Cancer continues to be the main cause of death and illness in Limerick.
According to figures to the latest annual claims report from Irish Life Assurance company. Cancer was once again the main cause of both life Insurance and specified Illness claims for people living in Limerick city and county, followed by heart-related conditions.
The company confirmed that it paid out €6.1 million in claims in Limerick during 2017. The report provides a unique insight into the health of the nation, and includes a breakdown of the illnesses and conditions that led to payments by Irish Life of €187.8 million in total to 2,582 customers and their families affected by illness and death during 2017.
In 2017, the average age of Life Insurance claims in Limerick was 62 years, while the average age of those with Specified Illness claims was 53 years.
Martin Duffy, Head of Underwriting and Protection Claims with Irish Life Retail, commented; “We paid an average of €3.6 million a week last year to people and families affected by illness and death in Ireland. In fact, we paid 95 per cent of the life insurance and specified illness claims we received last year.”
The claims report highlighted that the number of people dying from cancer in Ireland remains high, as 54 per cent women and 38 per cent of men died from cancer in 2017. Heart-related conditions also feature as a main cause of death, with men five times more likely to die from a heart condition when compared to women.
The largest individual life insurance claim of €5,075,000 was paid out to the family of a claimant who died of cancer. €146,000 was paid to the family of a claimant in their 40s who died of cancer shortly after starting a life insurance policy.
Overall, prostate cancer was the leading cancer claim for men in Ireland 19 per cent followed by lung cancer and colon cancer. Breast cancer was the main type of cancer claim for women 39 per cent, followed by colon cancer and ovarian cancer.
More about health here.
