10-second summary: Many people can still get life insurance or mortgage protection after a stroke or TIA in Ireland. The outcome depends on the type of stroke, how long ago it occurred, and how well things have stabilised. Applying in the wrong order can make an already sensitive situation harder than it needs to be.
Can you still get cover after a stroke?
In many cases, yes.
Having had a stroke or TIA does not automatically rule you out of life insurance or mortgage protection in Ireland. We help people with this history every year.
That said, stroke is something insurers take seriously, and the details matter.
Two people with “a stroke” on paper can be treated very differently depending on what actually happened and how things look now.
The key is understanding how insurers assess risk — and applying in the right way, to the right insurer, at the right time.
First, a quick clarification
A stroke and a TIA (often called a mini-stroke) are related, but they are not the same thing in underwriting terms.
A TIA involves a temporary interruption of blood flow to the brain, with symptoms resolving fully within 24 hours.
A stroke involves lasting damage.
That distinction can have a big impact on what cover is possible.
How insurers assess applications after a stroke or TIA
When an insurer looks at an application involving a stroke or TIA, they are usually trying to answer a few core questions.
Age at the time of the stroke
Age matters more than people expect.
Counter-intuitively, the younger you are when you have a stroke, the more cautious insurers tend to be.
Strokes are statistically unusual in younger people. So when one occurs at a younger age, insurers worry more about underlying causes, recurrence risk, and what that might mean over a long policy term.
This is particularly true for men under 40.
In younger applicants, insurers will look much harder at what caused the stroke, whether there are any unresolved risk factors, and whether the event was fully explained or remains unexplained.
By contrast, a stroke later in life, with clear causes and good recovery, can sometimes be easier to assess from an underwriting point of view.
Type of event
Ischaemic strokes (caused by a blockage) are assessed differently to haemorrhagic strokes (caused by a bleed and usually more serious).
TIA cases are usually assessed separately again.
How long ago it happened
Recent events are more difficult to insure.
If a stroke or TIA occurred within the last number of months, insurers will often postpone a decision to allow time for recovery and follow-up.
Residual symptoms
Insurers will want to know whether there are any lasting neurological effects, and if so, how significant they are.
Underlying causes and risk factors
Things like blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, smoking history, heart rhythm issues and medication are known as “risk factors” and they all matter. Well-controlled risk factors help. Poorly controlled ones make getting cover harder.
Number of events
One isolated event is very different to multiple strokes or repeated TIAs.
What is usually possible — and what isn’t
Every case is assessed individually, but in broad terms:
- Life insurance and mortgage protection are often possible after a stroke or TIA, usually with a premium loading (price increase)
- Recent or severe cases may be postponed until things stabilise.
- Serious illness cover and income protection are much harder to arrange and are often declined, though this is not always absolute.
This is exactly why applying blindly can be risky. A refusal can make it harder to get cover eslewhere because you will have to disclose that decision to the next insurer you apply to
The mistake that causes the most problems
The most common issue we see isn’t the medical history itself.
It’s applying too quickly, to the wrong insurer, with incomplete context.
Once an application is formally declined, other insurers will ask about it. That can limit options that might otherwise have been available.
This is why we speak to underwriters informally first, without names attached, before any application goes in.
If you already have cover with a loading
If your stroke or TIA was many years ago and your health has remained stable, it can sometimes make sense to review existing cover.
We regularly see people still paying premiums based on risk that no longer reflects their current situation.
What to do before applying
If you’ve had a stroke or TIA and are thinking about life insurance or mortgage protection, the safest approach is:
- don’t rush into an online application,
- gather the key medical details first,
- and get clarity on what’s realistically achievable before anything is submitted.
This isn’t about delaying for the sake of it. It’s about protecting your options.
Next step
If you’d like us to assess your situation properly, the simplest next step is to complete the medical questionnaire below.
We’ll review it, speak to underwriters anonymously where appropriate, and come back to you with a clear picture of what’s possible before any formal application is made.
Nick
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 navigate complex medical underwriting 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.