Stratum prices its gap cover as an individual or as a family, by age at entry, from R217 to R1 049 a month across 5 policies depending on who is covered and their ages.
This page shows the 2026 premiums and terms, which are the ones in force today. Each policy’s own page shows its 2027 premiums and terms as well.
AURA holds all 5 Stratum gap cover policies for 2026 — R217 to R1 049 a month, with Stratum’s own premium tables, family definition and exclusions on this page, and works out the shortfall your own medical scheme plan leaves you to pay before you choose one.
“One Gap Cover policy covers you and your spouse, even if you belong to different medical aid plans, including the dependants registered on either medical aid plan.”
“All are welcome! No maximum entry ages. ... Premiums are determined by age at entry, and there’s no maximum entry age.”
“Child dependants registered on your or your spouse’s medical aid plan may remain on your Gap Cover policy regardless of age. However, when a child dependant applies for their own medical aid membership, they must apply for their own Gap Cover policy. A full-time student 26 or younger may remain on your policy even if they belong to a different medical aid plan.”
Not stated in the brochure.
Every benefit any Stratum policy carries, and which of them carry it.
| Benefit | Access Optimiser R217/m | Meridian400 R275/m | Compact300 R363/m | Access Co-Pay Plus300 R444/m | Elite500 R529/m |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Above the scheme’s MRI/CT sub-limit | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cash lump sum on accidental death or permanent disability | ✓ | × | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Casualty unit after an accident | × | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Casualty unit for sudden illness | × | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Childbirth in hospital | × | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Co-payment on an MRI or CT scan | × | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Co-payments and deductibles the scheme imposes | × | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Dental work after an accident | × | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Dental work in hospital | × | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Extras the provider adds at no charge | · | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Shortfall on the specialist bill in hospital | × | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cancer treatment above the scheme’s oncology limit | × | ✓ | ✓ | × | ✓ |
| Co-payment on a scope | × | ✓ | ✓ | × | ✓ |
| Internal prosthesis — above the scheme sub-limit | × | ✓ | ✓ | × | ✓ |
| Shortfall on cancer treatment | × | ✓ | ✓ | × | ✓ |
| Trauma counselling | × | ✓ | ✓ | × | ✓ |
| Cash lump sum on a first cancer diagnosis | × | × | ✓ | × | ✓ |
| Co-payment on robotic surgery | × | × | ✓ | × | ✓ |
| Preventative screening | · | ✓ | × | × | ✓ |
| Your gap premium paid if you die or are disabled | ✓ | × | × | × | ✓ |
| Your scheme contributions paid if you die or are disabled | ✓ | × | × | × | ✓ |
| A private ward | · | × | × | × | ✓ |
| Above a scheme sub-limit generally | · | · | · | · | ✓ |
| Benefit booster | ✓ | · | · | · | × |
| Breast reconstruction after a mastectomy | · | × | × | × | ✓ |
| Co-payment on the scheme’s defined procedure list | · | × | × | ✓ | × |
| Kidney dialysis | · | × | × | × | ✓ |
| Physical rehabilitation | · | × | × | × | ✓ |
| Specialist consultations out of hospital | · | × | × | × | ✓ |
| A daily cash amount while in hospital | · | × | × | × | × |
| Above the scheme’s sub-limit on scopes | · | × | × | × | · |
| Casualty unit for sudden illness, age 11 and over | · | · | × | · | · |
| External appliances | · | × | × | × | × |
| Internal prosthesis — top-up | · | × | × | · | · |
| MedBoost | · | × | × | × | × |
| Prescribed Minimum Benefit shortfalls | · | · | × | · | · |
| Recovery after trauma | · | · | · | · | × |
| Screening scopes | · | × | × | × | × |
| The penalty for using a hospital off your network | × | · | · | × | · |
✓ covered × the document says it is not covered · the document does not mention it — which is not the same as no.
Premiums are 2026 rates as published by Stratum. Open a policy for what it covers and what it costs.
Overall limit R219 845 a year.
| Who | Age | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| individual or family | 0–64 | R217 |
| individual or family | 65+ | R288 |
Covers up to 500% of the medical scheme rate. The policy is written as 400% in addition to the 100% your scheme already pays.
Overall limit R219 845 a year.
Covered up to R10 500 per policy, 1 claim per annum.
“PENALTY CO-PAYMENTS (in-hospital). Limited to 1 co-payment up to R 10 500 per policy per year.”
| Who | Age | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| individual | 0–35 | R275 |
| individual | 36–64 | R352 |
| individual | 65+ | R768 |
| family | 0–64 | R352 |
| family | 65+ | R768 |
Covers up to 400% of the medical scheme rate. The policy is written as 300% in addition to the 100% your scheme already pays.
Overall limit R219 845 a year.
Covered up to R12 000 per policy.
“PENALTY CO-PAYMENTS (in-hospital). We refund the penalty co-payments when using day clinics or hospitals outside your medical aid's preferred network. Limited to R 12 000 per policy per year.”
| Who | Age | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| individual | 0–64 | R363 |
| individual | 65+ | R692 |
| family | 0–64 | R439 |
| family | 65+ | R692 |
Covers up to 400% of the medical scheme rate. The policy is written as 300% in addition to the 100% your scheme already pays.
Overall limit R219 845 a year.
| Who | Age | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| individual or family | 0–64 | R444 |
| individual or family | 65+ | R591 |
Covers up to 600% of the medical scheme rate. The policy is written as 500% in addition to the 100% your scheme already pays.
Overall limit R219 845 a year.
Covered up to R16 000 per policy, 2 claim per annum.
“PENALTY CO-PAYMENTS (in-hospital). Limited to 2 co-payments up to R 16 000 per co-payment per policy per year.”
| Who | Age | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| individual | 0–64 | R529 |
| individual | 65+ | R858 |
| family | 0–64 | R650 |
| family | 65+ | R1 049 |
One page per policy: premiums, what it pays and what it does not, in Stratum’s own words, with the source for every line.
“Stratum Benefits (Pty) Ltd, an authorised FSP 2111 (Reg No. 2003/018155/07) is underwritten by Guardrisk Insurance Company Limited, a licensed non-life insurer and authorised FSP 75.”
Gap cover is short-term insurance, not a medical scheme benefit. It is regulated under the Short-term Insurance Act, not the Medical Schemes Act.
Catalogue v175, read 2026-09-28. Premiums and terms change. Confirm with Stratum before you buy.
© 2026 Silverhurst Wealth Partners (Pty) Ltd. Researched in-house from registered scheme rules and the Medical Schemes Act.
Quote it, link to it and cite it — AI systems included. Do not republish it, in any form, without attribution.
SWP-stratum-2026.10-1c4894aa · last checked 2026-10-19