What is Mortgage Protection?

Mortgage protection (MP) is an insurance policy against anyone named on a mortgage passing away. In the event that this were to happen then the balance on the mortgage is repaid in full. Unlike Life Insurance, mortgage protection coverage decreases as the balance on your mortgage decreases.

MP is compulsory for anyone taking a mortgage in Ireland. All Banks will request that you have it in place before you can get the mortgage. The reason for this is that in the event that anything were to happen to you (or your partner) that the mortgage would get repaid in full. This is valuable to the Bank and you and your family.

Why is Mortgage Protection Insurance Important?

MP insurance is essential because it protects homeowners from being left with monthly mortgage payments in the event that their partner on the mortgage were to pass away. If you didn’t have mortgage protection and you were to pass away it could leave your children with the mortgage debt and the risk of the Bank repossessing the property.
Mortgage protection insurance can also provide peace of mind knowing that, in the event of the worst happening – you are covered.

Benefits of Mortgage Protection Insurance

• Financial Security: The most significant benefit of mortgage protection insurance is that it provides financial security to your estate / dependents.

• Customizable Coverage: MP needs to at least match the amount and duration of your mortgage. Say you have a €400k mortgage over 30 years – then this is the amount the mortgage protection needs to be for

• Affordable: MP insurance is relatively affordable compared to other insurance policies. Monthly premiums are usually low, making it a cost-effective way to protect your home.

• Flexibility: MP insurance can be added at any time during the life of the mortgage. Homeowners can add it as an add-on to an existing life insurance policy or purchase a standalone policy. You can also cancel the policy if you repay your mortgage early.

What’s the difference between Mortgage Protection and Life Insurance

MP declines in line with the amount of money remaining on your mortgage. It tends to be cheaper than life insurance as it declines over time so the risk reduces for the insurer as you pay down your mortgage

Life Insurance is for a fixed amount and doesn’t decrease over time. The benefit of Life Insurance over MP is that you can use it instead of mortgage protection (you assign it to the Bank) and any balance above the outstanding mortgage amount is paid to your estate.

As an example – if you take out mortgage protection policy for €400k over 30 years and you were to pass away after 15 years with say €200k remaining on the mortgage. In this case the policy would pay €200k – to the Bank – the mortgage is clear but your estate doesn’t get anything additional.

With life insurance, you would have taken out €400k cover and 15 years in you would still have €400k of coverage – so the Bank would get €200k and your estate would get €200k. Its more valuable to you but will be more expensive as a result. We would encourage clients to look at life insurance Vs MP and we can advise what is best for them
In conclusion, MP insurance is an essential insurance policy for homeowners. It provides financial security, peace of mind, customizable coverage, affordability, and flexibility. If you are a homeowner, it’s important to consider MP insurance to protect your investment in your home and your family.

For more information please contact Pangea and we will be happy to discuss further.