Cancer still main cause of claims for life insurance

Cancer remains the main cause of claims for life insurance and serious illness cover, Irish Life says. The life assurance company paid out a total of €168m in claims last year.

Cancer accounted for more than half of life insurance claims for females and 41% for males. Heart-related conditions accounted for double the level of claims for males as for females.

Breast and prostate cancer were the main types of cancer claims made to Irish Life in 2013. Breast cancer accounted for more than 50% of all specified illness cover claims, while the corresponding figure for prostate cancer was 34% for men.