The Truth About Long Term Disability Insurance Companies

THE TRUTH:

Numerous judges have acknowledged that you are not on a level playing field with the insurance company during the claims process.

Your employer’s opinion of whether or not you can work carries little weight. Many employers are very upset to learn that the policy they purchased for their employees and themselves is not paying disability benefits. Many insurance companies will say, “your opinion does not count” or “you should have bought a better policy.”

Insurance company forms are actually designed to trick you into giving up information, that will later be used to help the insurance company deny your claim.

Insurance companies say they don’t have to pay attention to Social Security benefit awards, and judges largely agree.

More often than not, when your disability insurance company sends you an activity log to fill out, they already have you under secret video surveillance.

Just because a doctor writes that you are “disabled” does not mean that you will be paid disability benefits. Insurance companies want a high degree of objective “proof” of your disability, before they will pay your benefits.

Insurance companies exist for one reason: To make a profit for their shareholders. Writing letters and “being reasonable” will get you NOTHING.

The insurance companies’ appeal process is not fair and unbiased. Think about it. They are paying the money. Their only incentive is to deny your claim to keep their money.

Although many lawyers claim to be well versed in the differing types of Long Term Disability Claims, many attorneys simply do not have much experience in this specialized area of the law.

You should not hold back your best evidence for trial, because there are no trials. Most Long Term Disability claims are, in fact, settled way before they ever reach the courthouse.

You don’t win your lawsuit if a judge finds that you are disabled. A judge can disagree completely with the insurance company’s denial of your claim, and still declare that you LOSE.

Example#1: “We are Sorry Your Employer Purchased Such an Awful Policy”

We were sitting in a huge conference room of a very successful law firm hired by a major disability insurance company.

My client, unable to work, wondered what this mediation would be like. Eighteen months ago, his doctors had told him he would be forced to give up the job he loved, because he could not do what was expected of him. My client believed that his employer’s long-term disability insurance policy would protect him and his family, when the day came that he finally had to give in to his doctors demands. Even though his supervisors had been telling him to stop working for years, he had hung in there. Although he didn’t want to admit it, he could no longer do the work that he loved.

Reluctantly, my client filed his disability claim, and despite all the information submitted by him, his doctors, and his employer, his claim had been denied. The claim had gone through the disability insurance company’s appeal process, but at each step of the way insurance company officials told him that, despite his doctor’s orders, they felt that he could still continue working. This decision was reviewed by the insurance company’s own doctors who had never met my client, or even spoken a word to him.

Left with no alternative, we filed a lawsuit in federal court against one of the largest disability insurance companies in the world. Now, after having started the litigation process, we were invited to a mediation. The disability insurance company flew in an executive from their “home office,” and paid one-half of the experienced mediator’s fee.

We were meeting to put a price on my client’s disability.

That morning, my client told his story to the disability insurance company executive and the insurance company’s high-priced lawyer. He poured out his heart, explaining how he struggled for years to continue the work that he loved.

Then it was the disability insurance company’s chance to finally speak directly to my client. Both the lawyer and the disability insurance company executive looked across the table. They each explained that they were “sorry” that my client had endured all that he had. They explained they were only doing their jobs and wished they could pay more money, but that my client’s employer did not buy their best disability insurance policy; and that they could only pay my client based on the policy his employer purchased.

Sometimes the best advice comes before you purchase a disability insurance policy and before you become disabled. Pull out your disability insurance policy right now and review it. Are you really protected? If not, and you purchased your policy through your employer, question your Human Resources Department, or simply bite the bullet and buy an individual private disability policy.

If you are unsure of your policy terms, call our office at 727-897-9117 and schedule a free policy review for up to 30 minutes. At the conclusion of this Disability Policy Audit, you will have the required information to decide whether you own an adequate disability policy of insurance. This audit is completely free and without obligation. No pressure to do anything will be exerted on you.

*Click here to get a FREE copy of the book, “Robbed of Your Peace of Mind?”