Right to be forgotten law expanded for insurance applicants
A new decree-law now reinforces the right to be forgotten for individuals who have overcome cancer or other serious illnesses. Under the updated rules, applicants are no longer required to disclose past serious health conditions when taking out insurance associated with housing or consumer credit. The measure aims to prevent discrimination in the financial sector for those in remission.
The right to be forgotten (direito ao esquecimento) is a legal protection that prevents banks and insurance companies from using a person's past medical history, such as cancer or HIV, to deny credit or insurance. In Portugal, this right typically applies ten years after the end of treatment for adults, or five years if the illness occurred before age 21. Residents seeking life insurance or mortgages after recovering from serious illness should be aware of these protections.
