Private Medical Insurance (PMI)
At Safe Life & Pensions Ltd we offer the complete range of Private Medical Plans offered by Irish Life Health. Click on any of the links on the left to view some of the covers available or call us for a quote today.
Irish Life Health has a plan to suit every budget as is committed to giving you access to Quality Healthcare.
- Fast access to more hospitals and scan centres than any other insurer.
- Dental Access Package at no extra cost to your plan.
- Back-up a unique and innovative programme to treat acute back and neck pain.
PMI in Ireland is structured on the basis of a system of community rating, minimum levels of cover, open enrolment & lifetime cover each of which is prescribed by law
- Lifetime Community rating
This means that a health insurer in Ireland must charge the same premium regardless of the age, sex, sexual orientation, health status or past record of claims of the individual for a given level of cover.
Anyone aged 35 or older taking out Private Health Insurance for the 1st time have a permanent age related loading of 2% per year of age over 34 applied to their health insurance premium.
There is a a discounted premium available on a sliding scale of premium rates for young adults in the age range 18-25.
- Minimum levels of cover
Insurers are required to provide the following minimum level of cover under a PMI policy.
- The full cost of semi-private cover in a public hospital or a broadly equivalent monetary payment if treatment is carried out in a private hospital; and
- Consultants fees at the standard scale, i.e. where consultants do not participate in the Full Cover Scheme.
Provided these minimum benefits are covered, there is no limit to the level of excess that can be applied under individual policies.
- Open enrolment
Anyone who satisfies the general membership criteria of a health plan must be accepted into the plan. Health insurers are allowed to insist on a general waiting period before paying for treatment. Such waiting periods don’t apply in the case of accidents, but now the maximum waiting for claims will be the same irrespective of age.
There is no waiting period for a new born infant who is included on a contract within 13 weeks of their birth.
Adopted children will not have waiting periods once added to the policy within 13 weeks of their adoption date
There is also a specific maximum waiting period of 52 weeks in relation to maternity benefits.
Waiting periods for new applicants to Private Medical Insurance.
Age |
Accidents |
New Conditions |
Pre-existing Conditions |
Day to day |
Less than 55 |
Nil |
26 weeks |
5 years |
Nil |
55-59 |
Nil |
26 weeks |
5 years |
26 weeks |
60-64 |
Nil |
26 weeks |
5 years |
26 weeks |
65+ |
nil |
26 weeks |
5 years |
26 weeks |
Waiting periods when upgrading Private Medical Insurance (after initial waiting period has been completed)
Age |
Accidents |
New Conditions |
Pre-existing Conditions |
Day to day |
Under 55 |
Nil |
Nil |
2 years |
Nil |
Over 55 |
Nil |
Nil |
2 years |
52weeks |
Regardless of any upgrade rule, the member will be covered for the level of benefits on their previous plan. Waiting periods only apply to the additional benefit on a higher plan.
- Lifetime cover
In order to prevent insurers from trying to avoid high risk individuals, legislation ensures the right to lifetime cover.
Therefore members are guaranteed to be able to renew their cover.
However, in order to renew, members must pay the premium demanded by the insurer and the contract terms and table of benefits in place at renewal date then become part of the contract.
Members have a statutory right to change insurer and not be refused cover-provided they don’t delay more than 13 weeks in renewing their cover.
Transferring between insurers
The 4 main commercial insurers in Ireland must accept members from each other and recognize their years of Health Insurance with their previous Insurer.
New waiting periods do not need to be served other than for increased cover.
Safe Life and Pensions Ltd
Registered in Ireland, Registration Number 508071
Address 9 Firgrove Park,
Bishopstown Cork City
Safe Life and Pensions Ltd is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland