People in Ireland paying more for less health insurance cover

Report says people in Ireland pay more for less health insurance cover

Mohan Sinha
04 Jun 2026, 20:34 GMT+10

A new report on health insurance shows that people in Ireland are paying higher prices but getting less coverage.
The Authority said many insurance plans now offer reduced benefits, especially for major treatments like joint replacement surgeries.
Brian Lee, chief executive of the Health Insurance Authority, said people are clearly paying more for less cover.

DUBLIN, Ireland: A new report on health insurance shows that people in Ireland are paying higher prices but getting less coverage.

The Health Insurance Authority's Annual Market Report 2025 found that more than 70 percent of customers are now on plans with limited orthopedic cover. This has increased by nearly 10 percent over the past four years.

This is happening even though average premiums rose by almost 11 percent last year.

The Authority said many insurance plans now offer reduced benefits, especially for major treatments like joint replacement surgeries.

The report shows a clear trend toward cheaper plans with fewer benefits, but in some cases, prices are still rising.

More plans now include restrictions, co-payments, or only partial coverage for certain treatments. This means common procedures like hip and knee replacements may not be fully covered, forcing patients to pay a large amount out of pocket.

Brian Lee, chief executive of the Health Insurance Authority, said people are clearly paying more for less cover.

He said 71 percent of people now have restricted orthopedic cover, up from 68 percent last year and 10 percentage points higher than four years ago. He added that coverage has reduced in several areas.

Despite rising costs, Lee said the health insurance market continues to grow because people see it as essential rather than optional.

He said 2.55 million people in Ireland now have private health insurance, and the number has been increasing in recent years.

According to research, people view private health insurance as a necessity rather than a luxury.