Policy-price increases from all health insurance providers have either just kicked in or are due to in the coming weeks.
At the start of this month, VHI's prices rose by an average of 3%, while in April similar average hikes from Laya ,of 4.7%, and Irish Life Health, of 5.9%,will take effect.
The newest entrant in the market, Level Health, is also raising prices but said the €48 increase on its main policies is directly due to the Government's health insurance levy.
In recent times, such increases across the board have become a regular fixture - with most providers hiking prices twice annually in the past few years.
The main reason cited by insurers each time is what is described as the continuing rise in the cost of delivering healthcare, with a particular emphasis on soaring private hospital claims.
Higher prices are also attributed to medical inflation, an ageing population, and the introduction of new drugs and technologies.
But the trend of multi-annual increases for policy holders is leading many to question how high policy prices can go and whether the costs are sustainable.
The most recent figures from the Health Insurance Authority showed that in the third quarter of 2025 the average adult paid €1,886 for health insurance, which was up €56 on the previous quarter.
However, since then providers have continued to announce more price increases.
Regular increases becoming the norm
For the last three or four years, companies have put up policy prices early in the year - just after peak renewal time.
The price then moves again in the autumn ahead of when the majority of customers renew their policies.
That is the clear trend that has become baked in.
And following price hikes this spring, Dermot Goode from Healthinsuranceireland.ie is predicting more rate rises again in October.
The health insurance expert expects the next increases to average out at between 3% and 5%, adding that "right now it looks like there's no end in sight".
Mr Goode noted that "insurers are blaming ongoing increases on private hospitals claims but there is nothing to suggest they have a handle on this and there is no information from them on cost containment measures".
He said general medical inflation "is running at between 8% and 10%, but the cumulative increases being faced by some customers is up to 15%".
"While people on older plans need to review them because they could end up paying 25% more when they renew their policy," he added.
All this means the average increases announced by insurers can be misleading, with some policies going up by considerably more than the average figures listed.
One small positive in all of this is that insurers know affordability is an increasing issue and they are responding with new plans that offer more affordable cover.
But such plans are not a suitable option for many.
Should insurers be providing more details on the reasons for policy hikes?
With sustained price increases in the market, Mr Goode said the onus is on health insurance providers to give "much more information on the cost drivers".
For example, Irish Life Health has already announced two increases this year - 5% from January and 5.9% for April.
"Any reasonable person will ask what changed in those three months ... has something fundamentally changed in costs incurred," Mr Goode said, adding "customers deserve that information".
Additional detail companies could provide in justifying price rises might include whether claims among a particular age category are soaring and if there are any specific hospitals that are adding significantly to costs.
There are a finite number of beds in the private healthcare system and such data should be available.
Mr Goode said "insurers used to give out these specifics and they need to do this now when consumers are taking such a financial hit".
The Health Insurance Authority has these statistics available to it, he said, and it "should be publishing such data for transparency and then we can start asking if they back up the higher prices insurers are charging".
Emerging trend of cover reducing as prices increase
Around 15 years ago there would have been a 20% shortfall on some treatments covered under a policy, but Dermot Goode said "this is common on pretty much every plan now in the market".
However, in analysing the more recent policy-price increaes he has noticed an "unprecedented change".
Previously, in order to reduce their exposure, insurers would either have cut benefits or raised prices.
But Mr Goode noted that with Laya Healthcare "from 30 April odd plans with a 20% shortfall will see those shortfalls increase to 40% on knee replacements".
He said the previous shortfall of 20% "would have left policyholders on the hook for around €3,000 for some procedures, but with the changes they'll now be on the hook for double that amount".
He said many people look a the higher premium and "mistakenly assume that if prices go up their benefits stay the same".
However he added they do not read the small print, this will be a shock to a lot of Laya's members."
According to analysis by Healthinsuranceireland.ie, right now Laya's 'Prosper Advanced' plan has full cover for hip, knee and shoulder replacements.
However, from the beginning of April the shortfall for customers renewing this particular plan will go from 0% to 40%.
Mr Goode said he "can’t remember a plan that ever went from 0% to 40% ... that’s going to be a real shock".
"Every member is on that plan because they want full cover," he said, adding "they now need to be very careful or they will find themselves underinsured".
But he said Laya Healthcare is not alone in "asking customers to pay more for less cover", noting other providers are also increasing shortfalls on certain procedures, as well as removing cover for some private hospitals.
Dermot Goode also warns that "even if you have the money and want to roll over cover on your current plan, you have to check to make sure your benefits haven't reduced".
If a customer has already renewed, these changes will not impact them until their next renewal.
How to know if you're overpaying for health insurance
If you have not changed your plan for a long time and if it costs upwards of €2,000, then you are likely paying more than you need to for health insurance.
And the longer you have been on that same plan, the amount you are overpaying is probably much higher.
With the changes to both policy costs and benefits, many people will have no choice but to shop around for cover that is more affordable, but that is getting a lot harder.
The advice for consumers is to not simply accept price increases at renewal time and to challenge their insurer to find them a different plan with similar cover that is cheaper.
Providers will help with this research.
The Health Insurance Authority also notes policyholders can switch to any plan at renewal, with no penalty or loss of cover for existing conditions.
The HIA also said newer plans can sometimes offer better value than older ones, adding that reviewing your cover annually is one of the most effective ways to make sure your plan still meets your needs.
Despite all of the policy price increases, the number of people paying for private health insurance is remarkably still growing.
Between July and September last year, there were over 2.54 million people - nearly half of the population - with a policy.
This represents an increase of more than 13,000 on the previous quarter.
However, it is questionable how long that trend can continue given the rate of health insurance price hikes and indeed the sustained rise in the cost of living across the board.
