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
Mental health is the new battleground in disability claims
At a time when more people are dying by suicide or overdose, those seeking treatment for mental health issues and addiction face major barriers. Namely, insurance companies are deploying many tactics to deny or limit mental health coverage. This includes professionals and others who have long-term disability insurance. Mental health claims are
Important elements of disability policies
Most people in California do not ever expect to become disabled. Nonetheless, there is no way to ever completely eliminate this from potentially happening. For this reason, many people do look into buying insurance policies that can provide them with some income should they unexpectedly be unable to work for extended periods
Multi-count lawsuit alleges ERISA violations
When people in California elect to participate in their employer’s retirement account program, they should be able to trust that their money and best interests will be properly taken care of. Every fund that falls under the jurisdiction of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act is supposed to be administered in a way that
Examples of bad faith by insurance companies
Most people in California have at least one type of insurance policy in their name but it is not uncommon to hold multiple insurance policies. These might include some combination of automotive insurance, homeowner’s insurance, renter’s insurance, health insurance, life insurance, and disability insurance. Regardless of the type of policy and what
The importance of long-term disability insurance
For many people in California, the thought of being disabled may seem like something that will never happen to them. However, even a person who today is able-bodied and in excellent health can experience an accident that changes their life forever. The possibility of an unforeseen medical diagnosis also always exists. It