There were two million and 52 thousand people with private health insurance at the end of December - a fall of 6 percent since the peak in 2008.

The Health Insurance Authority says an extra 4,000 people bought health insurance in the last three months of the year - but that compares to an annual drop of 47 thousand.

The figures come as Aviva's announced a near-13 percent price hike today - the sixth by a health insurer this year.

Aviva's blamed the new public bed charges which came into effect on January 1st.

Head of the Healthcare division with Cornmarket Dermot Goode says the insurers warned this was coming;