The Disability Jerk Around

[Crabcake Johnny]

I'd love to sell disability but it's tough for me to get behind it - especially when I see real life stories.

As most of you know, my brother had a major stroke a few months back - lay down for disability - learning to speak again, absolutely cannot work. Just getting motion back for heaven's sake.

He filed for his disability through Penn and it's been a jerk off festival ever since. It's form after form after form asking for "more information."

It's been full medical records, past 7 years of tax returns - recently they wanted one full year of his client billing statements. This has been going on now for 2 months with no end in sight.

It is crystal clear to me that they know he fully qualifies and the carrier's going "s**t - we're going to actually have to pay this guy."

It's to the point now where my brother...an attorney, has actually hired an attorney since the best he can get from the carrier is "it's still in review."

100% total BS garbage.

 

[Mark]

It would also help to file a complaint with the insurance dept.

 

[Crabcake Johnny]

Oh, trust me

 

[arnguy]

John, who is the disability carrier? When you say he filed through Penn, does that mean that his policy is agroup policy for alumni of the University of Pennsylbania?

 

[Crabcake Johnny]

The policy was written through Penn Mutual. His wife and I tore his office apart to find it when he was bed ridden and couldn't speak.

She called Penn who wouldn't speak to her due to HIPAA - she had to fax them her power of attorney and other documents.

Then come to find...and don't quote me...but Guardian bought out the policy so I believe it's Guardian but I'll double check.

 

[SportsNut]

Sad but true... there are those companies out there that u/w upon a claim, attempt to stonewall, or whatever else they can do to discourage the client in hopes that they will go away. The B*stards should have that situation with their own family member in that spot, just to have a dose of their own meds.

There are very few companies that offer disability coverage that are worth owning a policy from, and unfortunately your brother didn't have one of those. Perseverence to you, in hopes that you can outlast their nonsense on the claim.

 

[moonlightandmargaritas]

I have a buddy who adjusts DI claims for a major carrier (think Snoopy) here in town.

They are instructed and hounded to be ruthless.

 

[Crabcake Johnny]

Dead on the money sportsnut - they are waiting him out. Their belief is if they jack him around long enough maybe he won't be disabled anymore.

AFTER doctors records and AFTER 7 years of tax returns the latest - asking for one full year of client billing statement is pure kaka.

No one can give him an answer - they close at 4pm (gotta love that job!) and it doesn't matter who's on the phone - it's the wrong department and we have to be transferred.

After we're transfered a few times the line goes dead - then it's time to start over. If you finally reach anyone with any "say" it's just "it's still under review." They refuse to comment further.

 

[SportsNut]

Likely another factor here is, one carrier having bought out the policies of another. The acquiring company, lets say it is Guardian, doesn't really have their name on it... and they could give a damn that the Penn Mutl name is on it...

They may have a different claims experience with products that they didn't u/w themselves, and maybe the only way to make the biz profitable is to refuse claims, sandbag, etc. What it comes down to is preserving dollars and it is a shame when you are caught up in the middle of the mess. Not much else you can do except dig your heals in and say Geronomo.

Any such thing as a professional adjuster for DI policies, like those for casualty claims; short of an Atty..? Maybe with his professional courtesy from another Atty, if could cost less.

This is really crap. You could see someone being put through the wringer with a difficult to measure back injury, or emotional issues, but an imobilized stroke victim... Come on now. Good luck.

 

[Crabcake Johnny]

Agents selling disability can confirm - but what I've also heard is payments will start - then suddenly stop without warning. Then the client has to go through the ringer again to get the payments going.

However, I will say this - there are a lot of disability scams out there. No shortage of people who would love nothing better than to lay around collecting checks.