Mortgage Protection · Irish Life
Irish Life Mortgage Protection in Ireland
Irish Life is one of the providers we can compare for your mortgage protection. Its plan offers single, dual and joint cover, optional specified illness cover and a quick application process. Below is what Irish Life says about the plan, so you can see whether it suits your mortgage.
Last reviewed by Debbie Cheevers, QFA, RPA · 22 October 2026
What Irish Life mortgage protection includes
Irish Life mortgage protection is a life insurance plan that helps pay off your mortgage if you die or, with the optional add-on, become seriously ill. Your cover decreases as the amount left on your mortgage decreases, and the lump sum goes to your mortgage lender.
- Single, dual or joint cover, to suit one borrower or a couple.
- Optional specified illness cover, which pays a lump sum you can use to repay your mortgage.
- Irish Life says 98.7% of death claims were paid, supporting almost 8,000 families with claims (Irish Life Assurance, 2025).
- Irish Life says 70% of applications are approved within 24 hours, subject to underwriting and documentation.
- Your payments stay the same, and you must keep paying to stay covered.
Single, dual or joint cover
The right basis depends on whether one or both of you are named on the mortgage.
Single
Pays if you die during the plan term.
Dual
Can pay twice: once if you die, and again if your partner also dies during the term.
Joint
Pays once if you or your partner dies during the term. The plan then ends.
Adding specified illness cover
Specified illness cover is an optional add-on to Irish Life mortgage protection. It pays a lump sum if you are diagnosed with one of the illnesses the plan covers, and you can use it to repay your mortgage.
- Full payment applies to 48 illnesses.
- Additional payments apply to a further 41 conditions.
- Whether a diagnosis is covered depends on the policy definition, so we check the terms with you before you apply.
Irish Life’s product page does not set out its conversion, increase or renewal options. We confirm those from the policy terms and conditions before you decide.
Is Irish Life the right fit?
Worth a closer look if
You are a couple and want dual cover that can pay twice, you want a wide list of conditions covered, or you want a quick decision on your application.
Check before you decide
Dual cover ends after the second claim, and joint cover ends after the first. Approval is subject to underwriting, and a plan can only be started up to age 74. We compare the price with other providers before you commit.
Compare Irish Life with other providers
Irish Life is one of several providers we can arrange mortgage protection with. For life insurance, we are whole-of-market: we have agency agreements with all life companies in Ireland, so we can compare every option for you. See how the others differ:
- Royal London – a choice of interest rate options and optional serious illness cover
- New Ireland – flexible Life Choice Home plans and a convertible option
- Zurich – a convertible option and partner cover on one policy
- Aviva – optional specified illness cover and a second medical opinion service
- Our mortgage protection guide – how it works, who needs it and what affects the cost
We work with Ireland’s leading life & pension companies
Frequently asked questions
How many illnesses does Irish Life specified illness cover include?
Irish Life says its optional specified illness cover pays in full for 48 illnesses and makes additional payments for a further 41 conditions. The policy definitions decide whether a particular diagnosis is covered.
What is the difference between single, dual and joint cover?
Single cover protects one person. Dual cover can pay twice, once for each death. Joint cover pays once, on the first death, and then the plan ends.
Where does the payout go?
Irish Life says the lump sum goes to the mortgage lender.
How old can I be to start a plan?
You can start an Irish Life mortgage protection plan up to age 74, subject to meeting the underwriting criteria.
How quickly can I get approved?
Irish Life says 70% of applications are approved within 24 hours, subject to underwriting and documentation. Your own timing depends on your health and the information needed, so we recommend applying well before drawdown.
What happens if I stop paying?
Your payments stay the same, and you must keep paying to stay covered. If you do not keep up your payments, you may lose your cover.
See how Irish Life compares for your mortgage
Talk to a Greenway adviser for free. We will compare Irish Life against the other providers we arrange cover with, and set it up so your cover is in place for drawdown.