At the end of Q3 2023, 4.69 million Poles had private health insurance, which represents a year-on-year increase of almost 15%. Within 9 months of 2023, Poles spent almost PLN 1.2 billion on these policies, i.e. almost 34% more y/y. Despite the inevitable increase in the prices of private health insurance due to inflation, the number of covered customers is constantly rising.
Private health insurance after Q3 2023:
- 4.69 million – number of private health insurance users in Poland
- PLN 1,174.5 million – gross premium written in health insurance
Awareness of the importance of private health insurance is growing
The increase in the collected premium is driven by two main factors: continuous development of the insurance market, the so-called new sales, i.e. new customers and new products, and the inevitable increase in policy prices, which is the result of inflation and rising prices of medical services, in particular medical appointments.
In Q3 2023, there was an increase in premiums reflecting inflation from previous periods – according to the Central Statistical Office (GUS), the CPI, which represents a change in the value of consumer goods and services, has increased by as much as 37.8% over the last three years. In order to mitigate the effects of increasing premiums, insurers decided to spread the adjustment of private health insurance prices over the following months. Current and prospective customers have a strong understanding of the situation, as evidenced by the growing number of contracts. Significant increases were recorded in both individual and group insurance, mainly employee insurance.
– Insurers observe an increase in awareness among customers who appreciate health insurance and use it – both from the prevention offered and specialist appointments – says Dorota M. Fal, adviser to the Management Board of the Polish Chamber of Insurance.
Key access to private health insurance
According to the Social Insurance Institution (ZUS), the expenditure related to absenteeism amounted to PLN 25.5 billion in 2022, i.e. PLN 1 billion more than in the previous year. According to the reports of the Polish Chamber of Insurance, the total economic loss related to absenteeism and presenteeism (reporting to work despite feeling sick) can be estimated at over PLN 170 billion. Therefore, access to good and timely healthcare is essential not only for citizens, but also for the state and employers. According to the calculations, employees will benefit 20% and both employers and public finance – 40%, respectively, from the improvement of health through its positive influence on taxes, contributions to the Social Insurance Institution and the National Health Fund, and the expenditure of the sickness fund of those employed.
The public healthcare system faces a number of challenges and the recent statutory changes relating to salary increases and quality will become a huge financial burden for the current government. The approach represented by the new authorities to determining what the public system will provide to citizens, to what extent and when, as well as the role of private healthcare, including insurance, is important.
– We are all looking forward to the first decisions of the new Minister of Health, all the more so since one of the items in the coalition agreement is to improve access to outpatient healthcare. This is particularly important at a time when the system is confronted with a demographic crisis, which also affects the labour market – concludes Dorota M. Fal.
