Furious VHI members jam call centres

THOUSANDS of angry and concerned VHI members jammed the call centres of health insurance companies and the Health Insurance Authority as they sought information on how to avoid price increases of 15%-45% announced by the VHI on Thursday.

There was widespread consumer reaction to the massive price increases which will see some families pay over €1,000 extra per annum for private health insurance with the VHI.

VHI chief executive Jimmy Tolan had admitted that the insurer expects to lose some more customers as a result of the price hikes which take effect from February 1 on top of the 47,000 who quit the VHI last year. However, he has declined to reveal the VHI’s estimates about the potential loss of its customer base.