# No GP - Mortgage Protection



## Jimjobjim (28 Oct 2020)

Hi folks

I’m in the process of applying for a mortgage and I’ve received forms to fill out re mortgage protection, the form asks for details of GP, the problem is I don’t have a GP, I’ve moved around quite a bit and last time I visited a doctor was approx ten years ago,would this cause me problems getting mortgage protection? 

Thanks for any insight


----------



## Thirsty (28 Oct 2020)

Its not that hard to sign up to a GP. They might ask for a medical report.


----------



## Jimjobjim (28 Oct 2020)

Thanks for reply Thirsty, I should have added that I contacted two gps this week in the area I now live in and neither are taking new patients so I’m wondering should I wait until I do get eventually assigned to a GP or do I just fill in no GP and go for a medical if they send me for one


----------



## Thirsty (28 Oct 2020)

If you're looking to get mortgage approval / buy a house; eliminate any possible bumps you can.  You'll hit more than one, at least remove the ones that are in your power to do so.

What all that means is - sit at the phone and find a GP!

Edit to add: I've never, personally, been "assigned" to a GP - is this medical card related?


----------



## Jimjobjim (28 Oct 2020)

Thirsty said:


> If you're looking to get mortgage approval / buy a house; eliminate any possible bumps you can.  You'll hit more than one, at least remove the ones that are in your power to do so.
> 
> What all that means is - sit at the phone and find a GP!
> 
> Edit to add: I've never, personally, been "assigned" to a GP - is this medical card related?



No, absolutely nothing to do with a Medical Card, I don’t have one, assigned was just a word I used, the crux of my question was can they deem you ineligible for mortgage protection cover if you don’t have a GP


----------



## Monbretia (29 Oct 2020)

Have you filled the form yet?  It's a while since I've seen one of those forms so maybe the format has changed but usually they only looked for a GP if you answered yes to some of the other questions which usually were 'had you been to doc in last x number of years' as they usually sent out a report to the doc for filling if there is a history.   Now as you haven't been to doc in a long time I'm assuming you don't have ongoing issues or a medical history of issues so does it really want the name of a GP with no medical issues?  Although having said that weight/height questions can be enough to mean next box has to be filled!

If it really needs filling then I'd put in the name of your last GP, if they are going to write to a GP to fill a PMA report which is usually the first thing they do rather than a medical then there is no point having a new GP as there will be no file.   As far as I recall if they are sending you for a medical it's to a doc they will pick.


----------



## Clamball (29 Oct 2020)

I would just put down, no GP, last attended a doctor > 10 years ago.  If they want you to go for a medical there are plenty of doctors providing that service, without them being your GP.


----------



## Leo (29 Oct 2020)

Clamball said:


> I would just put down, no GP, last attended a doctor > 10 years ago.  If they want you to go for a medical there are plenty of doctors providing that service, without them being your GP.



You may be refused a quote if you state that. There may be a risk loading on people who do not attend a GP due to the higher likelihood of delayed diagnosis of serious issues.


----------



## Thirsty (29 Oct 2020)

For the sake of a few phone calls, why leave a thread to be pulled?

Get yourself a GP & have a check up while yr at it.


----------



## elcato (29 Oct 2020)

Put in the name of your last GP.


----------



## Steven Barrett (30 Oct 2020)

Most forms have a box to tick if you don't have a GP. It's quite common, especially for men. Signing up to a GP for a mortgage protection policy is pointless as they won't have any record of you. If you haven't been to a GP in 10 years, you won't have been sick. If there is a reason for the underwriter to check on your medical history (it may be a €1m mortgage), they will send you for a medical, which they pay for. 

It's absolutely no problem, so don't be getting worried about it.


Steven
www.bluewaterfp.ie


----------



## NoRegretsCoyote (30 Oct 2020)

Just write down the last GP you attended.


----------



## LDFerguson (30 Oct 2020)

SBarrett said:


> Most forms have a box to tick if you don't have a GP. It's quite common, especially for men. Signing up to a GP for a mortgage protection policy is pointless as they won't have any record of you. If you haven't been to a GP in 10 years, you won't have been sick. If there is a reason for the underwriter to check on your medical history (it may be a €1m mortgage), they will send you for a medical, which they pay for.
> 
> It's absolutely no problem, so don't be getting worried about it.
> 
> ...



+1

Tell them that you have had no reason to attend a GP for 10 years and don't have one.  If the insurance company wants a medical they'll ask for one.  It won't cause a problem so no need to worry about it.  It's quite common.


----------



## arbitron (30 Oct 2020)

As a general recommendation, everyone should have a GP. It is free to register and it saves a huge amount of stress and time if/when you ever need one.

A friend of mine has a GP practice and they get dozens of calls every week from people desperate to register at short notice. She feels awful turning them away but her books have been full for months. It's particularly bad in Dublin.

Hospitals have a significant percentage of letters being printed automatically for a "DR. NO GP NO GP" - a waste of resources and very difficult for staff when they try to arrange something for a patient.


----------



## PaddyBloggit (30 Oct 2020)

arbitron said:


> It's particularly bad in Dublin.



It's no better in Cork.


----------



## RoseMc (30 Oct 2020)

arbitron said:


> As a general recommendation, everyone should have a GP.



Rather than feel terrible, what is the GP community doing to assist people to register?


----------



## arbitron (30 Oct 2020)

GPs have done amazing work on this and have been lobbying HSE and Government for more training posts for years. More GPs = more capacity. Difficult to attract and keep trainees. I wouldn't be a GP for love nor money.


----------



## RoseMc (30 Oct 2020)

My point is that either a surgery has places available or it doesn't.

Rather than the public ringing around aimlessly, why isn't there a website of surgeries that have capacity?

Not alone would this help the public but it would also highlight whatever issues exist in relation to GP capacity in the same way as trolley numbers highlight issues in hospitals.

Otherwise, we get a general comment that "everyone should have a GP" but achieving the "should" remains more difficult than it should be. 

If the GPs are doing everything that they can, show me the data please.


----------



## Leo (30 Oct 2020)

arbitron said:


> GPs have done amazing work on this and have been lobbying HSE and Government for more training posts for years. More GPs = more capacity. Difficult to attract and keep trainees.



Yes, the lobby group that is funded by member subscriptions wants more members, surprise surprise!


----------



## arbitron (30 Oct 2020)

RoseMc said:


> My point is that either a surgery has places available or it doesn't.
> 
> Rather than the public ringing around aimlessly, why isn't there a website of surgeries that have capacity?
> 
> ...



It would be great if we had a system you describe and I think every GP I know would welcome it. It would be a big piece of work not least because since the founding of the state we have never had a public general practice system (in no small part due to Bishop McQuaid and friends) so we have a weird public-private hybrid that doesn't really benefit anyone and makes it difficult to bring in things like you suggest. Hopefully it's on someone's priority list. 



Leo said:


> Yes, the lobby group that is funded by member subscriptions wants more members, surprise surprise!



I can't vouch for the motivations of any lobby groups but the members themselves want more colleagues as there is more than enough work and not enough people to do it. If they were calling for fewer spots we would be (rightly) skewering them for being protectionist...

Regardless of the failings of the HSE or the doctors themselves, everyone can benefit by having a GP, there is no downside to being registered. Anyway, I don't want to bring the post off topic and I am not a GP so I can't give an expert opinion, only my experiences.


----------



## Leo (2 Nov 2020)

arbitron said:


> but the members themselves want more colleagues as there is more than enough work and not enough people to do it.



According to ICGP the number of GPs has increased 20% over the last 5 years. If so many of them didn't choose to work short hours or part-time we'd probably have enough.


----------

