Why so People Are Without Disability Insurance (But Should Have It)
Disability insurance is one of those purchases that often seem to be only for the select few, like those whose jobs put them in danger every day. However, disability insurance is more than just protection for law enforcement, firefighters, and steelworkers. Anyone who relies on their income to provide for their family and make it from day to day should have this protection.
That’s pretty much everyone unless you have some great inheritance from a long-lost uncle that set you up for life. So why do so few people go without? Here are three reasons why:
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People Without Disability Insurance: The Process is Daunting
First, you should know what is short-term disability insurance. Applying for disability insurance is no piece of cake. The process is long and complicated. The paperwork is detailed. You’ll have to take a medical exam. This process alone is unpleasant. They will weigh you, take your blood pressure, check your pulse, and many of the same things that a doctor would do during a routine checkup.
You’ll also have to allow them to take some of your blood and pee in a cup. They will then ask your physician for a written statement, which can take a while since doctors are notoriously busy. Next, they will check your driving record, employment history, current income, and sometimes even your credit report. Finally, they ask you tons of personal and professional questions to use the answers to analyze and assess your risk of cashing in on your policy.
The agent could take months to decide, and meanwhile, you are still working and waiting. No one looks forward to a complicated and lengthy process, so they put it off. They rationalize that they probably won’t need disability insurance anyway.
They Think They Won’t be Accepted
There are many reasons that insurance companies deny coverage, and it happens often. So often, in fact, that many people assume that they wouldn’t be covered. So what are the deal breakers for insurance companies regarding providing a policy to someone asking for disability insurance? First and foremost, if someone’s pre-existing medical conditions place them at a high likelihood of becoming disabled, then most insurance companies would deny coverage.
A few examples of these would be cancer, arthritis, blood disorders, and Parkinson’s disease. Also, if you’ve been disabled in the past, many companies consider you too high risk. However, even if you have some of these conditions or have been disabled in the past, you may be able to get disability insurance with exclusions still.
They Want to Rely on Other Sources
Most people assume that if they become disabled, they will live off of denied social security and worker’s compensation. While this might be a possibility for some, you must educate yourself on how that works.
Some people are denied social security disability. It is often even harder to be eligible for those payments than for disability insurance.
Worker’s compensation will only pay for disabilities that you sustain on the job. So, for example, if you get into a car accident on your way to work that renders you unable to work, you can’t get workers’ compensation. Most people think that if they don’t have a dangerous job, they don’t need disability insurance, but most disabilities aren’t work-related.
Conclusion
It can be difficult to decide to get disability insurance when you are confused about the process, think you won’t be eligible, or think that you can rely on some other free source. However, the truth is that everyone should have a disability insurance policy to protect their family’s financial stability if they are the breadwinner.
Even if you have a preexisting condition, you can get a policy that allows for exclusions or limitations. You can take care of most of these three issues by contacting a qualified insurance agent to help you get informed and find the right policy for you.
