Price hike of up to €600 could be added to average health insurance premium

€600 could be added to the average health insurance premium for a family of four.

The price hike is likely to follow the scrapping of tax relief for policy payments.

The move has been recommended by one of the Dáil's committees.

Dermot Goode is an insurance expert with 'total health cover.ie': "If this tax relief is removed now, every person will lose €200 tax relief

"For a retired couple that is €400, it might sound like small money but for older people who need top quality cover and who are probably using their cover, that €400 is a huge amount of money."