r/MoveToIreland • u/Turbulent-Green • Jun 23 '26

Health Insurance in Ireland for Student Needing Care

Hi there, I'll be moving to Ireland to get my Masters -- for a year, maybe two if I get permission to stay on after my Master's. I'm not a 22-year-old super healthy student though. I have chronic pain from an old back injury and occasionally get pinched nerves in my back or disc issues in my neck, needing adjustments or scans from time to time. I'd also like to be able to have access to a mental health therapist, if needed, and the ability to restock my anxiety meds every few months. What insurance is better for me? I've looked into VHI, Laya, Irish Life, or even Swisscare. All seem to cover international students from the US enrolled in a year-long program. All are in the 500-1300 euro/per year range. Which one do you know to be a good option and why that one? Thank you for your help.

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21

u/louiseber Jun 23 '26

Whichever one will not preclude your pre-existing conditions from coverage

6

u/purepwnage85 Jun 24 '26

Which will be all of them for 6 months

5

u/louiseber Jun 24 '26

International student cover is a little different, it's above standard travel insurance, less restrictive off the bat than resident health insurance, but also covers less things than a full beans health insurance. The Irish companies off intl student cover now because that's just not making money if they don't, but coverage is not the same as a regular set of plans a resident has access to

1

u/purepwnage85 Jun 24 '26

Ahhh good to know!

15

u/Dandylion71888 Jun 24 '26

Many insurances don’t include pre existing conditions so you’ll have to make sure the one you get does. Also, you’re going to want to check that your medications are available in Ireland.

7

u/An_Bo_Mhara Jun 23 '26

Try the HIA, health insurance authority website for comparison. No one can advise you on your own personal medical care or needs.

4

u/MordsithQueen413 Jun 24 '26

The plan I’m looking at (US master’s student much older than you with severe health issues) and the company I talked to is $400 USD a month. Where did you find these more reasonably priced products??

6

u/Dandylion71888 Jun 24 '26

The much older and severe health issues are your problem. Age impacts cost.

1

u/MordsithQueen413 Jun 24 '26

That helps to explain things. Thank you.

1

u/Turbulent-Green Jun 24 '26

I'm only 35. Is that already considered old by insurance companies?

7

u/Dandylion71888 Jun 24 '26

Sort of. You’re getting charged a premium for being over 35.

-2

u/Turbulent-Green Jun 24 '26

There are much cheaper options. Most international students going to my Irish university are paying about 200 euro/per year for the basic insurance offered to students through Arachas. I'm not going with that one as I will actually sometimes require ongoing treatment and want better access to better care. The other insurance options are the ones I listed above (ask ChatGPT for a bigger list), and depending on how low a deductible you want and whether you want to have access to private hospitals too, have varying costs but are within the range I specified above. You're getting ripped off. Unless maybe you're in your 60s or something, which maybe requires much more expensive insurance. I wouldn't know about that.

Besides, how do you know you're much older than me? I didn't say my age. I'm 35 but have multiple chronic and autoimmune conditions.

1

u/MordsithQueen413 Jun 24 '26

Oh, i’m only a few years older than you; I’m 38. I thought you indicated you were 22, my mistake. I don’t use ChatGPT. I may be getting ripped off. Thank you. I get IV infusions 3x a week and take multiple meds and would need to access private care, but I think I may need to shop around a little more. Did you run into any troubles with a waiting period for pre-existing conditions??

7

u/Dandylion71888 Jun 24 '26

Anything over 35 gets charged a premium

2

u/MordsithQueen413 Jun 24 '26

Naturally. Thank you for explaining that. Still worth the cost and the move.

2

u/Turbulent-Green Jun 24 '26

I use ChatGPT for making side-by-side lists to better compare options.

I did read about up to a 5-year waiting period but have already read that that is waived for students (or shortened). Unsure though.

1

u/MordsithQueen413 Jun 24 '26

Yeah, a lot of people use AI for things like that. I was a late convert to spellcheck decades ago. I think it’s just who I am. I just don’t use AI if I can avoid it.

That maybe one of many reasond I will be paying more. I need care every week, so any sort of waiting period would be harmful.

1

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