VHI and Laya Health Insurance Changes from 1 October 2026: What You Need to Know
05 October 2026
VHI and Laya are updating a wide range of health insurance plans from 1 October 2026, with most plans seeing price increases alongside benefit changes. This guide explains what's changing, how it affects you, and introduces two new Laya plans.
VHI and Laya Plan Changes from 1 October 2026
From 1 October 2026, VHI and Laya are updating well over a hundred plans between them, and most are getting more expensive.
What's Changing
- VHI: Most increases are modest. AdvancedCare plans rise by around 4% (for example, AdvancedCare from €228.58 to €237.78 a month), and EnhancedCare plans by under 2%. Some PMI and premium plans rise more, such as Premium Care (€459.26 to €480.68) and PMI 40 15 (€163.26 to €179.59).
- Laya: Increases are steeper. Many plans rise by 8–15%, including 360 Care (€314.57 to €344.38), Flex 500 Explore (€116.33 to €133.10) and Company Care Excess (€308.59 to €355.65). A few high-end plans rise by over €50 a month.
- A few plans get cheaper: VHI's PublicPlus Care range and Laya's Assure Protect and Essential are all falling in price.
- Benefits are changing too: Many plans have new caps on GP, radiology and physiotherapy claims or different excesses, and others gain cover such as fertility and pregnancy.
What to Do
Check your renewal letter for your plan's new price and benefits. If the price has gone up or your cover has shrunk, it may be worth comparing alternatives. Switching can mean waiting periods for some benefits, so check the terms first.
You can compare VHI, Laya and other Irish plans side by side at MedPlan.ie.