There’s a popular aphorism that advises people not to put all of their eggs in one basket. That advice can apply to many different scenarios in life. From a financial standpoint, not putting all of your eggs in one basket could be advice that reminds you to diversify your investments and not
A ridiculously low settlement offer could be bad faith insurance
When you purchase an insurance policy, the company that sells it to you has an obligation to fulfill the promises made within the policy regarding coverage, just as you have an obligation to pay your premium in a timely manner. Unfortunately, insurance companies are often for-profit businesses that want to do everything
An insurance denial is not the end
You try to use your long-term disability insurance, but you get denied. Since you know you are disabled, you’re shocked. Is this all you can do? Is that the end of it? It’s not. Appeals are possible and even common. You may be able to make multiple appeals. Do not assume you are out
Your rights under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act
Retirement plans are extremely important for ensuring that all workers are financially secure for their entire lives. Many workers know that they are putting aside funds for retirement, but they often do not have a lot of information about their plans. This is why the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) was
You’re not powerless against your insurance company
You trusted your insurance company. You made those monthly payments because you believed that they would be there for you when you needed them. Then you filed a valid claim, and they denied it. You can’t believe it. You feel like they robbed you, essentially. They took your money and then refused to
Tricks of the disability insurance trade: Deny until death
What’s one sure-fire way insurance companies can avoid paying out a long-term disability claim? When the policyholder dies before he or she can collect. That seems rather obvious and makes sense — until you realize that some long-term insurance companies will frequently find ways to delay payment on a long-term disability policy as long
Can work incidents result in long-term disability?
California residents who get involved in work-related incidents can end up with injuries that result in short or long-term disability. In these cases, Pillsbury & Coleman, LLP, are here to help you deal with the insurance situation. “Work-related incidents” is a term that covers a very large scope of possible happenings which
Private disability or ERISA? The best policy is both policies
By Terry Coleman In years past, professionals who wanted a long-term disability policy would go out in the private market. These policies would protect them if they became unable to practice due to injury or illness. And if that doctor or other professional changed jobs, the coverage would follow them. The insurance
Why is my insurer demanding an independent medical exam?
Monday, October 14, 2019. One of the most common questions we get is about independent medical examinations. You are limping along (perhaps literally) on disability, and out of the blue the insurance company wants proof that you are still disabled. This is disheartening and scary. An unfavorable exam could cancel your benefits
What is ‘own occupation’ and ‘any occupation’ disability?
There are two main categories of long-term disability insurance (LTD), based on the definition of disability. The first threshold is “own occupation,” meaning that you receive disability benefits if you are unable to perform your regular job. The other threshold is “any occupation,” meaning that you receive disability benefits only if you