans. Their premiums start at R99 per month, making their plans affordable to many individuals.
TRA also offers a range of value-added benefits. TRA’s claims process is quick and easy, with claims settled within 10 business days.
👉 READ more about Medical Insurance
2. Old Mutual Gap
The healthcare coverage offered by Old Mutual through Gap Cover commences underwritten by GENRIC Insurance Company Limited beginning from January 1, 2026 and both companies belong to the Old Mutual Group system. Insurance Company Limited partners with Old Mutual to provide essential medical expense shortfall coverage for their clients.
Old Mutual Gap Cover offers its clients three essential advantages. The coverage extends up to 500% of the medical aid rate according to non-network plans to handle substantial monetary gaps. The coverage includes specialized procedure benefits in cases of maxillofacial surgery and back spinal surgery when non-designated providers were utilized on group network options.
The Benefit Extender component of Old Mutual Gap Cover offers the Family Booster benefit which provides benefits of up to R15000 for premature births that happened before a 41-day period before due date. R270 per month gets you the Old Mutual gap cover even if you and your spouse are on different medical aid schemes. Medical tests for this cover are not compulsory and its benefits package includes shortfall payments of up to 100% on maxillofacial or spinal surgery.
Important Considerations
Old Mutual Gap Cover serves only as an additional protection for health care gaps that exist within your current medical aid benefits. The insurance maintains its status as supplemental to medical scheme benefits.
The policy features a maximum annual payment which must be assessed through a review of policy terms and associated conditions. Contact Information: Talk to Old Mutual about your coverage options or obtain any necessary details through the company channels which include phone and email as well as a physical location address.
☑️ Phone: 0860 60 70 00
☑️ Email: [email protected]
☑️Adress: Mutualpark on Jan Smuts Drive in Pinelands 7405 Cape Town South Africa.
With Old Mutual Gap Cover you can rest easy because medical cost shortfalls will get effective management which enables you to prioritize your health and wellness needs.
👉 READ more about our list of the affordable medical aids under R1500
3. Liberty Essential Gap Cover
Overview of Liberty Health Gap Cover
Liberty Health was founded in 2008 and is a leading provider of health insurance to over 400 000 people in 27 African countries. Liberty Health’s breadth of knowledge and expertise stems from their experience offering comprehensive, flexible health care solutions to multinational corporations, corporations, SMEs, and individuals in South Africa and throughout Africa.
The interests of the corporation include health insurance products as well as health administration technology systems and services.Liberty provides a complete suite of long-term insurance products and services to address the evolving financial, investment, and lifestyle risk requirements of both the retail and corporate markets. Liberty Health Gap Cover is one of those products.
Liberty remains a trusted brand among South Africans, which provides various health and financial products in South Africa at affordable rates. The Liberty essential gap cover provides Up to 300%, (3 times) of the medical aid tariff in shortfall expenses for covered members and an addition of accidental injury fees and out-of-hospital fees for specialists and doctors.
💙 The Optimal plan costs R253 per month per individual.
💙 The Essential Gap cover plan costs R397 per month per individual.
💙 The Liberty Essential Gap Cover is an affordable protection against the common medical expenses that fall in short when your medical aid doesn’t cover the treatments or procedures in full.
💙 This plan provides cover for the shortfall for when going to the hospital, selected procedures outside the hospital, and specified co-payments, making sure that one isn’t burdened with any unforeseen medical accounts.
Liberty Health Gap Cover Options
Liberty Essential Gap Cover provides dependable medical scheme top-up coverage for the most common treatment cost deficits at a competitive price.
Coverage includes a low-cost Medical Expense Shortfall. In a calendar year, the policy provides coverage of up to R230 000 per person insured, as well as several health insurance benefits. The benefits of this gap cover include:
- ✅ In-hospital cover for doctor and specialist charges up to 3 times the medical scheme tariff
- ✅ Out-of-hospital cover for doctor and specialist charges up to 3 times the medical scheme tariff for approximately 50 out-of-hospital treatments.
- ✅ Medical scheme co-payment cover for hospital admissions, scans and certain surgical procedures, and
- ✅ Emergency Room Cover for accidental injury.
Key Benefits of Essential Gap Cover:
In-Hospital Cover:
Covers the shortfall in doctors and specialists charges over and above medical aid tariff, which is included in the specific medical tariff, or contribution thereto, whichever is the greatest of these two amounts. The shortfall will be the difference between doctors and specialists charges less medical tariff or your contribution to the charges.
Out-of-Hospital Procedures:
Covers around 50 defined out-of-hospital procedures to help you be more covered than mere hospital admissions.
Co-Payment Cover:
Covers the co-payment costs for hospital admissions and scans, which will reduce your out-of-pocket expenses.
💙 For further details about, or to apply for Essential Gap Cover, visit Liberty’s Gap Cover page or contact the policy administrator, Zestlife, on 021 180 4220 or [email protected].
💙 Invest in Liberty’s Essential Gap Cover to protect you and your loved ones from unexpected medical expenses with peace of mind when you need it most.
Liberty Health Contact Details
✅ Phone: +27 11 558 4871
✅ Email: [email protected]
✅Physical Address:
Liberty Centre, 1 Ameshoff Street, Braamfontein, Johannesburg, South Africa
✅ 24-Hour International Medical Emergency Evacuation:
Phone: +27 21 657 7740
👉 READ more about Medical Insurance
4. NetCarePlus Gap Cover
The NetCarePlus gap cover gives 500% more cover for specialists, both in and out of the hospital, you’ll be covered for any approved admissions in a day clinic or hospital, plus against shortfalls for specialist consultations, treatment and procedures when you’re not admitted to hospital.
Medical aid coverage needs to be essential in present times but most typical medical aid plans fail to address complete hospitalization and procedure expenses. The coverage provided by Netcare Plus Gap Cover makes sure medical patients avoid costly unexpected expenses during emergencies.
With NetCare Plus gap cover you can get up to 500% more cover for specialists, both in and out of hospital. You’ll be covered for any approved admissions in a day clinic or hospital, plus against shortfalls for specialist consultations, treatment and procedures when you’re not admitted to hospital.
💙 The premiums start from R315 per month per individual.
Why Netcare Plus Gap Cover?
Network Plus Gap Cover is built as a protection system which bridges the monetary gaps between your medical insurance coverage rates and provider medical and hospital fee rates.
The increased healthcare expenses make Netcare Plus Gap Cover essential for the year 2026.
The following attributes make Netcare Plus Gap Cover an excellent healthcare investment:
- Comprehensive Coverage – Covers the gap between what medical specialists charge and what your medical aid pays, ensuring that you don’t face financial burdens.
- Peace of Mind – Allows you to focus on recovery rather than financial stress.
- Affordability – Cost-effective plans tailored to suit different budgets.
- Enhanced Benefits – Additional cover for co-payments, sub-limits, and non-designated service providers, ensuring you get the best medical treatment without compromise.
- Family Protection – Options available to cover your entire family, ensuring no one is left vulnerable.
👉 You might also like the 5 Best Medical Aids under R500 in South Africa
For any queries, you can reach Netcare Plus Solutions (Pty) Ltd at:
- ☑️ Phone: 0860 101 151
- ☑️ Email: [email protected]
- ☑️ Physical address: 76 Maude Street, Corner West Street, Sandton, South Africa
5. Turnberry Gap Cover
Overview of Turnberry Gap Cover
💙 Turnberry, formed in 2001, offers a variety of solutions best suited to your needs, giving unrivalled service while assisting you in avoiding the potential financial weight of expensive medical bill deficits.
💙 Turnberry Management Risk Solutions (Pty) Ltd is an authorised Financial Services Provider (FSP no. 36571). Underwritten by Lombard Insurance Company, an Authorised Financial Services Provider (FSP 1596) and Insurer conducting non-life insurance business.
Turnberry Gap Cover
Turnberry Insurance Group provides a variety of solutions aimed to alleviate the financial pressures associated with medical bills during hospitalisation. The majority of medical aids pay hospital expenses up to 100% of the medical aid rate. However, it is the fees charged by experts that can leave you out of cash if you do not have shortfall insurance. This is where Turnberry Gap Cover become a necessity.
Charges that exceed the recommended medical aid rate are covered by your policy. They offer up to 500% coverage. Co-payments are also covered in some cases. Turnberry offers various Gap Cover products from R169 per month that would safeguard you against unforeseen medical expenses shortfalls not fully covered by your medical aid. Their plans are compatible with all registered open medical schemes and most closed schemes in South Africa, ensuring broad accessibility.
Turnberry Gap Cover Options
- ✅ Premier serves as an umbrella for the complete family. It provides comprehensive cancer benefits as well as a wide range of benefits to cover unforeseen medical price gaps.
- ✅ Optimal offers a wide range of benefits, including increasing your medical aid by up to 500%, all at a family-friendly price.
- ✅ Synergy provides a wide range of health advantages at an affordable price. It protects you and your family against the most prevalent forms of claims and pays medical bill gaps up to 500%.
- ✅ Launch key benefits for specialists and cover medical spending gaps up to 350% of medical assistance rate. Launch is one of the most affordable Gap Cover options on the market.
- ✅ Med-Extend was created to help clients with medical spending gaps for Specialists as well as covering Defined Procedures that were previously prohibited from their individual Medical Scheme option.
- ✅ If you have extended family or an additional dependant registered on your Medical Scheme and they do not meet our definition of a “Family” as per the description above, you may add them to Med Extend.
- ✅ On request, Turnberry Policyholders can obtain international travel insurance through TIC. The coverage provides complete emergency help by air, land, or sea.
Key Benefits Across Turnberry’s Gap Cover Plans
Medical Expense Shortfall Cover: Enhances your medical aid rate up to 600% for the cost of specialists, GPs, anesthetists, radiology, pathology, and other in-hospital services.
Co-Payment Cover: Assists with the co-payments that your medical aid may request for specific treatments and procedures, therefore reducing out-of-pocket expenses.
Sub-Limit Cover: Extra cover when your medical aid has sub-limits for certain procedures or treatments, for comprehensive protection. Non-DSP Hospital Penalty Cover: Covers the penalties when treatment is sought in non-designated service provider hospitals, thus affording flexibility on choice of facilities.
The Turnberry gap cover protects clients and their families from bearing hefty medical expenses uncovered by their medical aid.
👉 Turnberry gap cover has the following plans to choose from:
FAQs
Is Gap Cover worth the money you pay for it?
Yes, it is worth the money. If you have to have an expensive medical procedure or illness that isn’t covered in full by your medical aid, gap cover can make up the shortfall.
What should I look for when searching for gap cover?
Look for plans that provide the best benefits, such as cover for co-payments, excess payments, and out-of-hospital expenses.
Does gap cover only provide coverage for doctors’ visits?
No, Gap cover covers shortfalls where doctors charge above medical aid rate, as well as hospital benefits.
Who offers the best gap cover in South Africa?
The best gap cover will depend on what your needs are and what you can afford.
Is shortfall insurance and gap cover the same thing?
Yes, shortfall insurance and gap cover is the same, and covers additional medical costs, or the difference between the fees charged by specialists and the funds provided by the medical aid.
