Get matched with Serious Illness cover that’s right for you
Our free broker service can find serious illness cover tailored to your needs.
Enter your desired cover amount
This amount will be paid out if you are diagnosed with a specified serious illness.
Bonkers Money Limited, trading as bonkers, is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland.
Our partners
Apply for serious illness cover from Aviva, Irish Life, New Ireland, Royal London Ireland and Zurich Life.
How to get serious illness cover
bonkers.ie makes it easy to compare and apply for serious illness cover in Ireland.
Tell us the cover you require
Tell us about you
Compare quotes & apply
What you need to get started
Knowledge of the amount of cover you require
Information on any additional persons
Your contact details
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Applying for a policy on bonkers.ie is completely free. When you switch with us, we receive a commission from the provider.
bonkers.ie is always 100% impartial, so these agreements don’t affect the results or information you see.
We're regulated
Bonkers Money Limited, trading as bonkers.ie, is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland. This has been the case since 2013.
This reflects our continued commitment to providing impartial and accurate financial advice, information and services.
Things to consider
Types of cover
- There are three main types of cover available:
- Single: Covers one person
- Joint: Covers two people with one payout
- Dual: Covers two people and pays out twice
Indexation and conversion
Cooling off period
You can cancel your policy within 14 days without penalty.
This is known as the cooling off period. Check the terms and conditions for information on potential fees.
Industry recognised broker
bonkers.ie is the winner of two categories at the Broker Expert Awards, run by Brokers Ireland.This exemplifies our unwavering commitment to excellent customer service.
EXPERT TIP
Great for mortgage holders
In my opinion, serious illness cover provides a great safety net, especially for mortgage holders. Adding it to your mortgage protection policy ensures your home is safe in the event of a specified diagnosis.
My advice to those considering doing this is simple – don’t smoke. €100,000 in specified illness cover added to a standard mortgage protection policy will cost almost €33,000 more for smokers than non-smokers over the lifetime of the policy.
Daragh Cassidy
Consumer Expert at
As featured on
Your questions, answered
What is critical illness cover?
Critical illness cover, also known as serious illness or specified illness cover, is an insurance policy that pays you a tax-free lump sum if you're diagnosed with one of the illnesses listed in your policy. This financial benefit can help cover medical costs, adapt your home or support your family's living expenses upon diagnosis.
Is serious illness cover worth it in Ireland?
For many in Ireland, serious illness cover is definitely worth considering. It provides financial security against the unexpected such as a cancer diagnosis or heart attack. This ensures that you can focus on your health without worrying about lost income or mounting bills.
Does critical illness cover differ from life insurance?
While both offer financial protection, critical illness cover pays a lump sum upon the diagnosis of a specified serious illness even if you recover. On the other hand, life insurance pays out a sum to your beneficiaries only upon your death. They serve different but complementary purposes.
What is the waiting period for critical illness insurance?
Most critical illness insurance policies include a waiting period. It's the minimum time that must pass before you can make a claim or receive a payout from your insurer to stop people from trying to claim for pre-existing conditions. The waiting period can be found in the policy documents.
Which critical illness policy is best for me?
The "best" critical illness policy depends on your individual needs and budget. It’s important to compare different options to consider the cover amount, the specific illnesses covered and any add-ons. You can compare critical illness insurance policies easily on bonkers.ie to find the right fit for your circumstances.
Why use bonkers.ie as your serious illness broker?
Our insurance advisors will explain the benefits and details of each policy on the market and match the most suitable one to you, all for free. This is included as part of our free broker service offered for a range of products including protection insurance and mortgages. Get a free serious illness Insurance quote.
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