Who Is Beat the Bank?
A simpler way to arrange protection insurance in Ireland
Beat the Bank helps people across Ireland arrange mortgage protection, life insurance and income protection without making the process more complicated than it needs to be.
You can check indicative prices online, review your options in your own time and speak to our team when you need support.
Beat the Bank is a trading name of Financial Planning Matters Limited, an Irish company regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland.
Why Was Beat the Bank Created?
Beat the Bank was founded by Niall O’Connor MSc CFP® QFA, an experienced certified financial planner who believed there was a better way to arrange protection insurance.
For years, many mortgage customers simply accepted the insurance option presented by their bank. That was understandable. By the time buyers reached drawdown, they were already dealing with solicitors, valuations, mortgage documents and deadlines. Mortgage protection often felt like one more box to tick.
But customers were not limited to the option offered by their bank. More affordable alternatives could be available from other insurers yet comparing them was often time-consuming. It could mean contacting several providers, repeating the same information, waiting for sales calls and completing more paperwork.
Beat the Bank was created to make that process easier. We built a structured digital service that allows customers to compare options from five leading insurers in one place. You can review indicative prices without unnecessary pressure, repeated calls or paper forms.
The idea is simple: give people a clearer view of their options and let them move through the process at a time that suits them.
What Insurance Can Beat the Bank Help With?
Mortgage Protection
Mortgage protection is a type of decreasing term life insurance designed to repay your outstanding mortgage if you die during the policy term. As your mortgage balance reduces over time, the amount of cover reduces too, which generally makes it more affordable than standard life insurance. It helps ensure your family can remain in their home without the burden of repaying the mortgage. We help customers compare available policies and complete the application process.
Life Insurance
Life insurance can provide a lump-sum payment if an insured person dies during the policy term. The payment may help a partner, children or other dependants manage household bills, debts, education costs or the loss of income. Our team can help you consider the type and amount of cover that may suit your circumstances.
Income Protection
Income protection can provide a replacement income if you cannot work because of an illness or injury covered by the policy. The payment amount, waiting period and length of time benefits may continue depending on the insurer and policy terms. We can explain these features and help you understand the available options.
Home Insurance- Coming Soon
We are preparing to add home insurance to our range. Home insurance is not currently available through Beat the Bank. We will share more information when the service launches.
How Does Beat the Bank Work?
The process begins online.
You enter some basic information into our quotation system and receive indicative prices from the insurers we work with. This saves you from contacting several providers separately or repeating the same details. You can then review the quote at your own pace.
Zoe, our AI-powered assistant, can answer common questions and explain insurance terminology in plain English. She does not replace our advisers. If your circumstances are more complex, your application requires additional information or you simply prefer to speak to someone, our team is available.
An insurer may ask for further details about your health, occupation or lifestyle before making a decision. Medical evidence may also be required in some cases.
An initial quotation is only an indication of price. Cover begins after the insurer has assessed and accepted your application, confirmed the final terms and placed the policy in force.
Which Insurers Does Beat the Bank Compare?
We compare protection policies from five of Ireland’s leading insurers:
- Irish Life
- Aviva
- Zurich Life
- Royal London Ireland
- New Ireland Assurance
Each insurer has its own pricing and underwriting approach.
The insurer offering the lowest price for one customer may not be the most competitive option for another. Your age, health, smoking or nicotine use, occupation, amount of cover and policy term can all affect the final premium. Our quotation system shows the lowest-priced available option based on the information provided.
Price matters, but it is not the only thing to consider. Policies can also differ in their benefits, structure and future flexibility. Our team can help explain those differences.
We also pass back a portion of the commission we receive from insurers as a discount. This commission-surrender model helps many of our customers pay less for the same type of protection cover, with policies often costing up to 40% less than buying through a bank.
What Should You Know Before Applying?
Protection insurance applications can include detailed questions about your health, occupation, hobbies and lifestyle. These questions must be answered honestly, accurately and with reasonable care. Missing or incorrect information could affect the policy or a future claim. You should also read the insurer’s policy documents carefully, including the benefits, exclusions, restrictions and conditions.
Our job is to make the information easier to understand, but you should still be comfortable with the cover you are arranging.
What Do Customers Say About Beat the Bank?
We are proud of the feedback our customers have shared. As of July 2026, Beat the Bank has a Trustpilot rating of 4.9 out of 5 from more than 300 reviews. Ratings and review totals change over time, so please check our Trustpilot profile for the latest information.
Is Beat the Bank a Bank?
No. Beat the Bank is not a bank and does not provide banking services. The name reflects why the service was created: to give customers an alternative to automatically arranging protection insurance through their mortgage lender or bank.
Explore Your Options
Whether you are buying a home, reviewing an existing policy or looking for additional financial protection, you can begin online. Check indicative prices, ask Zoe a question or speak to our team when you need personal support.
Explore your options at BeatTheBank.ie.
Financial Planning Matters Limited, trading as Beat the Bank, is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland. Beat the Bank is not a bank and is not authorised to conduct banking business in Ireland. Beat the Bank provides advice on a limited-analysis basis using products from providers with which it holds agencies. Terms, conditions and underwriting criteria
