Mortgage Protection booklet - Irish Life

• Neurological signs occurring without symptomatic abnormality, e.g.
brisk reflexes without other symptoms.
• Symptoms of psychological or psychiatric origin.
In simpler terms:
A benign brain tumour is a non-cancerous but abnormal growth of tissue.
It can be very serious as the growth may be pressing on areas of the
brain.
These growths can be life-threatening and may have to be removed
by surgery. Other conditions that are not usually life-threatening are
specifically excluded. The pituitary is a small gland at the base of the
brain, and an angioma is a benign growth made up of small blood
vessels.
You can claim if you are diagnosed as having a benign brain tumour of
the brain and have had surgery to have it removed or are suffering from
permanent neurological deficit as a result of the tumour. Examples of
tumours covered include gliomas, acoustic neuromas and meningiomas.
Neurological symptoms must be permanent. We do not cover tumours
or lesions in the pituitary gland.
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6. Benign spinal cord tumour – resulting in
permanent symptoms or requiring surgery
Plan definition:
A non-malignant tumour of the spinal canal or spinal cord, causing
pressure and/or interfering with the function of the spinal cord which
requires surgery or results in permanent neurological deficit with
persisting clinical symptoms*. The diagnosis must be made by a
Consultant Neurologist or Neurosurgeon and must be supported by CT,
MRI or histopathological evidence.
For the above definition, the following are not covered:
• Angiomas.
The requirement for permanent neurological deficit will be waived if the
benign spinal cord tumour is removed by invasive surgery or treated by
stereotatic radiosurgery.
*”permanent neurological deficit with persisting clinical symptoms” is
clearly defined as:
Symptoms of dysfunction in the nervous system that are present
on clinical examination and expected to last throughout the insured
person’s life.
Symptoms that are covered include numbness, hyperaesthesia
(increased sensitivity), paralysis, localised weakness, dysarthria (difficulty
with speech), aphasia (inability to speak), dysphagia (difficulty in