Many who suffer from osteoarthritis, work from home or sit at a desk for long periods, or who pick up sports or exercise related injuries swear by the effectiveness of chiropractic treatment.

Chiropractic treatment is an alternative or complementary treatment which may be considered for back pain, neck pain, joint pain including osteoarthritis pain, and for those seeking improved mobility.

Health insurance may cover some of the cost of chiropractic treatment, depending on the details of your health insurance cover. If you wish to avail of chiropractor treatments or you suffer from back, neck, or joint pain and wish to consult a chiropractor, then some health insurance plans offer significant benefits.

Treatment prices will vary, depending on the extent and duration of treatment. Chiropractors use their hands to carry out treatments such as spinal adjustment and joint and soft tissue manipulation to treat your spine and joints and any associated neuromuscular problems.

Chiropractors offer drug and surgery free care and chiropractic treatment is also a holistic treatment meaning that chiropractors will consider factors such as nutrition, exercise, and lifestyle in your treatment plan.

Chiropractic treatment in Ireland is usually provided privately by practitioners who run their own private clinics.

However, while chiropractic treatments can be very effective they come at a price. An initial assessment can cost from €140 to €200 or more and an average chiropractor visit can cost in the region of €78 to €80 and upwards.

All health insurers operating in the Irish market offer some level of cover for chiropractor visits on at least some of their plans. Generally, the plans which offer chiropractic benefits are plans with higher levels of outpatient or day to day medical benefits.

Health insurance cover is usually provided in the form of reimbursement for a portion of the visit price, or a set contribution, €30 for example, towards each visit. There is usually an annual limit on the number of chiropractor visits covered on your health insurance plan.

Check the details of any health insurance plan you are considering before assuming you are covered for chiropractor visits, and be aware that some health insurance plans have an excess included in outpatient benefits. This means that you may have to pay a certain amount or reach a threshold of expenditure for outpatient expenses before you can claim back any benefit.

As a general rule, chiropractic practitioners must be registered by The Chiropractic Association of Ireland in order to be covered  by health insurance. It is a good idea to check with your health insurer if a particular chiropractor is covered before embarking on a course of treatment.

All Irish health insurers offer some cover for chiropractor visits, depending on the plan you choose. 

If you wish to cover chiropractor visits with health insurance, you will generally need to choose a plan with a high level of cover for outpatient or day to day expenses.

The health insurers who offer cover for chiropractor visits are:

Here are some plans which offer cover for the cost of chiropractor visits from  Irish health insurers. These plans vary in the level of inpatient cover they offer, as well as offering different outpatient and other benefits.

Some of the claim limits combine all types of complementary therapies such as osteopathy, acupuncture, and chiropractor visits i.e. where there is a limit on the number of visits per year, this may include all therapies.

Laya Transform Care. €1,363 per year for an adult with no loading. Covers 50% of the cost of chiropractor visits, up to 10 visits per year with €1 outpatient excess.

VHI PM 08 11. €1,463 per year for an adult with no loading. Covers 50% of the cost of chiropractor visits with no limit on visits per year, €1 outpatient excess.

Irish Life Health MePlan Level 1 with DaytoDay Me. €1,505.80 per year for an adult with no loading. Offers contribution of €30 per visit for 3 visits per year with €1 excess.

Level Health Plan D including day to day benefits. €2,535 per year for an adult with no loading. Offers €50 per visit for up to 6 visits per year with €1 excess.

HSF Scheme One Scheme Direct 4. €753.60 per year for an adult. Offers 100% cash reimbursement on practitioner visits up to €400 per year limit including chiropractor, physiotherapist, osteopathy, and physical therapy visits combined.

There are many people who may benefit from chiropractic care and may wish their health insurance plan to cover some or all of the costs of treatment by a chiropractor.

If you have osteoarthritis, for example, you may wish to see a chiropractor for relief of joint pain. Likewise, if you have a current or historic sports injury, you may see a chiropractor for treatment or for maintenance care to remain pain free or prevent relapse of your injury.

Those who sit for long periods, or work from home for example, or those who may suffer from repetitive type injuries to their back and neck may also wish their health insurance to cover treatment by a chiropractor.

Having cover for chiropractor visits can give you  peace of mind that you will not be faced with unexpected bills for chiropractic care when it is necessary and allow you to be reimbursed for at least some of the expense if you need to be treated by a chiropractor.

If you wish to be covered by health insurance for chiropractor visits, the Compare Insurance can help you to find affordable health insurance cover.

Health insurance can be complex with a wide array of plans and price points to choose from. Let Compare Insurance sift through the details of health insurance cover and find you the best cover for your individual requirements, including chiropractic treatment if this is a priority for you.

Fill in our 90 second online assessment and our qualified insurance advisors can get you great tailored quotes for health insurance today.