50 per cent of adults in Ireland have health insurance

According to recent reports published by the Health Insurance Authority, as many as 50 per cent of all adults in Ireland have a private health insurance policy.

The Irish health insurance market has been in turmoil for several years, prompting UK health insurance company BUPA to withdraw from the market last year. The concerns centre on a risk equalisation law that leaves one health insurance company dominating the marketplace. Several lawsuits relating to the industry are in progress.

The HIA study found that consumers rate health insurance as the second most important employment benefit, behind a pension scheme. Employers agreed, with some 84% saying the private medical insurance was a major benefit for employees.