New insurance code on cancer survivors' right to be forgotten takes effect

Muireann Duffy

The implementation of a new insurance code for cancer survivors has been welcomed by politicians and advocacy groups.

Insurance Ireland's new code for accessing mortgage insurance for people who have previously been diagnosed with cancer took effect on Wednesday, and will see the group's members disregard disclosed cancer diagnoses for which treatment ended beyond a certain period of time before the mortgage application was made.

In the case of survivors who were diagnosed as adults, their diagnosis will not be considered for the purposes of mortgage protection insurance if their treatment finished over seven years prior to them making their application. This period reduces to five years for survivors who were diagnosed before they turned 18.

Insurance Ireland said the code, which was announced earlier this year, will lead to a "faster, more streamlined process for impacted cancer survivors".

Welcoming the implementation of the code, Minister for Finance Michael McGrath and Minister of State for Financial Services Jennifer Carroll MacNeill said it is a "significant moment" for cancer survivors and their families who have experienced difficulties in securing mortgage protection insurance in the past.

Commending the Irish Cancer Society for its work on the matter, Mr McGrath said the code is a positive first step, adding that it must deliver the intended outcomes of improving access and customer experience for cancer survivors.