"This investment expands Aviva's offering in Ireland to general, life and health insurance and further demonstrates Aviva's commitment to continue to grow in Ireland as a leading financial services provider." Aviva has been in the health insurance market in this country previously, but sold out, with Irish Life eventually picking up that business. However, interest in the health ­insurance market here perked up when French insurance giant Axa agreed last year to buy Laya Healthcare for €650m, considered a huge price. Laya is the State's second-largest health insurer. It has a 28pc share of the Irish health insurance market, serving 690,000 members. Experts speculated that Aviva, which has previously offered health insurance in Ireland, wants to ensure its entire offering here now matches that of Axa. It has a large health insurance business in UK.