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10-second summary: Yes — you can still get Mortgage Protection in Ireland if you have a health condition. Some illnesses affect price or timelines, but very few stop you getting cover. The key is applying to the right insurer in the right order.
Editor’s note: First published in 2018 | Refreshed in 2025 with updated underwriting rules, GP report timelines, and insurer criteria for health-related mortgage protection applications.
Looking for more detail on how health issues affect mortgage protection?
Short answer: yes — most people can.
Mortgage Protection is the policy that clears your mortgage if you pass away before the loan is repaid. It’s legally required for residential mortgages in Ireland, so everyone has to get it.
The part people worry about is the health section of the application. Your health can affect pricing and the approval timeline — but in the vast majority of cases, it won’t stop you getting cover.
Some insurers are stricter with certain conditions (high BMI, diabetes, mental health, cardiac history). Others are far more flexible. If you apply to the wrong insurer first, you can end up with:
And unfortunately, a decline follows you to the next insurer — you must tick “yes” to having been declined, which can affect your chances with everyone else.
This is why the order you apply in matters more than the condition itself.
Banks only deal with one insurer. If their insurer isn’t friendly to your particular condition, you’re boxed in.
A broker checks all five insurers and chooses the one most understanding of your health history, giving you the best chance of approval at the lowest price.
So yes — having a health condition can affect the process, but it rarely prevents you getting a mortgage.
Look, having a health condition sucks. It just does.
But it shouldn’t affect your chance of owning a home.
In very rare cases, the insurer might decide the chance of a claim is too high and say no. More commonly, they’ll postpone the application until things stabilise.
The majority of people can still get Mortgage Protection — it just takes a bit more back-and-forth.
If you’re in the middle of a house purchase, this part is important:
If you’re slap-bang in the middle of the property buying process, sort your Mortgage Protection now.
If you have an offer accepted, complete this questionnaire right away.
In straightforward cases, we can arrange cover in less than a day. The process looks like this:
If you have a health issue, the insurer may need:
GP reports take, on average, 4–6 weeks in Ireland — some are quick, most are slower than a Tuesday after a bank holiday.
Once the insurer has everything, they make a decision. In most cases, you get approved — with or without a loading — and you can set up your Mortgage Protection and close on your house.
Got a question but can’t find the answer in our FAQs? Fill in this short form and we’ll get back to you, or call me on 057 93 20836.
Want me to check your chances of getting cover? Complete the quick health questionnaire and I’ll anonymously run your case past all 5 insurers.
Thanks for reading
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 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.
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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