If you have private health insurance in Ireland, you're already receiving tax relief at source—your premium is reduced by 20% automatically. However, understanding how this works and ensuring you're getting maximum value from your health plan and other tax reliefs is important.
Our specialists review your complete tax situation, including health insurance-related matters. Here's what you need to know.
📊 Health Insurance Tax Relief
- Relief rate: 20% at source (automatic)
- How it works: Deducted from your premium
- Medical expenses: Separate 20% relief available
- Excess costs: You can claim relief on unreimbursed medical costs
How Health Insurance Tax Relief Works
Tax relief on health insurance premiums is applied at source—meaning your insurer reduces your premium by 20% automatically. You don't need to do anything additional to receive this benefit.
For example, if your gross premium is €1,500, you actually pay €1,200 after the 20% tax relief is applied.
Medical Expenses Beyond Insurance
While your premium includes automatic relief, you can claim additional relief on medical expenses that your insurance doesn't cover:
- Excess payments: When you pay the first portion of a claim
- Unreimbursed treatments: Items not covered by your plan
- GP visits: Often not covered by basic plans
- Dental costs: Many treatments not covered
- Prescriptions: Out-of-pocket medication costs
You can claim 20% relief on these unreimbursed medical expenses, backdated four years.
💡 Real Example
Tom has health insurance but still pays €400/year in excess, plus uncovered dental work and prescriptions. When we reviewed his tax, we claimed 20% relief on four years of unreimbursed medical expenses—€640—plus rent credit and flat rate expenses he'd never claimed.
Other Reliefs You Might Be Missing
Medical expenses often aren't the only relief you're entitled to. We also check for:
- Rent tax credit – up to €1,000/year
- Work expenses – for many professions
- Emergency tax – from job changes
- Working from home – for remote workers
The average refund from our complete review is €1,080.
Get Your Complete Tax Review
Our experts will find all reliefs beyond your health insurance savings.
Start Your Tax Review →No refund, no fee • Average refund €1,080 • TAIN: 77632V
Frequently Asked Questions
Is health insurance relief automatic?
Yes—your insurer deducts the 20% relief from your premium automatically. You don't need to claim it separately.
Can I claim for family members' unreimbursed costs?
Yes—you can claim 20% relief on medical expenses you've paid for spouse, children, and dependent relatives, even if they're on your health insurance.
What if my employer pays my health insurance?
Employer-paid health insurance is typically a benefit-in-kind. You may still be entitled to other reliefs, and unreimbursed medical costs can still be claimed.
How far back can I claim for unreimbursed medical expenses?
You can backdate claims for medical expenses up to four years. In 2025, you can claim for unreimbursed costs from 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024—even if you had health insurance during those years.
