Cancer survivors applying for qualifying mortgage protection in Ireland gain a statutory right to have their cancer-related medical history disregarded from Thursday, 15 October 2026. The change concerns insurance connected with a person’s main home; it does not create an automatic entitlement to a mortgage or to every type of life cover. [1][2]

Part 2 of the Insurance (Disregard of Certain Medical History and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2026 starts today under the commencement order. For prospective buyers, the most useful starting point is the law’s two separate five-year requirements, rather than the shorthand phrase “right to be forgotten”. [1][2]

Two dates must qualify

Section 5 requires an applicant to have completed active cancer treatment at least five years before applying and to have been in complete remission for at least five years before applying. Meeting one of those tests alone is insufficient. [1]

The Act’s definition of active treatment excludes anti-hormonal medicines and preventative treatment intended to reduce recurrence risk after active treatment ends. That does not allow an applicant to decide their own medical status: the law expressly permits an insurer to request reasonably necessary information, including an oncologist’s confirmation concerning remission. [1]

The home and cover limit matter

The protection concerns a property that is, or will be, the applicant’s principal private residence. The statutory disregard applies to mortgage protection cover up to €650,000; an insurer’s underwriting process applies to the portion above that amount. Other medical conditions unrelated to the cancer history may still be considered. [1]

Royal London Ireland’s applicant guidance also distinguishes qualifying mortgage protection from personal life cover or cover for an investment-property mortgage. Its guidance tells applicants to answer application questions fully, including questions about cancer, even where the disregard applies. “Forgotten” should therefore not be read as permission to leave information out. [3]

Questions to bring to the application

Before completing a form, ask the insurer or a regulated broker which product is being applied for, whether it is connected to the main home, and what evidence is required for both relevant dates. For cover above the ceiling, ask how the protected amount and the excess will be assessed. Keep the written response with the application documents.

A change in the rules is also different from a decision on an existing policy. Do not assume that an existing contract or premium has automatically changed, or cancel cover on the basis of a headline. Obtain an explanation of the available options first.

The Act requires the insurer to notify an applicant of its decision in writing and give reasons where an application is refused. This article explains the general framework; individual eligibility, underwriting and policy choices need advice based on the applicant’s circumstances. [1]