In the last few months there has been an increase in the number of people who shared what their lives are like living a disability claim. Not only do these individuals manage their health issues and concerns, but spend the majority of their day involved with their disability claim in some way. Disability claims do not need to be managed everyday, although many insureds may think so.
While it is normal for someone on claim to be concerned about doing all that is required to maintain benefits, it is NOT normal behavior to engage in “internet research”, frequently calling the insurance company, checking online website portals more than twice a week, contacting doctor’s offices on a frequent basis, and on and on. Some insureds think of their claims during the night preventing sleep, and also engage in calling family members, attorneys, and writing up lists of diagnoses that span on for pages.
When insureds engage in this kind of behavior, unfortunately they create a new “secondary diagnosis” I call Disability Claim Syndrome. It has real manifestations, and symptoms of its own. The diagnosis needs to be managed, and oftentimes medicated. This diagnosis also describes insureds who can think of nothing else BUT their claim, so much so, that it often creates, over time, imaginary negative information that could actually result in claim denial. The diagnosis of Disability Claim Syndrome can become so time consuming and emotionally destructive that having a disability claim at all, is health affecting, and potentially dangerous.
As I indicated earlier it is normal to have some insecurity when receiving benefits due to a disability. However, IT IS NOT NORMAL when insureds dedicate their lives to the pursuit of managing a claim often to the denial bin. The emotional toll that these actions take is devastating to those who otherwise would be able to live normal lives while managing a disability.
