Disability insurance nightmare/chiropractor visit

[tandem7]

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Did any of you ever go to a chiropractor before applying for disability insurance? I stupidly went to one 9 months ago through a cheap "introductory offer" after I did a 100KM fundraiser bike ride just because I was curious, and even though my only complaint was muscle tightness after sitting too long, my agent is scared that his notes are going to make me have a permanent exclusion for back pain. Just curious if any of you have dealt with exclusions like this before. Thanks!

 

[DocJL]

Did your health insurance pay for the chiropractic visit?

I occasionally see a chiropractor when my neck is stiff from work, but I have always been a private pay "cash" patient, so there is NO record that an insurance company, etc would have a record of.

 

[tandem7]

You have to disclose it regardless on your end, otherwise it's insurance fraud.

 

[DocJL]

You have to disclose it regardless on your end, otherwise it's insurance fraud.

In that case, better go ahead and "report" every ache and pain you have ever had (the forms you will fill out ARE that detailed), and go ahead and pay the extra tens of thousands of dollars in premiums.

As someone who has been practicing for over 2 decades, and paying big bucks for disability insurance for 17 years (with very little likelihood I will ever have a claim or collect a cent on my policy before I retire), I honestly don't recall ever noting "chiropractic visits" on my forms, one way or another.

EVERY dentist WILL have various musculoskeletal aches and pains; it is a demanding job.

Have never heard anybody call it "insurance fraud", because they may have seen a chiropractor or massage therapist on occasion, and NOT made a big deal out of it..


You should definitely make sure they see it on your forms.

Perhaps highlight it.

 

[MD Financial Services Scott]

Did any of you ever go to a chiropractor before applying for disability insurance? I stupidly went to one 9 months ago through a cheap "introductory offer" after I did a 100KM fundraiser bike ride just because I was curious, and even though my only complaint was muscle tightness after sitting too long, my agent is scared that his notes are going to make me have a permanent exclusion for back pain. Just curious if any of you have dealt with exclusions like this before. Thanks!

All of the carriers do ask about Chrio appointments and if you have seen one in the last 12 months if it was only for 1x then write that up in a separate letter, get the agent to talk directly to the underwriter letting them know and you probably won't have a rider. If you do end up with one then shop it across all of the disability companies for an option that does not have a rider expectation. At the end of the day if you do end up with a rider then typically once you have been on the policy for 1 year no treatment and no claims then most carriers are pretty open to changing the policy language and remove that rider.

 

[TanMan]

Did any of you ever go to a chiropractor before applying for disability insurance? I stupidly went to one 9 months ago through a cheap "introductory offer" after I did a 100KM fundraiser bike ride just because I was curious, and even though my only complaint was muscle tightness after sitting too long, my agent is scared that his notes are going to make me have a permanent exclusion for back pain. Just curious if any of you have dealt with exclusions like this before. Thanks!

Your discussions are already noted in writing somewhere; if it were a cash visit, there wouldn't be a record of it somewhere, but now there is. If you were to play the statistical game, what are the chances that back pain would be the end of your career? If it's very high, a permanent exclusion for back pain is and should be a deal-killer. Also, how broad would the exclusion be for "back pain"? I don't know what qualifies as disability for dentists, but just like they have actuaries hedging their bets against you, you would know your body the best.

 

[tandem7]

All of the carriers do ask about Chrio appointments and if you have seen one in the last 12 months if it was only for 1x then write that up in a separate letter, get the agent to talk directly to the underwriter letting them know and you probably won't have a rider. If you do end up with one then shop it across all of the disability companies for an option that does not have a rider expectation. At the end of the day if you do end up with a rider then typically once you have been on the policy for 1 year no treatment and no claims then most carriers are pretty open to changing the policy language and remove that rider.

Do you think this also goes for Guardian Insurance? I heard they are the most rigorous and asked me for the last 10 years of my medical history and visits, including chiropractic care.

 

[MD Financial Services Scott]

Do you think this also goes for Guardian Insurance? I heard they are the most rigorous and asked me for the last 10 years of my medical history and visits, including chiropractic care.

Guardian and Ohio probably underwrite the hardest of the carriers in the market. Some of the others have a tendency to get a touch more creative with their offers when creativity needs to come into play but really they are all pretty similar.