Switch & Save

22/11/2024: Irish Life is set to increase health insurance premiums by an average of 3.7% from January 1st, 2025.

This is the third increase in twelve months, with the insurer rising prices in January and July of this year.

Many family plans will increase by hundreds of euro a year, while other plans will increase by as much as 4.3%.

Insurance premiums have risen across the board this year, with insurers quoting the rising costs of delivering healthcare, increased use of more expensive, high-cost drugs, and a spike in claims.

19/11/2024: Bank of Ireland has reduced the interest rate across its full suite of fixed rate products by 0.5%.

The reduced rates are available to all new and existing customers from 19 November and apply to all properties regardless of BER rating.

15/11/2024: A new health insurance company has launched in the Irish market.

The new player, Level Health, is backed by insurance giant Aviva and will have just four plans: A, B, C and D.

The insurer says its mid-level plans will be up to €500 a year cheaper for a family compared to rivals, while its high-end plan will be €2,700 cheaper for an adult.

It is also offering free cover for children under three, free family multi-trip worldwide travel insurance worth €228, and discounts from Aviva Insurance on things like motor insurance and mortgage protection.

13/11/2024: New figures from the Central Bank show that Irish mortgage rates fell to their lowest level for over a year in September.

It’s reported that mortgage rates fell from 4.11% to 4.08% in September. Despite the fall, they are still higher than the EU average of 3.59%.

The fall comes as another ECB rate cut is predicted in December, which could lead to a further round of rate cuts for mortgage holders.

11/11/2024: There is currently a €7,405 difference between the lowest and highest mortgage rate in Ireland.

With variable rates ranging from 3.6% to 6.65%, a survey by Irish Independent and Doddl mortgages found that homeowners could save as much as €617 a month by switching and securing the lowest rate.

The lowest rate in the market right now is a green rate of 3.1%, though only those with A1-B3 rated homes can avail.

01/11/2024: Only 12% of households switched electricity plans in 2023, a 30% drop from the previous year.

New figures released by the Commission for the Regulation of Utilities (CRU), revealed just 294,669 customers switched in 2023, compared to 418,597 in 2022. Gas switching also dropped by 23%, with just 98,157 gas customers moving suppliers.

If customers had switched to the cheapest plan each year for the past four years, they could have saved up to €946 on electricity, €775 on gas and €2,018 on dual fuel.

30/10/2024: Avant Money is reducing mortgage interest rates on its two fixed rate mortgages.

Avant Money’s One Mortgage, which allows customers a fixed rate for the full term of the mortgage, will see rates reduced by up to 0.40% and Avant Money’s four-year fixed rate mortgage will see rates reduced by up to 0.20%.

The new rates on both mortgage products will start at 3.40% for loan to value (LTV) mortgages of less than 80%.

The new rates will apply to all mortgages drawn down from 7 November 2024.

25/10/2024: AIB bank is launching two fixed-rate green mortgage products.

The new rates are for homes with a Building Energy Rating (BER) between A1 and B3, and start from as little as 3%.

The three-year fixed rate is available for homes with a BER of A1-A3, and starts from 3%, while the two-year fixed rate - for A1-B3 rated homes - starts at 3.15%

The rates will be available to new and existing customers from Saturday, October 26th.