VHI cut family charges by 50%
VHI is the largest company in the market, with just over 55% of people claiming to have a policy with the provider.
However, a survey recently published by the Health Insurance Authority shows that its current market share is down from 58% in 2011.
It also has a high proportion of older members who are more likely to make a claim.
The offer that applies to 61 VHI plans until October 31 means that a family of two adults and two children can save €268, while a family of two adults, one child and one student can save €413.
VHI director of marketing and business development Declan Moran said that the savings would apply to the majority of their plans.
“Families are still under ongoing financial pressures and what they want is the reassurance that a good quality health insurance policy brings but at a price that works for their budget,” said Mr Moran.
There are just over 2m people in Ireland with private health insurance cover.
The Health Insurance Authority reported a 4,000 increase in the number of insured people at the end of last year, the first increase since the end of 2010. Over the year, however, 47,000 people had relinquished their cover.
The authority’s latest market survey found that two out of three people who gave up their insurance cover last year did so because it was either too expensive or they could not afford it.
For those who never had private health insurance, cost again was the main barrier, although almost 30% cited access to a medical card as a reason.
