BUPA price hike 'less than rise in cost of hospital beds'

BUPA Ireland says its latest price rise is just slightly less than this month's 10% increase in the cost of private beds in public hospitals.

The average increase applying to BUPA health insurance policies renewed on or after March 1 is 9.5%, but its most basic policy will only increase by 6%.

BUPA, which has almost 450,000 members, said it wanted to keep health insurance affordable for as many consumers as possible.