Health insurance costs are getting a lot of attention, and for good reason. The average premium has risen sharply in recent years, reaching around €1,740 per adult in 2025, while further price increases have already been announced in 2026.At the same time, almost half of consumers say recent increases are unjustified.
Most advice focuses on switching providers or reviewing your cover. That’s important, but it’s only part of the picture. There’s a second, often overlooked opportunity: claiming tax relief on unreimbursed health expenses. And this is where many people lose out.
Two different reliefs — often confused
One of the biggest issues in this area is that people mix up two completely separate tax treatments:
- Medical insurance premium relief
- Applies to your health insurance policy
- Relief is generally given at source (you don’t usually claim this yourself)
- In some cases (e.g. employer-paid policies), it’s handled through your tax return
👉 In practice:
Most people don’t need to claim anything manually for their insurance premium.
- Health expenses tax relief
- Applies to medical costs you pay yourself
- You claim this directly through your tax return
- Relief is typically given at 20%
👉 This is the one people miss.
What Revenue has clarified
Revenue hasn’t introduced a new relief here but recent updates make the position clearer:
- Health expenses relief continues to apply to qualifying costs you’ve actually paid
- You can claim for yourself, your family, or another person
- You cannot claim anything that has been reimbursed (by insurance or otherwise)
- Claims can generally be made for the previous four years
Practical takeaway:
Your health insurance and your health expense claims are separate.
You don’t “double dip” but you also shouldn’t ignore valid claims just because you have insurance.
What health expenses can you claim?
You can claim relief on a wide range of qualifying medical costs, including:
- GP and consultant fees
- Prescribed drugs and medicines
- Hospital treatment
- Diagnostic procedures
- Physiotherapy (where properly referred)
Certain treatments for children (such as speech and language therapy) may also qualify, depending on the circumstances.
What doesn’t qualify?
Some common exclusions:
- Routine dental treatment (e.g. check-ups, cleaning)
- Routine Eye Care (eg cost of glasses, eye tests)
- Any costs already covered by insurance or the HSE
Non-routine dental treatment may qualify but it must meet Revenue’s conditions and the dentist must complete a Med2 form.
A quick example
- Consultant visit: €250
- Insurance covers: €150
- You pay: €100
👉 You can claim relief on the €100 (the unreimbursed portion).
Why this matters more now
As health insurance costs continue to rise, more people are:
- Reviewing their cover
- Paying more out of pocket
- Absorbing excesses and shortfalls
That makes health expenses relief more relevant.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Trying to claim insurance premiums again
(relief is already applied at source in most cases) - Claiming the full health expense amount instead of the unreimbursed portion
- Forgetting smaller expenses e.g. prescriptions
(these add up over the year) - Not claiming at all
(very common)
Final point
Tax relief on health expenses is still one of the more straightforward ways to reduce your tax bill.
Need help?
If you’ve had medical expenses during the year and aren’t sure what qualifies, it’s worth checking before you file.
At FastTax.ie, we help make sure you’re claiming everything you’re entitled to — clearly and correctly.
