I’ve been on LTD Disability with a private insurance company as well as CPP Disability for 13 years. I have a mental health condition but have developed chronic illnesses in the past year and a half. These physical health challenges contribute significantly to my mental health. The private insurer wants an update on my medical status. Do I include all the new chronic health problems that have developed? How will this affect my claim? I’m not sure how much detail I should provide.
Additionally the private insurer is not asking for a medical update from my physician at this time, just an update from me. The also included a very general declaration statement they want me to sign. Usually the statement is in the update forms with specifics on the declaration. This one has nothing specific only that they can investigate basically anything they want with whomever they want. In the 13 years I’ve never seen this before. I do not feel comfortable signing this and am not sure what to do.
Hi, the overall question is still are you too disabled to work so I would briefly mention that I have developed additional disabling medical issues since the last update. Be careful not to overstate how ill you are or to understate what you can do, think about what you can do on good days and bad days and use words like sometimes, usually, often etc.
For the broad consent form, you want to appear open and helpful without signing it. I would write a note saying something like “the generic consent form appears overly broad but if you need a specific consent for something relevant to my LTD claim please let me know.”
Just answer all the questions with the condition you are in at present. Consider ALL your symptoms, and list ALL your diagnoses. You don’t need to start differentiating mental vs physical, or your condition 13 yrs ago vs now etc. Just answer the questions as they ask them. They’ll either file your update, or they’ll ask you to get a physical update, and your doctor will indicate the same that you’ve indicated on the update.
They did not give me their standard form that they usual provide with an area that asks about whether my condition has changed or not and then asks specific questions about my daily living. They said just “use a blank sheet of paper to answer whether or condition as changed” (I’ve never in 13 years seen this). So I am not sure what to put because there are no specific questions, just asking me to use a blank sheet of paper. I am going to state “diagnosis remains the same, no further updates” since this is the only statement I feel comfortable giving with them asking such a broad question of me. If they want to ask me specific questions on my condition like they normally do, I’d be happy to answer them.
I too have some medical issues that would further contribute to me not working. I think that I feel like it would get them off my case MORE… Like it’s even worse so don’t contact me type thing.
I dont think they work like that though. I believe that’s just anxiety on our part