Vhi is increasing the price of its health insurance policies by an average of 3% from the beginning of March.
It is estimated the price rise will add around €35 to €160 to the annual cost per adult depending on the plan, while for a family the increase could range from €80 to €270 per year (from the mid level plans or higher).
This will be the provider's third price increase in a year, after it hiked policy costs by 3% last October, and by 3% again in March 2025.
Vhi is the largest health insurance company in Ireland, with around 1.2 million customers - roughly half of the entire market.
New and existing customers who take out or renew a policy with Vhi from 1 March will have to pay the increase from then.
Vhi said the price increase is "necessary to ensure that we continue to meet the healthcare needs of our members".
The company said the cost of delivering healthcare continues to rise and that last year it saw private-hospital claims costs rise by around 13% and the volume of private-hospital claims go up by roughly 8% compared to 2024.
It added that "increasing costs across the healthcare sector both in Ireland and internationally are being driven by factors such as medical inflation, an ageing population, and the introduction of new drugs, technologies, and procedures".
"We have seen an increase in the number of members accessing healthcare and this increased demand contributes to higher healthcare costs," it added.
Vhi's Managing Director Aaron Keogh said the provider recognises "that health insurance is a significant financial outlay for our members, so we will continue to provide a range of plans at different price points to suit differing needs and budgets".
"As always, consumes need to be wary of these average figures quoted as the actual increase could be significantly higher depending on the plan held", Dermot Goode, from Health Insurance Ireland, said.
"Thankfully, many consumers will have already renewed their cover in January and February and will miss this latest price hike. However, for those renewing from March onwards they are facing two increases from Vhi (this latest increase and the price change from last October)."
"Level Health have already announced they will be increasing their rates from 2 February and if Laya Healthcare follow previous trends, we can expect them to increase their rates from April although this has yet to be confirmed," Mr Goode said.
"For consumers, the message is simple; never renew your cover without first engaging with your existing insurer to see if they have similar cover available that matches your maximum budget," he advised.
"Don't be afraid to shop around as all insurers will give you full credit for previous membership held which means there will be no break in cover. If in doubt, get independent advice on the best options to suit your needs," he added.
