Editor’s note: First published November 2022 | Refreshed November 2025 with updated insurer examples and occupational loading data.
Quick summary: Work at heights, offshore, or underground? You can still get life insurance and mortgage protection — you’ll just pay a bit more. Here’s what insurers look for and how to keep costs sane.
Picture this: I’m at home in my jammies, tea in hand, ignoring the kids (as usual) when an email pings in.
“Hi Nick, I’ve been enjoying the blog and think you’re the guy who can help me. My occupation is dangerous. Can you get me covered? — James B.”
I’ve seen Mr and Mrs Smith, so I assumed James was an assassin. I politely declined, hid behind the couch, and waited for the laser sight to fade.
Turns out he was a Tunnel Boring Machine Operator — which is somewhere between “007” and “PowerPoint engineer.”
Anyway, enough waffle.
Let’s dig into life insurance for people whose jobs involve more risk than clicking “Reply”
There are two types of dangerous jobs: the Hollywood kind (bank robber, ninja, assassin) and the insurance kind — far less sexy, way more spreadsheety. Farmers, abattoir workers, and even dentists can land on the underwriter’s “hmm” list.
Insurers price risk based on how predictable your life looks. A 40-year-old marketing exec with no health issues? Predictable.
A 40-year-old underwater photographer? Less so. Cue a small loading.
Imagine a room full of people who love spreadsheets and rub their chins a great deal.
They’re not thrilled by danger or heroics — they just want tidy numbers and predictable lives.
Hand them clean safety certs and they’ll nod approvingly. Tell them you improvise with a hard hat and optimism, and suddenly they’re adding a mysterious “+50 % loading.”
Yes — about 99 % of people in risky occupations can still get cover.
The 1 % exception is for the actual lion tamers 🦁
A risky job doesn’t mean a refusal; it just nudges the premium north compared with Miháwl from Accounts who never leaves his desk.
Exact loadings vary, but here’s a rough guide based on current insurer data:
Real-world story: One of my clients in Cork works offshore on a wind farm. Insurers labeled him “risk class 3,” so we expected a loading. But because his health was spotless and his training records looked like something out of NASA, one insurer offered standard rates. Proof that preparation pays off.
It’s not personal — it’s maths.
Actuaries crunch the numbers; underwriters apply them. If they decide your odds of claiming are higher than average, you pay more. Cold logic, but that’s how they keep the skyscrapers warm.
Even if you follow every health and safety rule, there’s always a Moe, Larry and Curly in your industry doing something daft — and you’re helping fund their future claim.
Here’s a taste of roles that tend to raise underwriter eyebrows:
Of course, danger isn’t limited to your nine-to-five. If your weekends involve scuba tanks, motorbikes, or skydiving, check out our full guide to Life Insurance for Risky Hobbies. It explains how insurers treat thrill-seekers compared to people in high-risk jobs.
Income Protection is the toughest nut to crack.
The more dangerous your job, the less likely you’ll qualify — or you’ll pay through the nose.
Insurers use risk classes (1 = lowest, 4 = highest). Most manual or outdoor roles land in 3 or 4, meaning higher cost or limited choice.
That same wind-farm client who got standard life rates? He had to pay extra for income protection. The logic is simple: a slipped disc on a turbine is more likely than for someone sitting in a swivel chair.
Serious Illness Cover is a bit friendlier.
You’ll usually get it, but the insurer may exclude job-related injuries — for example, roofers might lose permanent disability cover. Each insurer handles this differently, so shopping around matters hugely.
Myth 1: “No insurer will touch me.”
You’d be surprised. The trick isn’t finding an insurer that likes your job — it’s finding one that doesn’t panic about it.
Myth 2: “They’ll double my premium just for wearing a hard hat.”
Not unless your idea of PPE is flip-flops and hope. Most people only see a small loading if they’ve got proper training and no recent mishaps.
Myth 3: “Sure I’ll just keep quiet about the dangerous bits.”
Grand… until the claim gets binned faster than yesterday’s breakfast roll. Honesty’s cheaper in the long run.
It’s rare but happens. That’s where a broker earns their corn — knowing which insurer to try next. I can’t work miracles (lion tamers, still no luck), but I can usually find a home for most occupations that involve a hard hat or safety harness.
Got a high-risk job? I can help you get the best quote without the joy of pressing 1 for sales and 2 for “still waiting.” I already know which insurers are best for your occupation.
🎯 Ready to see what it’ll cost?
Fill in my financial questionnaire and I’ll shop around while you get back to doing what you do
Or book a callback here for a quick chat — no hold music, just straight talk.
Thanks for reading,
Nick McGowan – QFA RPA APA | Life Insurance Broker of the Year 2022
About Nick →
As Ireland's leading life insurance broker, we specialise in comparing the rates and policies from the top five Irish life insurance providers and offering the very best value quotes to suit the individual needs of our clients. Our expertise lies in finding a suitable insurance plan for those with specific needs, be it a particular illness, occupation or claim history, we've got you covered in every sense!
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