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Editor’s note: First published February 2016 | Fully rebuilt in 2026 to reflect how underwriting and claims actually work in Ireland today.
Most people don’t set out to lie on a life insurance application.
They guess, forget something small, or answer quickly just to get it done.
That’s usually where the problem starts.
And unfortunately, insurers don’t judge based on intention, they judge based on what was disclosed.
Buying a house in Ireland is hard enough as it is.
You’ve saved the deposit, jumped through the bank’s hoops, and then a mortgage protection form suddenly feels like it could derail the whole thing.
Sometimes it’s not even a “lie” in the obvious sense.
It might be:
And you’re thinking… does this really matter?
I get it.
The issue isn’t that insurers are trying to catch you out — it’s that their definition of “relevant” is much wider than yours.
That’s where people get caught out.
A lot of people don’t see it as lying at the time.
It’s more like:
I’ll just get the policy in place now and sort it out properly later.
I see this all the time.
The intention is usually to come back and fix it properly once everything settles.
But in reality, that almost never happens.
You move into your new home, get lost in IKEA, and life moves on.
The policy gets filed away and the next time it’s looked at again is when there’s a claim.
And by then, it’s too late to fix.
This is the toughest situation.
You’ve been declined a few times, you’re nearly there with the house, and it starts to feel like everything is riding on this one final application.
I’ve had people say to me:
“I feel like this is my last shot — if I don’t get this, we lose the house.”
Or even:
“My partner thinks I’ve messed this up already.”
That pressure is real and it’s usually when people are most tempted to leave something out or “tidy up” an answer.
But this is exactly the point where it matters most to get it right.
Because if the final application is wrong as well, it doesn’t just risk a decline — it risks getting a policy that won’t pay out when it’s actually needed.
It’s worth asking yourself one simple question.
Is getting a house you couldn’t comfortably afford on one income worth the risk of leaving your family with a mortgage they can’t manage?
That’s not a judgement, it’s just the trade-off.
Because if a policy is based on incorrect information, the protection you’re relying on might not be there when it’s needed.
And at that point, there’s no way to fix it.
Life insurance is priced and approved based on risk.
If key information is missing or inaccurate, the insurer can argue that they made a decision based on incomplete facts.
That opens the door to a higher premium (if picked up early), cancellation, or worst case, a claim refusal.
That last one is the real risk that you only discover when it matters.
In Ireland, insurers don’t operate in isolation.
If you apply and get:
That usually has to be disclosed on your next application.
Which means the first insurer you apply to matters a lot more than people think.
We regularly see cases where someone applies directly or through a bank, gets declined, and suddenly their options with other insurers narrow, even though a better decision might have been possible if it was handled differently first time.
This is why applying quickly or “just to see what happens” can backfire.
That’s the fear, but it’s not how it usually plays out.
Most disclosures don’t lead to outright declines.
More commonly, insurers will:
A more expensive policy that actually pays out is far better than a cheap one that doesn’t.
If mortgage protection isn’t possible, you can also explore a waiver with your lender.
Sometimes people assume insurers won’t check.
In reality, most checks happen at claim stage.
They can request:
If those records don’t line up with your application, that’s when problems arise.
Say you shave a few kilos off your weight to improve your BMI.
You get standard rates.
Happy days.
Years later, there’s a claim.
The insurer reviews your GP file.
If your actual BMI at the time was materially higher, they can argue the policy was issued on incorrect information.
That’s how claims get declined.
And that’s the difference between a cleared mortgage and your family trying to deal with the bank.
Irish Life paid 99% of death claims in 2025.
The main reason claims are not paid is material non-disclosure.
Example:
A policy was issued based on clear answers.
At claim stage, it emerged the person had been referred to a cardiologist at the time of application.
If disclosed, cover would not have been offered.
The claim (over €150,000) was declined.
If you’re unsure about anything on your application, don’t guess.
Tell us exactly what’s going on and we’ll figure out:
This is especially important if:
Handled properly, many of these situations are still insurable.
Be honest on your application.
And if something’s niggling at you, get advice before you submit anything.
Because once an application goes in, you don’t always get a clean second chance and sometimes you don’t get one at all.
Complete the questionnaire here or book a quick call.
We’ll tell you straight what your options are.
Written by Nick McGowan, QFA RPA APA
Nick is a qualified financial advisor and founder of Lion.ie, a multi-agency Irish life insurance and income protection brokerage based in Tullamore.
He’s been helping people secure 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.
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