By Staff Reporter

Cancer remained the leading cause of death and illness in Dublin during 2015. 

That’s according to the annual claims report recently published by one of Ireland’s biggest life insurance companies. 

Over €44m was paid out in life insurance and specified illness claims in the county last year by Irish Life, with cancer accounting for 44 per cent of such claims.

These figures are part of an overall national analysis of the illnesses and conditions that led to payments of over €204m to 5,500 customers and their families affected by illness and death during 2015.

The Irish Life report says €34.4m was paid out for 559 life insurance claims in Dublin, with a further €10.5m for 174 specified illness claims.

Cancer was again the main cause of both life insurance (40%) and specified illness claims (59%), while heart related conditions accounted for 11 per cent of deaths and 20 per cent of specified illnesses.

The average age of life insurance claims in Dublin was 65 years, while the average of those with specified illness claims was 52.

Commenting on the data, Irish Life Retail managing director Gerry Hassett said that the scale of claims paid out in 2015 highlighted how important it is for people to protect themselves and their families. 

“When you consider that we paid out an average of almost €4m a week to people and families affected by illness and death, and that 40 per cent of our specified illness claims were to people under 50 years of age, it really shows how insurance can help ease the financial burden for families at difficult times,” he said.

The report also highlighted that many people diagnosed with a terminal illness may not realise that they may be eligible to claim some or all of their life insurance benefits before they die. 

Irish Life says it paid 95 per cent of all claims it received in 2015, and that most of the small number of claims it declined were due to non-disclosure of medical information or the illnesses not being covered.