21,000 people cancelled private health insurance

THE number of people with private health insurance fell by 21,000 in the first six months of the year amid the backdrop of recession and insurance premium hikes.

Hospital consultants predict the number of policies being cancelled could reach 56,000 by year’s end as pressure on household income grows.

New figures have shown that 2,278,000 people had private health insurance at the end of June, equating to 51.5% of the population. This compared with 2,299,000 people who had insurance at the end of December 2008, which equated to 52% coverage.