Nearly all health insurance companies have now published their premiums for 2022 with most rising between €3 and €8 a month.

All insurance companies must publish their new fees by midnight on Friday, ahead of the year end window to switch provider.

The increases put the price of a most basic policies at between €130 to €135 per month, slightly more than the government had forecast at when it presented its spending plans for 2022 in September.

The government determines the make-up of the basic healthcare insurance policy and insurers are free to compete on price, top up premiums and other issues such as choice of hospital.

Some 1.1 million people changed health insurance company during the annual window for switching providers at the end of last year.