Laya Healthcare confirms second price hike in 12 months for Irish customers

Health insurance costs are going up again

For customers, that could mean an extra €30 to €70 a year for an individual, while a typical family could be paying about €140 more annually.

However, the 2.7% figure does not tell the whole story, as the increases vary significantly depending on the plan.

Health insurance broker Dermot Goode of healthinsuranceireland.ie has warned customers not to assume their own premium will only rise by the advertised average, with some policies expected to become around 9% more expensive, The Journal reports.

Not every Laya customer is facing a price hike

There are also some exceptions, with Inspire, Prosper and Optimum customers not facing a price increase in October.

Meanwhile, Laya’s cheapest policy, Assure Protect, is actually being reduced by 10%. The insurer is also bringing in young adult pricing across most of its plans.

Goode said the biggest impact will be felt by people paying for more comprehensive policies, particularly those which provide full cover for major orthopaedic procedures. These customers could see at least €75 added to the yearly cost per adult, while the popular Simply Connect Plus plan is due to rise by 8.5%, working out at roughly €250 extra per adult each year.

The latest increase follows another rise introduced by Laya in April, meaning some customers are now facing higher premiums for the second time this year.

The rise lands on households already watching the meters, with JOE reporting that electricity arrears in Ireland are at their highest ever level. JOE has also covered Katie Byrne’s fight for HSE funding for hip surgery.

The new prices take effect in October. As the Irish Independent reported, families face paying an extra €140 a year as a result of the latest hike.