If you need mortgage protection urgently, it may still be possible to get cover issued quickly. The risk isn’t speed itself. The risk is making a rushed application that causes delays, loadings, or refusals at the worst possible moment. This page explains what can be done fast, what can’t, and how to avoid your purchase falling apart.
Mortgage protection insurance is mandatory when getting a mortgage in Ireland.
Most people plan to sort it in good time. The problem is that property timelines rarely behave.
Contracts get issued suddenly.
Drawdown dates move forward.
A solicitor asks for documents you thought were already done.
And all of a sudden, mortgage protection becomes urgent.
If that’s where you are now, take a breath.
In many cases, cover can still be arranged quickly. But how you approach it matters.
Can you get mortgage protection urgently?
Yes, sometimes you can.
Some insurers can issue mortgage protection very quickly once they receive a complete application, provided:
- You’re within non-medical limits
- You don’t have outstanding tests, referrals, or investigations
- There are no recent changes to medication or treatment
In straightforward cases, policies can still be issued within a day or two.
The mistake people make is assuming urgency means shortcuts. Insurers don’t work that way.
Why urgency increases risk
When time is tight, every small issue matters more.
If something needs clarification, there’s no buffer. If a medical report is required, you’re suddenly dependent on GP turnaround times. If information is incomplete, the file stalls.
This is where purchases get delayed, and in some cases, fall apart entirely.
Rushing the application doesn’t make insurers move faster. It just increases the chance that something gets flagged late in the process.
What usually slows mortgage protection down
The most common causes of delay are not dramatic. They’re everyday things.
- Disclosed health conditions that seem minor but need clarification
- Upcoming tests or referrals, even if precautionary
- Recent medication changes
- GP reports that take longer than expected to come back
None of these mean you won’t get cover. They just mean speed is no longer guaranteed.
What we do differently when time is tight
When mortgage protection is urgent, sequencing matters.
The first step is not applying.
It’s deciding where to apply.
Different insurers have different non-medical limits, turnaround times, and appetites for certain disclosures. Applying to the wrong one first can lock you into delays you didn’t need.
Our role in urgent cases is to:
- Assess whether fast issue is realistic
- Select the insurer with the best current turnaround for your profile
- Flag any disclosure that could cause a late-stage problem
- Submit the application cleanly, once, and correctly
Being accepted quickly is only a good outcome if it doesn’t cause bigger problems later.
If you know this might be an issue soon
If you’re not under pressure yet but expect to be, the safest move is to act early.
Mortgage protection can be put in place before contracts are signed. In many cases, that removes the entire stress from the closing phase.
This is especially important if you know a medical report is likely to be required.
The takeaway
Urgent mortgage protection is possible in the right circumstances.
The real risk isn’t that insurers move slowly. It’s that urgency leads to rushed decisions, incomplete disclosures, or applying to the wrong insurer first.
When time is tight, calm sequencing beats speed every time.
What to do next
If you need mortgage protection urgently, or you think you will shortly, the next step is to talk it through properly before applying.
Complete the questionnaire
Schedule a callback
Thanks for reading,
Nick
Editor’s note: This page focuses on timing, sequencing, and underwriting behaviour rather than guarantees of speed. Insurer turnaround times and non-medical limits change, but the risks created by urgent applications do not. Last reviewed and updated in 2026.
Written by Nick McGowan, QFA RPA APA
Nick is a qualified financial advisor and founder of Lion.ie, an independent Irish life insurance and income protection brokerage based in Tullamore. He’s been helping people get fair, transparent cover for over 15 years and was named Protection Broker of the Year 2022.
If you’d like straight answers without the sales pitch, learn more about Nick here.