Less than half of Irish people are covered by private health insurance, according to figures released today by the Health Insurance Authority (HIA).
53 per cent of those surveyed by the organisation, as part of a national survey of consumer attitudes to private health insurance, were not covered under schemes offered by VHI, BUPA or work-related health schemes.
This represents a rise of four per cent in private health cover in Ireland since the last extensive survey of the market, conducted by the ERSI in 1999.
Of those 47 per cent surveyed by the HIA who held private health insurance, 82 per cent were customers of the VHI Healthcare, 13 per cent were with BUPA Ireland and the remaining 5 per cent with other smaller insurers (schemes operated by the likes of the Gardai and ESB).
Over half of those (55 per cent) with private health insurance had made a claim for themselves or their dependants. The average cost of premiums for cover is Eur 768.
Responding to the figures this afternoon, HIA Chairman Professor Alastair Wood stated that there existed a "consumer knowledge deficit" on the part of consumers with regard to what was on offer in the private health insurance market.
"Consumers do not appear to know enough about their options to benefit from a fully working open market. Greater information about coverage and costs of products would empower consumers and faciliate the freer operation of a competitive market."
Prof Wood added that consumer behaviour with regard to private health insurance remains highly conservative, with many people familiarising themselves with their insurance options only when they make a claim.
The survey was conducted as part of the HIA's brief to monitor developments in health insurance in Ireland. Established in 2001, the Health Insurance Authority is the independent regulatory body for private health insurance in Ireland.