Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 March 2014
1033. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the total volume of premium income in the private health insurance market in 2011, 2012 and 2013; the way that premium income was split between each insurer in each of the years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13240/14]
View answerThe total premium income in the market for 2011 was €2.048 billion and for 2012 was €2.226 billion. (These figures do not include the Hospital Saturday Fund).
The premium income figures quoted above are "premium income paid" data that have been calculated by the HIA from quarterly levy returns provided by health insurers. The following is a breakdown by the different health insurance businesses in the State (except restricted membership undertakings) of their "earned premium income", which has been extracted from financial accounts information that has been separately provided to the HIA by the health insurers. It should be noted that "premium income paid" and "earned premium income" are related but not identical accounting calculations of premium income in insurance businesses.
The latest data available from the Health Insurance Authority, showing a breakdown of the premium income by insurer, is as follows:
2011:
|
€m’s |
Aviva Health 12 months to end Dec 2011 €m |
Quinn Healthcare 12 months to end Dec 2011 €m |
Vhi Healthcare 12 months to end Dec 2011 €m |
|
Earned premiums before reinsurance and age related tax credit |
270.5 |
323.6 |
1,295.8 |
2012:
|
€m’s |
Aviva Health 12 months to end Dec 2012 €m |
* Elips 12 months to end Dec 2012 €m |
** Great Lakes 12 months to end Dec 2012 €m |
Quinn Healthcare 12 months to end Dec 2012 €m |
Vhi Healthcare 12 months to end Dec 2012 €m |
|
Earned premiums before reinsurance and age related tax credit |
336.3 |
81.2 |
3.2 |
281.0 |
1,412.4 |
(* trading as Laya Healthcare, ** trading as Glohealth)
Figures for 2013 are not yet available.
It is important to note that the tables show the profitability of insurers' private health insurance business in 2011 and 2012. These figures were provided by insurers to the Authority pursuant to its work in relation to assessing whether overcompensation under the Risk Equalisation Scheme occurred. The accounts above may differ from published accounts, which may have been finalised on a different date and may include business other than private health insurance business, which my Department does not collate as the companies concerned are commercial entities.
