If you are switching from a restricted membership insurer, the time spent with your current insurer will be taken into consideration when you switch to an open membership insurer. You can buy health insurance when you become ordinarily resident in the Republic of Ireland. The health insurance system in Ireland adopts what is called Lifetime Community Rating. However, if you buy health insurance for the first time when you are 45, you will have to pay a Lifetime Community Rating of 22% (11 years x 2%). Lifetime Community Rating is a system where the older you are when you first buy health insurance, the more expensive it will be. If you get a referral from your GP, you will need to decide whether you want to be treated as a public patient or a private patient.

What can I claim for under outpatient benefits?

The health insurance system in Ireland is called Lifetime Community Rating. In some cases, your insurer may allow you to switch contracts during the term of your 12-month contract. The cost of the policy must be the same regardless of your age, except in the case where children and young adults may be entitled to discounts. However, if you are aged you may get a young adult rate on certain policies.
For example, if you paid €60 for a GP visit and you already got €20 from your health insurance, you can claim tax relief on the remaining €40. This means you will need to claim medical insurance tax relief from Revenue. If your employer pays for your health insurance as a benefit-in-kind, you will be taxed on the gross value of your policy.
The credits and levy are administered by the insurers and the Risk Equalisation Fund. It is important to speak with the insurer directly before you buy a policy to understand how any part of the policy may be discounted. In most cases the price on our comparison tool does not include a discount. Some insurers automatically include this discount in their prices. An insurer can offer a group discount of up to 10% on any policy to a group of people.

Step 3: See Your Current Plan

Depending on your policy, you may also get some cover for outpatient consultant services, but you may have to pay an excess. Depending on your policy, you may get cover for a semi-private or a private room. Your outpatient benefits depend on your level of cover. If you have a break in health insurance cover of more than 13 weeks, you may have to serve new customer waiting periods again.
When you are admitted to the hospital, the hospital may ask you to sign a public hospital waiver form. As of April 2023, if you are admitted to a public hospital as a public patient, there is no charge for treatment. However, this is subject to availability in the hospital. If you are not covered by your insurance, you may have to pay for the treatment yourself. If you are aged 35 or above, a Lifetime Community Rating loading may also be added to the cost of your policy.

• However, some policies have limited cover or cover only a semi-private room.
• For example, if you are 45 years old and you have had health insurance since you were 28, you will pay the same amount as someone aged 28 or aged 75 with the same health insurance policy.
• If you sign this form, you will be treated as a private patient.
• An insurer can offer a group discount of up to 10% on any policy to a group of people.
• As of April 2023, if you are admitted to a public hospital as a public patient, there is no charge for treatment.
• However, you may have to serve waiting periods when you first buy health insurance or when you move to a policy with higher benefits.
• This helps us understand the amount of cover you want and what your budget is.

Level Health New Plans – 1 December 2025

If you want to have cover for private care for orthopaedic or ophthalmic treatments, you may want to consider paying more for a policy with these benefits. You can compare health insurance policies for free by using our comparison tool, or you can contact us for impartial information. Compare plans from Irish Life Health, Laya Healthcare, Level Health, and Vhi Healthcare using our free comparison tool to find a plan that fits your health needs and budget. You may have to serve a waiting period before you have cover for maternity benefits. Health insurance cash plans are not subject to Lifetime Community Rating loadings.

• You may have to serve a waiting period before you have cover for maternity benefits.
• If you have health insurance, you can claim tax relief on the portion of your medical costs not covered by your insurer.
• Most health insurance policies cover the cost of consultant services provided during a stay in hospital.
• Any person who is ordinarily resident in the Republic of Ireland can buy health insurance regardless of age, gender, health status or medical history.
• We regulate for a well-functioning market and provide consumers with information and tools to make informed choices.
• Interested in health insurance?

Some cash plans also provide personal accident cover. Some cash plans provide money back for outpatient expenses such as GP visits or physiotherapy. Health insurance cash plans provide fixed amounts of money for a range of medical events. If you have a complaint about your insurer or your health insurance policy, you should first speak directly to your insurer. To find a policy with fertility cover, use our free comparison tool. This means that everyone who buys a particular health insurance policy pays the same amount regardless of age, gender or medical history.

Public health services

Your policy may also include a home birth grant of €2,000-€5,000. A semi-private room costs up to €813 per night, and a private room costs up to €1,000 per night. For more information about the Maternity and Infant Care Scheme and what it covers, go to the Citizens Information Board website. If you are pregnant and you are ordinarily resident in Ireland, you are entitled to free maternity care under the Maternity and Infant Care Scheme. Private patients are charged €659-€813 per night for a semi-private room, and €800-€1000 per lucknation casino no deposit bonus night for a private room in addition to consultant fees. If you sign this form, you will be treated as a private patient.

How much could I benefit from private health insurance?

It is not possible to purchase health insurance through the HIA, so please exercise caution when sharing information online. Buying or renewing health insurance soon?
When we know enough about what you’re looking for, you will be shown the most suitable plans for you based on your answers. Next, the tool will ask you to choose between the different levels of cover for each of your preferred coverage areas, with reference to the potential cost. In order to do this, you will be asked to rank nine different health insurance coverage areas from most to least important to you.

Step 4: Filter Your Options

Foreign health insurance is not always taken into account when calculating your waiting periods. Contact your insurer directly to find out more about switching policies mid-contract. If you switch insurers mid-contract, you may be charged a cancellation fee. All insurers must provide a 14-day cooling-off period from the renewal date. You can switch insurer or policy at your next renewal date.
You must keep copies of your receipts to claim back this tax relief. You don’t need to claim the tax relief from Revenue. This means that the tax relief is automatically given as a discount on the cost of your policy.
You might have to serve waiting periods if you move to a policy with higher benefits. This means that everyone who buys a particular health insurance policy pays the same amount regardless of age, gender, health status or medical history. You can have a medical card and private health insurance at the same time.
However, the insurer may waive the waiting period at their discretion. For more information, go to upgrade waiting periods. For example, you might be able to move from one Laya Healthcare policy to a different Laya Healthcare policy.