The State's largest health insurer, VHI, expects its bill for claims from members to exceed €1 billion in 2007, it said yesterday as it released data on the breakdown of claims over the past year.

The publication of the information comes a day ahead of the imposition of price increases by the company. From tomorrow its policies will increase by an average of 12.5 per cent.

The company said it paid out more than €750 million to hospitals and doctors on behalf of members in the year to the end of February. Its medical director, Dr Bernadette Carr, said €93 of every €100 collected in premia last year was paid back in benefits to subscribers.

She said VHI paid out €111.3 million for members receiving cancer treatment, more than €98 million for members with circulatory system problems such as heart disease, €30.5 million towards the cost of delivering nearly 15,000 babies, €29.1 million on major joint replacements for 3,356 members, €12.7 million for 5,700 members who needed cataract surgery, €28.7 million for endoscopic investigations of the digestive system, €8 million for 1,700 hysterectomies, €5.5 million for more than 1,300 prostate gland operations, €5.6 million for 3,600 varicose vein surgery, €2.5 million for 1,400 for appendicitis surgery, €7.2 million for 2,300 members who had gallstone surgery and €3.8 million for 3,100 tonsillectomies - over 60 per cent of which were in children.

Giving examples of some of the top claims paid out over the past 12 months, Dr Carr said they included a payment of almost €190,000 on behalf of a 59-year-old woman on Plan D Options who was treated for a metabolic disorder - her health insurance cost her €994 last year - and a payout of almost €160,000 on behalf of a 74-year-old man on Plan D Options in respect of cancer treatment. His insurance also cost him €994 last year.

The company's annual report showed a surplus after tax of €3.9 million for the year to the end of February, a 94 per cent reduction on the surplus of €62.3 million it recorded the previous year.