Guide · Specified Illness Cover
Specified Illness Cover in Ireland — the third leg of family protection.
Life cover protects the family if you die. Income protection replaces salary if you can't work. Specified Illness Cover (SIC) pays a one-off lump sum on diagnosis of a listed condition — so a serious illness doesn't force you to draw down on savings or sell the family home while you recover.
How a typical Irish SIC policy works
A lump sum (commonly €50,000–€200,000) is paid on diagnosis and survival of a defined period (usually 14 days). The money is tax-free and unrestricted — most claimants use it to clear short-term debts, pay for treatment outside the public system, or replace household income during a 12–24-month recovery.
Accelerated vs standalone
Accelerated SIC sits on top of a life policy and pays out on the first of the two events. It's the standard Irish setup because joint premiums are materially lower. Standalone SIC keeps the lump sum available even after a critical-illness claim — useful when life cover is already arranged separately (e.g. via mortgage protection).
Where it fits next to other Irish products
- Mortgage protection clears the home loan on death — does not pay on illness.
- Income protection replaces salary monthly while you're unable to work — but only after the deferred period (often 13–26 weeks).
- SIC bridges the early weeks and covers one-off costs no monthly benefit can absorb.
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