Private health insurance companies plan to give customers partial rebates as a result of the agreement by private hospitals to essentially become part of the public health system for the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Last month, the Government reached an agreement with the Private Hospitals Association (PHA) to use their facilities for the treatment of both COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients during the current crisis.

Announcing the deal in late March, the Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, explained that as part of the agreement, the HSE would secure "100% of the capacity of private hospitals".

"The private hospitals will operate as public hospitals for the duration, treating both COVID-19 and other patients, and all patients treated in private hospitals under this arrangement will be public patients," the Taoiseach said.

Acknowledging that those with private health insurance will not be able to avail of the same services in private hospitals over the coming months, insurance companies have said that they plan "put money back into our members' pockets".

The country's largest insurer, VHI, which has over one million members, has said that from mid-May, it will waive the cost of premiums by an average of 50% for a three-month period. This waiver will be adjusted if the partnership between the HSE and PHA is extended or curtailed.

Any customers who have been financially impacted by COVID-19 and are struggling to pay their premiums, are asked to contact VHI's dedicated case management team, "who will review your request on a case-by-case basis and try to provide assistance".

According to VHI acting CEO, Declan Moran, the company is also making a further promise "that there will be additional return of value to customers this year if claims levels are lower than our current projections".

Meanwhile, Laya Healthcare also plans to "redirect claim cost savings back to our almost 600,000 members".

"We're putting money back in our members' pockets. We plan to redirect a claim cost savings in the form of a benefit to the amount of €195 for every adult member and €60 for every child member.

"The total will be split into three equal instalments and paid over three months, April to June 2020, which is the estimated period of time that our hospitals will be re-organised in response to COVID-19," explained Laya Healthcare managing director, Dónal Clancy.

He added that the first installment will be paid by April 30. Members must have a current active policy on the first of each month - April, May and June - to qualify for this monthly instalment.

Irish Life Health also plans to apply a rebate to customers' premiums "to reflect the expected reduction in our claims cost for the months of April, May and June".

Customers with private hospital cover (advanced plans) will receive between 36% and 60% of their monthly premium back, and those on plans with largely public hospital cover (non-advanced plans), will receive between 17% and 21% depending on their specific policy.