Written answers
Wednesday, 12 November 2025
Department of Health
Insurance Coverage
Martin Daly (Roscommon-Galway, Fianna Fail)
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909. To ask the Minister for Health the number of persons availing of private health insurance by age group (details supplied). [60904/25]
Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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The figures provided represent the most recent data available, covering the period from July 2024 to June 2025. These statistics were compiled by the Health Insurance Authority and reflect the distribution of insured persons across the relevant age groups.
| Age Group | Number of Insured Persons |
|---|---|
| ≤17 years | 533,484 |
| 18-29 years | 304,500 |
| 30-39 years | 316,680 |
| 40-49 years | 382,452 |
| 50-59 years | 331,296 |
| 60-69 years | 272,832 |
| 70-79 years | 199,752 |
| ≤80 years | 95,004 |
| Total | 2,436,000 |
John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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910. To ask the Minister for Health the plans to review the need for lifetime community rating on private health insurance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [60905/25]
Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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Ireland has a voluntary private health insurance market, which operates under the principles of community rating (including lifetime community rating), open enrolment, lifetime cover and minimum benefits. The purpose of Community Rating is to ensure that everyone in Ireland can buy the same insurance policy for the same price, regardless of their age or status. Older or less healthy people pay the same price as younger and healthier people.
Lifetime Community Rating was introduced in 2015 to encourage people to join the health insurance market at a younger age. Younger people tend to claim less and a balance between younger and healthier people and older and sicker people contributes to the sustainability of the community rated private health insurance market overall.
Under Lifetime Community Rating, loadings of 2% per annum apply to those who are entering the health insurance market for the first time at age 35 or older, up to a maximum loading of 70% for ages 69 or older. In circumstances where loadings do apply, previous periods of inpatient insurance cover are taken into account and can reduce the level of loading applied to a premium. It is important to note that any loading will apply for a maximum period of 10 years.
The Minister for Health has no current plans to review the need for Lifetime Community Rating in private health insurance.
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