Health insurers have claimed Health Minister James Reilly’s reform plans will “force” them to impose new 20-40% premium cover price hikes onto already cash-strapped customers.

Consumers with the most basic levels of private health insurance face further reductions in cover if they are to avoid the knock-on effect of an imminent €65 hike in the government health levy.

Senior figures in the country’s largest health insurers yesterday demanded action to stop younger, healthier people fleeing the market, leading to a “vicious circle” of rising premiums.

A battle for customers is looming in the private health insurance market following the arrival of a fourth insurance provider.

With an estimated 6,000 people quitting private health insurance every month as they struggle to keep up payments, the timing of a new arrival in the Irish market is questionable.

Health insurer GloHealth will create 150 jobs within three to four years as the business expands, with 45 of these positions already filled, the company said today.

A significant jobs announcement will be made later by a new health insurer coming into the market.

CONSUMERS must ‘start looking twice’ at their health insurance premiums from now on to get the best value for money.

AVIVA are to sponsor Irish schools athletics for the next three years.

IRISH workers are facing a pension deficit of over €20 billion a year, a pan-European survey has established.

Irish workers need to bank an extra €9,100 a year to financially survive retirement, a report on the pensions timebomb said today.

HOMEOWNERS could face premium hikes after insurance companies announced record pay-outs due to the devastating impact of floods and freezing temperatures last winter.

AVIVA Ireland said it is satisfied with the rate at which premiums are set and said it is not concerned with cost-cutting measures.

The Government is insisting health insurance premiums won't be pushed up as a result of its plan to privatise VHI.

The chief executive of Aviva Ireland says he has seen a surge in people taking out health insurance with the company in the wake of the Quinn saga.

THE country’s largest private health insurance provider has warned that older customers will end up paying more for their healthcare unless a new “robust mechanism” is introduced to overhaul the health insurance sector.

The European Commission has referred Ireland to the European Court of Justice over the exemption of the VHI from certain EU rules on non-life insurance.

The EU Commission has approved Ireland's scheme of levies and tax relief in the health insurance sector, primarily aimed at making health insurance affordable for older people by decreasing the risk differentials for health insurers between old and young customers.

Families can save up to 20% on their health insurance bills by shopping around, it was claimed today.