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ARTICLE · 25 AUGUST 2020

Case Review: Saunders V Irish Life Plc

Beale & Co
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In this article, Tara Cosgrove, Seán O'Halloran and Conor Williams review the judgment of the Irish High Court in Saunders v Irish Life, which was delivered on 24 June.

IrelandInsurance
Tara Cosgrove
Tara Cosgrove
Sean O'Halloran
Sean O'Halloran
Conor Williams (Trainee Solicitor)
Conor Williams (Trainee Solicitor)

Insurance - failure to disclose depression and illegal drug use permits life insurer to decline indemnity

Tara Cosgrove, Seán O'Halloran and Conor Williams review the judgment of the Irish High Court in Saunders v Irish Life Assurance plc [2020] IEHC 312 given 24 June 2020.

Summary

The plaintiff had jointly taken out a life assurance policy with her partner two years before the death of her partner. The defendant insurer declined to pay out on the plaintiff's claim in circumstances where it was alleged that the deceased had misrepresented his medical history (particularly concerning his use of illegal drugs) by failing to disclose these facts in an online pre-contract questionnaire.

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