The number of people with health insurance has increased for the first time since 2010, new figures show.

According to the Health Insurance Authority (HIA), there were 2.052 million people insured at the end of December 2013.

This is an increase of 4,000 over the previous quarter, the first increase in insurance coverage since the final quarter of 2010.

The percentage of the population covered by health insurance now stands at 45%, down from a 2008 peak of 51%, when nearly 2.3 milliion people had health cover.

The figures quoted cover people with regular health insuracne plans covering inpatient treatment. There were 99,000 people insured with other products providing outpatient benefits or health cash plans.

The figures were published as yet another health insurer announced a significant rise in premiums, with Aviva hiking its rates by 13% on average.