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10-second summary: You can still get life insurance or mortgage protection if you’re living with HIV in Ireland — often at normal rates if your viral load is undetectable and your treatment stable. Some insurers are simply more understanding than others.
Editor’s note: First published April 2016 | Refreshed November 2025 with updated reinsurer guidelines, current Irish statistics and latest underwriting criteria for HIV life cover.
For decades, HIV was a ruthless killer that devastated communities.
Thankfully, things have changed.
Treatments are more effective, life expectancy is normal, and in Ireland, around 8,000 people are living well with HIV.
If you’re one of them, you might now be thinking about buying a home or getting life insurance — the kind of milestones everyone reaches eventually.
Let’s look at what that means when it comes to mortgage protection and life insurance in Ireland today.
Probably — but not always.
Insurers still see HIV as higher risk because it can affect life expectancy. That means you’ll likely pay more than someone without the condition.
But the days of sky-high loadings are fading fast. Modern treatment has changed everything. If your viral load is undetectable and your CD4 count is solid, the difference in cost can be surprisingly small — and in some cases, you can even get standard rates.
When the insurer looks at your application, they’re really asking one question: how well is your HIV managed?
They’ll read your GP’s notes, check your latest results, and look for consistency — steady treatment, good follow-ups, and no other major health issues. If you’re doing all the right things, you’re giving them every reason to say yes.
And if one insurer still turns you down or quotes something ridiculous, don’t lose heart. Others will view your application differently — it’s just about knowing who’s more open-minded. That’s where a broker like me earns their keep.
Yes — in most cases. But as with everything insurance-related, it depends.
If your HIV is well controlled, your viral load is undetectable, and your overall health is solid, cover is absolutely possible. Underwriters look for consistency — regular medication, stable results, and a good relationship with your GP or specialist. They’ll also want to see normal liver and kidney function and no other major conditions on top of HIV.
For people recently diagnosed, insurers sometimes hit pause for a year so they can see how treatment settles in. But that’s not a “no” — it’s just a “not yet.” I’ve helped clients who were initially deferred come back 12 months later and get approved at fair rates.
It wasn’t long ago that someone with HIV couldn’t get life cover at all. Now, most major insurers in Ireland will consider it, and the gap in pricing keeps shrinking every year.
If you’re buying a home, you’ll need mortgage protection — not a full life insurance policy. (I’ve explained the difference here.)
What matters most in your case is how each insurer views HIV.
Some still take a cautious approach, while others will happily offer standard terms once your treatment is stable and your CD4 count looks good.
If you already have a policy, it’s worth reviewing it — older contracts often had short 5- or 10-year terms, but insurers are far more flexible now.
If you’re buying a home, mortgage protection isn’t optional — but you do have a choice about where to get it. The bank will happily sell you a policy, but they only deal with one insurer. Go through a broker, and we can put your case in front of every insurer in Ireland to see who’s most understanding.
That’s how you save both time and money.
When someone living with HIV gets in touch with me, we start with the basics: the cover you need, your age, job, and health. Then we talk through your treatment — how long you’ve been on medication, your latest CD4 results, that kind of thing. It’s personal, sure, but it’s handled with complete confidentiality and no names attached when I speak to underwriters.
Once I have the details, I’ll present your case to my panel. If they’re happy, you’ll get an indicative quote and we can move ahead.
The key is to start the process early so we have time to find the right insurer before you sign contracts.
No. Instead, the insurer will simply write to your GP for a report on your medical history.
What they really want to see is that you’re staying on top of your treatment — taking your medication, going for check-ups, and keeping in touch with your specialist. That’s what gives them confidence your condition is under control.
Think of it this way: control is everything. You can have great results on paper, but if you haven’t seen your consultant in over a year and a half, the insurer won’t have enough recent information to make a decision. Stay engaged in your care, and you’ll make life insurance that bit easier to secure.
There’s no simple answer — every application is underwritten on its own merits.
Your premium depends on how well your HIV is managed, your age, overall health, and which insurer is looking at your file. Some will be more cautious than others, which is why it’s so important to have someone who knows which company to approach first.
Example:
We placed his policy with an insurer that offered cover for €87 per month — roughly a 150 % loading on the standard rate. The next best insurer quoted €121 for a shorter 25-year term.
That’s a big difference for the same person, which shows how much it matters to deal with the right insurer from the start.
If you have HIV and took out a life insurance or mortgage protection policy before 2013, you should review your cover for two reasons:
Research by a UK insurer found that many HIV-positive policyholders between 2009 and 2013 received 5- to 10-year terms. By 2017, average terms increased to 19 years, with the longest reaching 25 years. Irish underwriting follows a similar path.
In the past, only one Irish insurer offered cover. Now, most do — and competition means better prices and longer cover periods.
Yes, sometimes. The reinsurers issued new guidelines recently. If you’re 40–59 and your HIV control is exemplary, we can often get favourable or even standard terms.
Other age brackets also see lower premiums than before. Reinsurers now understand how well you’re monitored, and that close follow-up can reduce overall risk compared with the general population.
Still very much case-by-case, though.
If you have a short-term policy (5–10 years) from 2009–2013, it’s probably expiring soon. Re-applying now can lock in a longer term and prevent price hikes if your health changes later. Remember, once your policy is in place, your premium can’t increase even if your health declines.
Absolutely not. Your health is locked in when you take out your policy, so you don’t have to disclose any future issues — your cover continues regardless.
Generally no. Only large-sum policies may require blood tests, including HIV, or if you’ve recently visited a high-prevalence country. The insurer covers the cost.
Honestly, there’s no single “best” insurer for HIV — it all depends on your situation.
One insurer might take one look at your application and say, “Sure, no problem,” while another might load the price or even decline. That’s not because one’s good and one’s bad — it’s just that their reinsurers (the big international companies who insure the insurers) set different guidelines.
That’s why I don’t send every client to the same insurer.
If you go straight to the wrong insurer, you might get hit with a big loading or, worse, a decline that follows you around.
If you go through a broker who knows which doors to knock on, you give yourself the best shot at fair, affordable cover.
So the short answer? The best insurer is the one who says “yes” — on the best terms — and my job is to find out who that is for you.
Thinking about cover but not sure if it’s possible?
Complete our confidential HIV Life Insurance Questionnaire and I’ll quietly check with my underwriters — no names attached, no commitments, and no awkward phone calls.
It’s the safest way to find out where you stand before applying.
We’re the experts at getting clients covered with a health issue.
We understand you have privacy concerns, and we respect this. All discussions with underwriters are strictly no-name and confidential.
If you’d like me to investigate whether cover is possible and get you an indicative quote before you apply, complete the HIV questionnaire and I’ll speak with my panel in strict confidence.
If you’re happy with the indicative terms, we’ll help you arrange your cover.
Ok, that was a whopper — if you got this far, kudos!
Thanks for reading,
Nick
PS: If you know someone who would find this article helpful, please share it with them. Thank you!
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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