Date set for ‘right to be forgotten’ law
Key provisions in legislation to ensure that certain insurance products cannot discriminate against cancer survivors are to come into effect on 15 October.
The new laws, known as the ‘Right to be forgotten’ legislation, are to ensure that cancer survivors can access products such as mortgage-protection insurance on fair and equitable terms.
Under the Insurance (Disregard of Certain Medical History and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2026, insurers must disregard cancer-related medical history when a person applies for mortgage-protection insurance where:
- The applicant has completed active cancer treatment for five years,
- The applicant has been in complete remission for five years,
- The application relates to mortgage-protection insurance for the applicant’s principal private residence, and
- The amount of cover sought is up to €650,000, with normal underwriting applying above that threshold.
The Government says that the act puts important consumer protections on a statutory footing for the first time, moving from the existing voluntary code of dractice to a statutory framework that provides greater certainty, consistency, and protection for cancer survivors.
Barriers
“People who have come through cancer have continued to face barriers when buying a home, switching a mortgage, or seeking security for their families, even years after their treatment had ended,” said Tánaiste and Minister for Finance Simon Harris.
“From 15 October, that will change,” he added.
Robert Troy (Minister of State with responsibility for insurance) could not undo what some families had been through – including his own family.
“However, it can remove an unjust obstacle. It can give people a meaningful chance to plan, to build, and to move forward with confidence and optimism,” he added.
The act also includes technical changes to the Insurance Acts 1936 and 1964 linked to the winding-up of insurers and reinsurers.