VHI has announced it will increase premiums by an average of 3%, with the changes taking effect from March 1st.
The health insurer said the rising cost of providing healthcare continues to drive increases, noting that private hospital claims costs grew by around 13% last year, reports Breaking News.
As the Irish Examiner reports, VHI’s AdvancedCare Day to Day plan for two adults and two children will rise by over €35 per month, reaching €6,946.57.
Meanwhile, the PMI 35 13 plan for a family of four will increase by more than €16 per month to €4,852.44, reports Breaking News.
VHI confirmed that its PublicPlusCare plans will remain unaffected by the increase.
The State-owned insurer said the rise was necessary to meet members’ healthcare needs amid growing demand and rising costs of essential services, reports Breaking News.
This marks the third price increase in the past year, following 3% rises in March 2025 and August 2025.
In 2025, private hospital claims costs increased by roughly 13%, while the volume of claims rose by about 8% compared with 2024, the company said, reports Breaking News.
VHI said the growth reflects sustained demand and higher care costs, driven by medical inflation, an ageing population, and the adoption of new drugs, procedures and technologies.
Aaron Keogh, managing director of VHI Insurance, said: “Whilst the biggest contributors to overall claims costs continue to be cancer care, orthopaedic treatments, cardiac care, digestive conditions and psychiatric care, our members have access to healthcare in more ways than ever before, not only in hospitals but also through day care and ambulatory settings,” reports Breaking News.
He added: “The rising demand for healthcare and the increasing cost of delivering it mean that we must adjust our pricing accordingly. We recognise 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,” reports Breaking News.
VHI, the State’s largest health insurer, returned to profit in 2024, posting a net surplus of €36 million despite higher claims payouts and increased premiums.
As part of a pilot project, BreakingNews.ie used AI to suggest headline options for this article, with the final headline chosen and edited by BreakingNews.ie journalists, reports Breaking News.
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