How to get Life Insurance Cover with Epilepsy in Ireland

10-second summary: Most people with epilepsy can still get life insurance or mortgage protection in Ireland. What matters is the type of seizures, how long it’s been since the last one, and which insurer you apply to first. Applying to the wrong insurer can make things far harder than they need to be.

First things first — yes, people with epilepsy can get life insurance

If you’ve landed here, chances are you’re worried that epilepsy automatically means a refusal.

It doesn’t.

But epilepsy is one of those conditions where how you apply, and who you apply to,  matters more than the condition itself.

The biggest mistake people with epilepsy make is applying blindly to the wrong insurer. One decline can sit on your record and complicate future applications, even if another insurer would have offered normal terms.

Epilepsy: what insurers actually look at

Insurers don’t look at epilepsy as one single condition. They break it down into a few key buckets:

1. Idiopathic epilepsy — no clear underlying cause.
2. Cryptogenic epilepsy — a suspected cause, but nothing confirmed.
3. Symptomatic epilepsy — a known cause, such as a brain injury or structural issue.

They’ll then look at seizure type and how stable things have been:

• Generalised tonic-clonic seizures (grand mal) — loss of consciousness with convulsions.
• Absence seizures (petit mal) — brief lapses in awareness.
• Myoclonic seizures — sudden jerks or twitches.

I know there are a lot of big words there, but really how long it’s been since your last seizure usually matters more than anything else.

Mortgage protection and epilepsy

You can usually get life insurance or mortgage protection if you have epilepsy — but insurer choice is critical.

Some insurers are far more practical than others. In many cases, the best outcome comes from a provider most people haven’t even heard of.

That’s why working with an advisor who understands underwriting across all five life insurance companies in Ireland really matters.

Applying to the “wrong” insurer first is the single biggest reason people run into trouble.

Income protection or serious illness cover with epilepsy

Yes, it may be possible to arrange Income Protection or Serious Illness Cover if you have epilepsy.

However, any claim that relates directly to epilepsy itself will almost always be excluded.

That doesn’t make the cover pointless — it just means we need to be straight about what it will and won’t do before you apply.

How much does life insurance with epilepsy cost?

Pricing usually comes down to two things.

Time since last seizure

Over five years seizure-free is ideal. Recent seizures make cover harder to arrange and more expensive.

Type of seizures

1. Simple or complex partial seizures
2. Myoclonic seizures
3. Tonic-clonic seizures
4. Atonic seizures
5. Status epilepticus (more serious)

Example:

If standard cover would normally cost €50 per month:

• Seizure-free for 5+ years with absence seizures → likely around €50
• A recent tonic-clonic seizure → more like €75 or higher

Severity, frequency, and recency all feed into the final price.

What medical information will insurers ask for?

You’ll need to complete a standard application plus an epilepsy questionnaire.

This usually covers:

• The type of epilepsy
• Your seizure history and frequency
• The date of your last seizure
• Medication and compliance
• Any history of status epilepticus
• Alcohol intake
• Your occupation

In many cases, detailed answers mean no GP report is needed. Where a PMA report is required, choosing the right insurer can save months.

You’re in the right place

If you’ve read this far and still feel unsure, that’s completely normal.

Epilepsy cases are rarely straightforward — and they shouldn’t be handled like standard applications.

If you’ve been Googling this late at night and worrying about getting it wrong, that’s exactly why this page exists.

Your goal isn’t just to get cover. It’s to get it without unnecessary refusals, delays, or inflated pricing.

Next step

Before applying anywhere, complete this epilepsy questionnaire.

We’ll review it and tell you which insurer gives you the best chance — and just as importantly, which ones to avoid.

And whatever you do, don’t buy from the bank.

Thanks for reading,
Nick

Editor’s note: First published in 2017. Fully reviewed and updated in 2026 to reflect current Irish underwriting approaches to epilepsy, seizure stability criteria, and insurer-specific practices.