'Right to be forgotten' for mortgage protection in place
New legislation in Ireland now mandates that insurers disregard past cancer diagnoses for mortgage protection insurance if the applicant has been in remission for at least five years. This 'Right to be Forgotten' law aims to remove financial barriers for cancer survivors.
Why it matters
This policy change represents a significant shift in consumer rights and social equity for individuals with a history of serious illness.
Agriculture & Consumer Affairs Correspondent
From today insurers are required by law to disregard a previous cancer diagnosis when assessing applications for mortgage protection insurance, provided the cancer survivor has completed active treatment and been in complete remission for at least five years.
The provisions under the new 'Right to be Forgotten' legislation apply to mortgage protection insurance for a principal private residence up to a value of €650,000.
Previously, cancer survivors faced barriers in obtaining cover when buying a home or switching their mortgage - even years after their treatment had ended.
However, since December 2023 some insurers have operated a voluntary code of conduct under which diagnoses were disregarded after seven years from treatment completion, or after five years where the person was under 18 at the time of diagnosis for mortgage protection insurance up to €500,000.
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