VHI clients with expatriate cover make claims totalling €6.6m

An ever increasing number of Irish emigrants, who take out special expatriate health insurance with VHI, made a record €6.6m in claims last year.

One quarter of these expats, or 400 people, chose to return home rather than stay overseas for treatment.

The most expensive claims were when babies were born prematurely in the US. Two such births cost customers €760,000 and €580,000. Another €375,000 was paid out for treatment of cancer.