Chronic Illness & Mortgage Protection in Ireland (2025 Guide)

Editor’s note: First published in 2018 | Refreshed in 2025 with updated underwriting rules, GP report timelines, and insurer criteria for health-related mortgage protection applications.

Can I Get Mortgage Protection with Underlying Conditions?

Short answer: yes — most people can.

Mortgage Protection is the policy that clears your mortgage if you pass away before the loan is repaid. It’s legally required for residential mortgages in Ireland, so everyone has to get it.

The part people worry about is the health section of the application. Your health can affect pricing and the approval timeline — but in the vast majority of cases, it won’t stop you getting cover.

Some insurers are stricter with certain conditions (high BMI, diabetes, mental health, cardiac history). Others are far more flexible. If you apply to the wrong insurer first, you can end up with:

• a higher premium (a loading)
• a postponement
• or an outright decline

And unfortunately, a decline follows you to the next insurer — you must tick “yes” to having been declined, which can affect your chances with everyone else.

This is why the order you apply in matters more than the condition itself.

Banks only deal with one insurer. If their insurer isn’t friendly to your particular condition, you’re boxed in.

A broker checks all five insurers and chooses the one most understanding of your health history, giving you the best chance of approval at the lowest price.

So yes — having a health condition can affect the process, but it rarely prevents you getting a mortgage.

How Health Conditions Affect Applying for Mortgage Protection

Look, having a health condition sucks. It just does.

But it shouldn’t affect your chance of owning a home.

In very rare cases, the insurer might decide the chance of a claim is too high and say no. More commonly, they’ll postpone the application until things stabilise.

The majority of people can still get Mortgage Protection — it just takes a bit more back-and-forth.

If you’re in the middle of a house purchase, this part is important:

If you’re slap-bang in the middle of the property buying process, sort your Mortgage Protection now.

If you have an offer accepted, complete this questionnaire right away.

In straightforward cases, we can arrange cover in less than a day. The process looks like this:

1. You complete the questionnaire.
2. We identify the insurer most likely to offer cover based based on your health.
3. You complete the insurer’s online application.
4. You sign documents digitally.
5. We submit the application.
6. If you have no health issues, the policy is issued almost instantly.

If you have a health issue, the insurer may need:

• a medical questionnaire (for minor conditions), or
• a GP report (for more serious or ongoing conditions)

GP reports take, on average, 4–6 weeks in Ireland — some are quick, most are slower than a Tuesday after a bank holiday.

Once the insurer has everything, they make a decision. In most cases, you get approved — with or without a loading — and you can set up your Mortgage Protection and close on your house.

Final Tips to Avoid Mistakes

1. You don’t need Life Insurance for a mortgage. Mortgage Protection covers the bank; Life Insurance is optional.
2. Mortgage Protection isn’t required for investment properties.
3. If you’re not married, get two single-life policies to avoid inheritance tax traps.
4. Never add Serious Illness Cover to Mortgage Protection. If there’s a payout, it goes to the bank — not you. Keep it separate.

Over to you…

Got a question but can’t find the answer in our FAQs? Fill in this short form and we’ll get back to you, or call me on 057 93 20836.

Thanks for reading

Nick