Irish Life Health customers will see an average 5.9% increase in premiums when their policies renew from April 1st, following a similar announcement from VHI earlier this month. The price hikes come as the cost of healthcare continues to rise, with insurers citing medical inflation and government levies as key drivers.
The increase from Irish Life Health follows a 5% rise implemented in January 2026, according to the company. Ann Marie Nestor, Managing Director of Irish Life Health, stated that the increases are a “consequence of continuing medical inflation and the Risk Equalisation levy charge announced by the Government.” She highlighted that the cost of medical care, medicines and treatments is increasing at a rate faster than general inflation.
Level Health has also announced price increases, with its “advanced” Plans B, C and D set to rise by €48 from April 3rd. The company attributed its increase directly to the Government’s health insurance levy.
The increases are part of a broader trend in the health insurance market. VHI’s prices rose by an average of 3% at the beginning of March, while Laya Healthcare is set to increase its premiums by an average of 4.7% in April. These increases are occurring regularly, with many providers now hiking prices twice annually in recent years.
According to the Health Insurance Authority, the average adult paid €1,886 for health insurance in the third quarter of 2025, an increase of €56 from the previous quarter. However, this figure predates the latest round of announced price increases.
Insurers are pointing to several factors contributing to the rising costs, including soaring private hospital claims, an ageing population, and the introduction of new, often expensive, drugs and technologies. Ms. Nestor noted that a typical cancer treatment session that cost around €3,000 five years ago now costs closer to €9,000 with the use of newer medicines.
Health insurance expert Dermot Goode anticipates that the next round of price increases will average between 3% and 5%. Insurers typically implement price changes early in the year, shortly after peak renewal time, and again in the autumn ahead of the majority of customer renewals.
