Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Ellis for his remarks. There are some cases where a person getting a mortgage for a house may not require life cover but that does not apply in this case. In some cases it may be purchased with a higher cost.

I met representatives of Insurance Ireland today and raised this matter. The meeting was nicely timed because I had notice of the Deputy's matter. They told me there can be difficulties. There is no commitment but I suggest the Deputy or the people on whose behalf he speaks might contact Insurance Ireland directly as it might be able to help in looking around the market and find a company that the brokers did not come across. That is not to make any commitment but Insurance Ireland is aware of this issue in a very small number of cases. It is worth double-checking with the body whose representatives I met today.

If all else fails, the Deputy should know that if somebody feels aggrieved or feels they have been treated unfairly by a particular insurance provider, there is an option to make a complaint to the Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman, who acts as an independent arbitrator of disputes consumers may have with an insurance company or other financial services provider. That is also an option.

I know this takes time and it is not easy for the family involved. The only two suggestions I can make are to contact the ombudsman or Insurance Ireland directly. They may be able to help but these are the only avenues I can suggest because the Minister for Finance cannot direct individual insurance companies to issue particular policies to individual people. I thank the Deputy for raising the matter and I hope that in due course things will come right for the family.

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