Critical Illness & Ill Health Retirement Insurance Claims

Critical illness insurance gives financial protection in the event that you are no longer able to work or carry out your normal day-to-day activities due to a long-term illness or disabilities.

Critical illness policies provide cover for specific conditions, and nearly all policies also provide cover for “Total and Permanent Disability” (TPD). The TPD section of the policy is often the section that chronic pain sufferers will use to make a claim. There are three different definitions of TPD as follows:

• Own Occupation – if you are permanently unable to do your Own Occupation
• Any Occupations – if you are permanently unable to do Any Occupation
• Work Tasks/Living Tasks – if you are unable to do a certain number of specific tasks that are listed in the policy

It is very important to check on your policy Schedule which definition of TPD applies to you

It is not uncommon for insurance companies to be reluctant to pay out on policies of this nature, even though the criteria needed to fulfil the payout are straightforward. However, when the illness in question is a chronic pain condition such as fibromyalgia, ME or CFS, they tend to be even more cautious about paying out and will often insist that their customers try all avenues of treatment before agreeing that they have fulfilled the criteria for an insurance payout.

Similarly, where one has an ill-health pension, it can prove difficult to receive the pension when the illness in question is a chronic pain condition. However, Brian Barr Solicitors are experts in critical illness and ill health retirement claims and can help you by obtaining the evidence you need to prove to the insurance company that you meet their criteria for a payout.