Law

Tactics Used By Long-Term Disability Insurance Companies To Reject Your Claim 

You must feel relieved as if a significant burden from your shoulder has been dropped when your long-term disability claim is approved. However, what most people do not realize is that insurance companies use several dirty tactics to deny your claim at a later date, mainly when you least expect it. If the same has happened to you, you must be feeling discouraged. 

While getting long-term disability benefits can certainly be a complex task, the result is worth it, and it is recommended that you do not give up. Insurance companies are looking out for their own gain and often use tactics to devalue your claim. The best way to ensure your chances of success with disability insurance companies is to hire an attorney. 

Dirty tactics used by LTD insurance companies to reject your claim 

  • There is no objective evidence of disability. 

Many insurance companies deny claims when the applicant presents no objective evidence. The applicant then worries about gathering objective evidence and gets discouraged about getting the benefits, eventually giving up. However, it has been well established that it is not possible to collect objective evidence for all kinds of long-term disability conditions to support a claim. 

  • The insurance company will contact your doctor. 

Often, the insurance company will have their doctor contact your doctor to discuss your illness, treatments, limitations, and return to work possibilities. It is risky to allow their doctor to speak to your doctor, and it is recommended that every time they communicate with each other, it should be in writing and adequately recorded. 

This is because if each word is not recorded, it might result in miscommunication. The insurance company may misinterpret your doctor’s words and twist their words to their advantage.

  • They claim that your condition no longer meets the LTD criteria. 

Most LTD conditions have a specific definition that may change after one or two years. For example, initially, the claimant may be required to show that they are disabled from working in their occupation. But after a few years, they may be required to show that they are disabled from working in any occupation. This happens when the disability definition changes in the middle of the process. 

The insurance company may say the claimant can work in other occupations. When you hire an attorney, they can gather evidence that you cannot perform any duties or you do not have the skills to work another job.