ESA and Income Protection Insurance

onlyadog wrote:

Now that IB has gone it appears that when it comes to ESA the reports previously submitted by the medical professionals stating that you are unfit for any work now mean nothing, regardless if they were accepted over the past years. Just because of the change to ESA do they honestly believe your cured?

It's about saving money. There isn't enough detectable fraud to save money that way. That means that they have to re-draw the boundaries about who is sick or disabled. For example, needing to use a wheelchair used to show that you couldn't walk. Now it means that you can get around even if your legs don't work, so you are "mobile". So they are going to look at you in a whole different way.

The second way they are saving money is by saying that, basically, your GP and specialists will lie on your behalf, and the DWP used to believe them. Now they want everyone to start again with reports from someone who won't believe you or your GP, someone whose "errors" will always against you.

Then they want to check on you. They say you may have "adapted" to loss of vision, have got a prosthetic for your amputation or be in remission with your MS. What they mean is that they may find an excuse to reduce your benefit.

They've changed the rules of game and the size of the net. They've told the referees to assume the worst and hand out harsh penalties. They've made outsiders believe that this is "fairer".

Your only consolation is that it's not really about you - it's just politics and economics.

cuckoobird wrote:

Thanks everyone. My insurance is for "own occupation" so in that respect its less threatening than "any occupation".

My experience of annual medicals is the same as your friends (I also had a 5 year review on Incap). Insurance companies abide by their own rules, which sometimes appear to play with the boundaries of what is legal. One piece of advice I would give to anyone is to NEVER be seen by anyone assessing you ON YOUR OWN. In that case it becomes their word against yours. I made this mistake once. But never again!

In past years I have had seen some very aggressive tactics and unfair play by them to cease my rightful claim. I fought back with medical and legal support but it was harrowing. Since then I try to stay one step ahead.

Hence the desire to make contact with someone whose already getting the backlash of ESA/WRAG from their insurance.

Would you mind saying which insurance company you are dealing with?

I've been reading some horrendous accounts of the tactics being used in the States. It seems that in the US they are moving in the direction of saying that you should never try appealing against an insurance company ruling without hiring a lawyer - even if it costs you a year's worth of benefit!

Anyone who wants to know which way private health/income insurance is Heading in the UK need only read Linda Nee's blog. Go to

lindanee.wordpress.com/

put Unum in the search box and be prepared to be blown away.