Caitríona Redmond: How to renew health insurance to get the best-value plan for your needs

Renewing your health insurance can be complicated, but there is good news for those who want to switch and save

Caitríona Redmond: 'My best advice before purchasing or renewing health insurance is to write down a list of your healthcare needs. A couple in their 60s is unlikely to require maternity or fertility services, whereas a couple in their 30s may.'

I recently received a message from a reader who was looking for advice on renewing her health insurance.

They explained it was shortly due for renewal and as they and their spouse have specific health needs, they were wondering if there were any suitable alternatives or plans that may offer more benefits.

While I’m not able to answer individual questions on health insurance, I can certainly give some advice about the switching process.

According to the most recent Health Insurance Authority (HIA) statistics, there were 334 inpatient plans available to consumers at the end of Q3 2025 — that’s six fewer than this time last year.

The plans are offered by VHI Healthcare, Laya Healthcare, Irish Life Health, and Level Health, with a small number of private membership schemes bringing up the rear.

The HIA is the State body that regulates the private health insurance market in Ireland. The responsibility for the number of plans on the market lies with the private health insurers themselves.

Some of the plans are historic, and others meet a rising demand or have been offered to members of specific organisations through business schemes.

Some people may ask if they really even need health insurance. Apart from the Outpatient/A&E emergency charge of €100 if you attend without being referred by GP and aren’t a medical card holder, inpatient care and day service care charges have been abolished since April 17, 2023.

Health insurance only kicks in if a patient opts for private services in a public hospital or a private hospital. If you’re prepared to stay in a public hospital on a public ward, there should be no need to activate a private health insurance claim.

If you want to see a consultant privately, you will also have to pay, although most policies do offer some form of rebate on those fees. Consumers who have private health insurance can also receive rebates or cashback on a wide range of private services such as physiotherapy, certain medical devices etc.

This varies across insurers and plans, which can make the benefits of each health insurance plan more confusing.

This time last year, I highlighted the poor switching tool on the HIA website, which I found frustrating and difficult to use.

At the time, the authority informed me they were working on a new evidence-based comparison tool.

I’m delighted to say there is a new comparison tool on the HIA website which made comparing insurance plans easy. I was able to compare from both a benefits and a differences point of view.

The plan options run across the top of the screen, with a clear price per person on an annual or monthly basis, plus I can set the start date and express any other preferences when searching for my options.

When it comes to switching, consumers are immediately covered with waiting times being waived and providing they switch on a like-for-like basis, there will be no difference in service. Waiting times occur when consumers opt to increase their insurance level or take out health insurance for the first time.

As I mentioned, I can’t give individual advice; every family’s needs are different and what works for my family may not work for another. I think that’s why health insurance is incredibly confusing. Health insurers have told me in the past it’s more complicated than other annual policies such as car or home insurance.

'Ideally, you end up only paying for the services you need, and not for a policy that has a multitude of useless benefits. In that case, signing up to an unusable high-cover health insurance plan results in paying into a pot that will benefit other policyholders but not yourself.'

My best advice before purchasing or renewing health insurance is to write down a list of your healthcare needs.

A couple in their 60s is unlikely to require maternity or fertility services, whereas a couple in their 30s may.

Some pre-existing medical conditions mean patients can only be treated in a public hospital, regardless of the treatment, and this may drive down the cost of a health insurance policy.

In that case, there should be no need to pay for a policy that offers care in a high-tech private hospital because you, as the patient, can never be treated there.

Ideally, you end up only paying for the services you need, and not for a policy that has a multitude of useless benefits. In that case, signing up to an unusable high-cover health insurance plan results in paying into a pot that will benefit other policyholders but not yourself.

Don’t forget that those under eight and over 70 years of age automatically qualify for the GP visit card, and those in receipt of carers' payments do too.

The income thresholds are generous, and consider mortgage/rent payments, travel to work, and childcare costs. Families who are registered with the drugs payment scheme have their prescription costs capped at €80 per month.

I like to say I’m handy around technology, but even at that, renewing my health insurance continues to be challenging.

Thankfully, the HIA does have a telephone helpline and will answer questions on [phone], and I think if anybody is confused, it may be worth giving them a call and speaking to a human, rather than struggling with online systems.

• To use the new health insurance comparison tool, visit hia.ie

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