Vivas complains of State role in VHI

THE latest entrant to the health insurance market, Vivas health, has complained to the European Commission that the State is protecting the VHI from real competition.

Vivas is claiming that the State-owned VHI has an unfair advantage over its competitors because it does not have to comply with the same regulatory requirements.

In particular, the VHI was able to "tie in" customers by offering deals on non-health insurance products, a practice denied other insurers who operate under licence from IFSRA.