Health insurance has overtaken electricity as the main household cost concern in the latest quarterly survey of more than 1,000 Australians by CHOICE, the leading consumer advocacy group in Australia. This is the first time health insurance costs is the topmost concern for households since the survey began in 2014.

CHOICE found 82% of Australian households are now concerned about the cost of private health insurance, compared to 77% who are concerned about electricity.

With the health insurance industry set to undergo the biggest change in decades as new Gold, Silver and Bronze tiers are introduced from 1 April, it's not surprising that the subject is creating concern for Australians, said CHOICE.

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Until the new system is in place, it's impossible to get a clear picture of what options will be available to people seeking private health insurance, but that's not stopping some comparison services from offering advice.

CHOICE spokesperson, Jonathan Brown, said, "It's frankly dishonest for anyone to say they can provide a true comparison of the health insurance market right now. New policies will be released over the coming weeks and months that will change in coverage and price. Until we have all the facts about the quality of cover in the market, no one can tell you what the best value for money policy will be for your needs."

He added, "Watch out for the commercial comparison sites – they're pushing sales calls onto a stressed and confused community and right now they're providing recommendations about a market that's changing rapidly. What's a good deal today, may be a terrible deal in a few weeks as cover and costs change."

"With the help of our supporters, our experts will be digging into the detail and sharing what we find. Our advice is that people in most circumstances should wait until after 1 April before making any big changes to their health insurance," he said.