Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

As I indicated earlier, the Government is examining this matter to see what is being done in other European jurisdictions and how we might do something similar here in the Irish context. Officials from the Department of Finance have met with Insurance Ireland on this. They will also be willing to meet with the Irish Cancer Society to pursue it further.

Insurance Ireland advises that life insurance must be underwritten on a case-by-case basis, and that different types of cancers present different types of risk of recurrence, which has to be reflected in its underwriting practices. Insurers use statistical, medical and actuarial data to make underwriting decisions to ensure the terms and conditions of insurance are appropriate and that they are in the interest of all policyholders. Any rating that may be applied is usually time-bound. Generally speaking, subject to no further complications, a rating would apply for no longer than ten years.

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