Irish Life Health to raise premiums by 5% from January 2026

Health insurance customers will see an increase in their premiums if their renewal is due from January 1

Irish Life Health has announced an average 5% premium hike from the start of next year.

Health insurance customers will see an increase in their premiums if their renewal is due from January 1, 2026, while new customers will also face higher rates from the same date.

The announcement comes after the company already raised premiums in January, April and October, and follows a string of price increases from competitors including VHI and Laya.

In a statement, Irish Life Health blamed rising healthcare delivery costs.

Its managing director Ann Marie Nestor said: “People today benefit from more advanced and innovative treatment options, much of which is delivered in specialised settings.

“The essential improvements we are seeing in our healthcare settings mean that people are getting access to better and quicker treatment. This is very positive in terms of the standard of care our customers receive, but these improvements do, in turn, affect premium prices.

“I am acutely aware this comes at a difficult time for many households and it’s important to us that we offer a broad range of plans to meet different needs and budgets.” 

From January 1, 2026, undiscounted rates for the MyPlan 350 will cost €1,145.30 for an adult and €208 for a child. For a family with two adults and two children, the cost will be €2,706.60.

This 5% hike follows a 3% increase that took effect on October 1.