Cancer survivors to get insurance ‘right to be forgotten’ from 15 October

What the new rules mean for cancer survivors

The Journal reported that the so-called 'right to be forgotten' has been sought for years by patients, their families and campaigners, who argued it was unfair for insurers to weigh a cancer diagnosis long after a person had entered remission.

Under the legislation, insurers will be required to disregard cancer-related medical history where an applicant has completed active cancer treatment five years ago and has been in complete remission for five years.

The application must relate to mortgage protection insurance cover of up to €650,000 on the applicant's principal private residence.

We're talking about a a threshold that matters in a market where mortgage rules for first-time buyers are already stretched.

In 2023, Insurance Ireland announced a code of practice under which insurers should disregard cancer diagnoses where treatment had ended more than seven years before an application, or five years where the person was under 18 at diagnosis.

From October, the five-year standard becomes a statutory obligation rather than an industry commitment.

Tánaiste Dimon Harris described the legislation as "a major milestone in delivering statutory protections for cancer survivors."

For people in remission who have been quoted punitive premiums or refused cover outright, the change strips away one of the last financial penalties of a diagnosis.

A familiar frustration for Irish patients who have had to fight for funding for their own care.

The rules apply to applications made from 15 October onwards.