FREE IRISH INSURANCE CALCULATOR · UPDATED 11 OCTOBER 2026
Health Insurance Cost Comparison Calculator Ireland
Compare two health-insurance policy scenarios using your own premiums, excesses and expected claim reimbursements—without claiming to reproduce live insurer policy data.
ILLUSTRATIVE RESULT
What the figures suggest.
Planning illustration only.
How to compare health insurance plans in Ireland
Irish private health insurance can vary substantially between policies. The same provider may offer plans with different inpatient hospital benefits, excesses, outpatient limits, consultant cover, shortfalls and rules for particular hospitals. An annual premium on its own does not capture all those differences.
For an independent live policy search, use the Health Insurance Authority (HIA) comparison service. It displays available Irish plans and advises consumers to check complete benefits and prices with the insurer. This Compound tool is not a substitute for HIA's database. Instead, it compares only the particular cost inputs you type in.
What the calculation does
For each of Plan A and Plan B it adds the annual premium, the number of estimated hospital episodes multiplied by the excess and shortfall per episode, and annual outpatient charges after subtracting your expected actual reimbursement. Outpatient reimbursement is capped at the outpatient spending entered, so the calculator does not turn reimbursement into a fictional profit.
The default figures are illustrative only, not provider quotations, average prices or a prediction of annual claims. There are no provider rankings or affiliations. The result describes a hypothetical cost for the plan benefits and treatment pattern you entered.
What an inpatient excess actually means
The HIA defines an inpatient excess as the portion of eligible private hospital costs you must pay. Some policies apply an excess per claim, per hospital admission or per benefit; another policy may have a different definition. Shortfalls are separate charges where cover falls below the cost of a particular service or accommodation. Do not multiply the excess by hospital stays if your contract instead applies an annual cap or a different limit.
The HIA guide to claims and excesses describes inpatient and outpatient excesses, shortfalls and claims. Check your exact wording, particularly before entering a per-stay shortfall.
How outpatient reimbursements work
GP and consultant visits can have separate monetary caps, excesses, per-visit reimbursement rules or yearly benefit limits. The most reliable input is an estimated euro reimbursement after all relevant terms—not an advertised headline percentage.
Example: You expect €600 of eligible outpatient spending, but after its excess and limits the insurer would pay €150. Enter €600 as outpatient spending and €150 as expected reimbursement. If you are uncertain, make a low and high case for each plan. A low expected reimbursement might be prudent where conditions are restrictive.
Worked comparison
Suppose Plan A costs €1,600 annually and Plan B €1,400. You expect one inpatient admission. Plan A has a €125 hospital excess and Plan B €250. You expect €500 of outpatient bills, with €230 recoverable on Plan A and €180 on Plan B, and no extra hospital shortfall. The result is €1,995 for Plan A and €1,970 for Plan B, a €25 difference despite the €200 premium gap. Change any figure to explore the sensitivity.
That does not mean either plan is better in reality. Private hospital access, procedures, waiting periods, outpatient categories and cancer treatment benefits can outweigh a small arithmetic cost difference.
What the tool leaves out
It does not calculate Lifetime Community Rating loadings, employer subsidy, age-specific or child pricing, insurance tax relief, waiting periods, specific hospital restrictions, special excess structures, benefit exclusions or the medical necessity of treatment. If your insurer's published premium is already net of relief at source, use the amount you actually pay.
Use the Compound health insurance guide to understand health insurance concepts, and HIA's latest plan changes to check recent changes.
FAQ
Does this calculator show live Vhi, Laya, Irish Life Health or Level Health quotes?
No. It uses only the premiums and policy values that you enter. Confirm live premiums and benefits through the insurer and HIA.
Is a lower annual premium always cheaper?
No. Excesses, shortfalls, limits and access can change out-of-pocket costs. Look at cover quality as well as nominal cost.
Do I need to enter tax relief separately?
Use the actual annual premium payable after any relief at source. This tool does not apply income tax relief separately.
Can I use this when renewing my policy?
Yes, as a cost-planning companion to HIA comparisons. Use your renewal documentation for accurate premiums and benefits.