Press release 27/12/2024

PRIVATE HEALTHCARE STATISTICS. 2023

Health insurance grew by 4.1% in insured individuals and 8.7% in premiums in 2023 in the Basque Country

More than half of the insured individuals were women (53%)

In 2023, insurance companies with branches in the Basque Country recorded 525,435 people with health insurance, an increase of 4.1% compared to 2021, according to Eustat data. Additionally, the amount raised in premiums rose to 398 million euros, a rise of 8.7%.

By province, and regarding the number of insured individuals, 67.1% corresponded to Bizkaia, 20.6% to Gipuzkoa and 12.3% to Álava. However, in comparison with 2021, Gipuzkoa was the province with the highest growth in the number of insured individuals (+10.7%), followed by Álava (+9.2%) and Bizkaia (+1.4%).

The proportion of insured individuals out of the total population was 23.9% in the Basque Country (23% in 2021). By province, the highest proportion was registered in Bizkaia (30.7%), followed by Álava (19.4%) and Gipuzkoa (15%).

As for the characteristics of this group, there was a greater presence of women than men in health insurance schemes (52.8% compared to 47.2%). The age group from 45 to 64 had the highest number of insured individuals (34.8%), followed by individuals aged 25 to 44 (26.1%). Together they represented 60.9%. Furthermore, except in the paediatric age group, women outnumbered men, with the most significant difference in the 25-44 age group.

Traumatology, ophthalmology and obstetrics and gynaecology were most in-demand

Insurance companies registered a total of 1.8 million consultations in 2023. In the following order, the most frequent were: traumatology (240 thousand), ophthalmology (191 thousand), obstetrics and gynaecology (184 thousand) and dermatology (158 thousand) which as a whole accounted for 43.8% of consultations. Behind these were those associated with primary care: family medicine (129 thousand) and paediatrics (87 thousand), which demonstrated the use of healthcare insurance to primarily attend consultations related to specialist care.

Group insurance schemes saw the highest increase in insured individuals and premiums

Companies raised 398 million euros' worth of premiums, which was an increase of 8.7% compared to 2021. This figure represented 0.43% of GDP in 2023 (0.47% in 2021). At the provincial level, 69.9% of premiums were in Bizkaia, 19.3% in Gipuzkoa and 10.8% in Álava.

According to the type of recipient, group insurance (i.e. schemes aimed at companies or other specific collectives), grouped together 61.3% of individuals with health insurance, followed by individual and family schemes (33.9%) and public mutual societies for the State Administration (4.8%). Compared to 2021, group insurance schemes gained the most in insured individuals (+5.2%), followed by individual or family (+4%). Conversely, the number of public mutual schemes fell (-8%).

Regarding the division of premiums, 52.9% corresponded to group insurance schemes, 40.3% to individual or family insurance and 6.8% to public mutual societies for the State Administration. In respect to 2021, the volume of premiums increased across categories, with group insurance recording the highest increase (+10.5%) followed by individual or family insurance (+7.5%) and with public mutual schemes further behind (+2%).

Methodological note:

These statistics contain information from health insurance organisations that have at least one establishment in the Basque Country. They do not include Voluntary Social Welfare Entities since they are not insurance-related.

For further information:

Eustat - Euskal Estatistika Erakundea / Basque Statistics Institute C/ Donostia-San Sebastián, 1 01010 Vitoria-Gasteiz Press Service: servicioprensa@eustat.eus Tel.: 945 01 75 62 More press releases on Private Healthcare