You can switch health insurer or plan at your renewal date. Waiting periods you have already served do not start again if the new plan has the same or lower cover and your break in cover is no more than 13 weeks (Health Insurance Authority, HIA). Moving to higher benefits can bring new waiting periods: up to 2 years, or 52 weeks for maternity.
How few people switch
The HIA's 2025 consumer survey of over 2,000 adults, published on 24 March 2026, found:
- 70% of consumers have never switched insurer or plan.
- Only 4% switched insurer in the past year, and 15% switched plan with the same insurer.
- 82% did not shop around in the past 12 months.
- People said they would typically need a saving of around 20% to consider switching.
This is despite rising prices. Average premiums rose 10.6% across plans in 2025, the HIA's market report says. Commenting on the Q2 2026 figures, the HIA's chief executive said "significant price differences can exist for similar levels of cover."
When you can switch
Health insurance policies are generally 12-month contracts. The HIA's rules on timing:
- At renewal. You can switch insurer or plan at your next renewal date.
- Cooling-off. All insurers must give a 14-day cooling-off period from the renewal date. In those 14 days you can cancel and get a full refund.
- Mid-contract. If you leave for another insurer mid-contract, you may be charged a cancellation fee. Citizens Information says a fee may also apply if you switch plans during the 12-month term. Some insurers let you move between their own plans mid-contract, so ask.
The insurers are not identical on cancellation terms. The HIA sets out each insurer's current practice on its cancelling and switching page, so read it and your own policy terms before you act.
The HIA lists four open membership insurers that sell inpatient cover: Irish Life Health, Laya Healthcare, Level Health and Vhi Healthcare. Our pages on Vhi and Irish Life Health and on Aviva, which the HIA register shows behind the Level Health brand, have more on each company.
Waiting periods that do not restart
New customers can face these maximum waiting periods: none for accidents and injuries, 26 weeks for illnesses that start after you join, 5 years for pre-existing conditions and 52 weeks for maternity.
Once you have served them, you do not serve them again when you switch, as long as you do not have a break in cover of more than 13 weeks. The HIA says:
- Part-way through a waiting period. Time already served counts. In the HIA's example, if you have served two years of a five-year wait for a pre-existing condition, you have three years left with the new insurer or plan.
- Pre-existing conditions. If you have finished your new customer waiting periods, you are covered immediately for a pre-existing condition on a plan with the same cover.
- Same cover, lower price. In the HIA's example, Marie found a plan with the same benefits from another insurer for a lower price. She had no waiting periods.
- From a company plan. Alex had cover through an employer for six years, then bought a plan with the same level of cover. Alex had no waiting periods, the HIA says.
- Restricted schemes. Time with a restricted membership insurer, such as Garda Medical Aid, counts when you move to an open membership insurer.
Moving to a plan with lower cover brings no waiting periods, unless you are still serving new customer ones.
Upgrade waiting periods
If the new plan has higher cover, insurers can apply these maximum waiting periods to any higher benefit:
| Benefit | Maximum upgrade waiting period |
|---|---|
| Any higher benefit | 2 years |
| Maternity benefits | 52 weeks |
While you wait, you keep the level of cover of your old plan. Insurers do not always apply the maximum, the HIA says, so ask the insurer what applies to you.
The HIA's example shows how this works. Patrick has had cover for five years and was diagnosed with diabetes two years ago. His old plan had a €300 inpatient excess and his new plan has a €100 excess, so the new plan is higher cover. Because he had symptoms in the six months before he switched, his diabetes is a pre-existing condition. For two years, a hospital stay for his diabetes carries the old €300 excess. After that it drops to €100.
Your loading moves with you
Switching does not change a lifetime community rating loading, unless you have a break in cover of more than 13 weeks. If you are paying one, you pay the rest with the new insurer.
You may be asked for proof of earlier cover. Ask your previous insurer for a confirmation of cover letter. Our guide to lifetime community rating explains the rules.
What to compare
The HIA's free comparison tool at hia.ie lets you compare all the plans on the market. Price is only one line. Check:
- Hospitals and rooms. Which public, private and high-tech hospitals are covered, and whether it is a semi-private or private room.
- Excesses and shortfalls. The inpatient excess you pay per stay, and any shortfall charged per night.
- Major procedures. The HIA's 2025 market report found more than 70% of people are on plans with restricted orthopaedic cover. Hip and knee replacements may not be fully covered.
- Outpatient cover. The annual limit, the outpatient excess and how much you get back per visit.
- Maternity. Higher maternity cover carries a 52-week wait, so check timing if you are planning a family.
- Changes at renewal. The HIA warns your current plan's benefits and price may have changed significantly at renewal.
- Discounts. Group schemes can cut the price by up to 10%, and people aged 18 to 25 may get a young adult rate.
Our guide to the cost of health insurance explains the average premium and tax relief.
When switching may not be worth it
The HIA's rules point to some cases where a switch can cost you more than it saves:
- Mid-contract. A cancellation fee may apply. The fee includes Stamp Duty, the health insurance levy, which cannot be refunded under Revenue rules. If you then buy a new contract, you may pay Stamp Duty twice in the same 12 months, the HIA says.
- Upgrading for a condition you already have. As in Patrick's example, the higher benefit for that condition may not apply for up to 2 years.
- A cheaper plan with less cover. The HIA's 2025 market report found a shift towards plans with reduced benefits. A lower price may mean co-payments or partial cover for some treatments.
- A gap of more than 13 weeks. You may have to serve new customer waiting periods again, and at 35 or over a loading may be added.
Steps to switch
- Note your renewal date and read your renewal terms.
- Compare plans with similar cover on the HIA comparison tool. You apply directly to the insurer you want to join, Citizens Information says.
- Ask the new insurer which waiting periods, if any, would apply to you.
- Get a confirmation of cover letter from your current insurer.
- Start the new policy so the gap in cover is no more than 13 weeks, and use the 14-day cooling-off period if you change your mind.
For an overview of cover, see our health insurance guide.
Sources
- Health Insurance Authority: Cancelling and switching (accessed 9 November 2026)
- Health Insurance Authority: Waiting periods (accessed 9 November 2026)
- Health Insurance Authority: Health Insurance Waiting Periods guide (accessed 9 November 2026)
- Health Insurance Authority: Choosing a Health Insurance Policy (accessed 9 November 2026)
- Health Insurance Authority: FAQ (accessed 9 November 2026)
- Health Insurance Authority: Lifetime community rating (LCR) (accessed 9 November 2026)
- Health Insurance Authority: Choosing a policy (accessed 9 November 2026)
- Health Insurance Authority: Claims and excesses (accessed 9 November 2026)
- Health Insurance Authority: 2025 Consumer Survey press release, 24 March 2026 (accessed 9 November 2026)
- Health Insurance Authority: Annual Market Report 2025 press release, 3 June 2026 (accessed 9 November 2026)
- Health Insurance Authority: Q2 2026 Market Bulletin press release (accessed 9 November 2026)
- Health Insurance Authority: Register of health benefits undertakings (accessed 9 November 2026)
- Citizens Information: Private health insurance (accessed 9 November 2026)
General information, not financial advice. Prices and rules change: check the details with the insurer before you buy.