Claiming Benefits....

[AtW]

Ins. cos got greedier and greedier over the years - hence the present (almost prohibitive) costs.

And claimants got greedier and greedier.

[Pinto]

Can you not work at all, not even from home?

[Asterix]

Good point

That's another point - may need to prove that you can't do your work from home. As we are talking about IT, this may be harder to prove than eg driving a bus.
AtW, I agree that claims have gone up (and have become more outrageous)

[ASB]

For Shim to get incapacity benefit, it is almost impossible now. You have (among other things, like form-filling/endless-queueing/means-testing) to also go through a medical test where a panel assesses your mobility. Forget it, I say.

I think incapactiy benefit is gone. It's now disability living allowance. It ain't the easiest thing in the world to claim. And it's not a lot either. Don't think it would suit shim though 'cos it's not intended for anything transient. However it is not means tested.

[boredsenseless]

Mine kicks in after 3mnths. When I was shopping around for it I found that the shorter the time required before it started paying out the cost went up almost exponentially (sp?)

HTH

Yep I've got one that pays out after a year, it costs bugger all so we'd have to muddle through the year but then after that its fine.

They aren't there to provide a salary they are an insurance in case you can no longer work, the chances of someone being incapacitated for 3 months and unable to work are high i.e. a broken leg, can't drive to work etc. but for a year it has to be quite a serious event, that is really what they are designed for.

Also you have to be very careful what you take out. Some are cheap but only cover you if you can't work, i.e. could you stuff envelopes or answer chat line calls at home if so you won't qualify for a payout.

Some are slightly more expensive and will pay out so long as you can't do a role in the same industry, obviously this is bad if you are a technical architect and can no longer cope due to stress say, but you could be a data-entry clerk as they are on the same 'similar job' schedule.

What you want is own occupation cover which is just what it says, if you can't do your job for any reason you qualify and you don't have to go back until you can do it again. This is damn expensive and hence the long run in period

[AtW]

What you want is own occupation cover which is just what it says, if you can't do your job for any reason you qualify and you don't have to go back until you can do it again. This is damn expensive and hence the long run in period

So basically it (anything non-damn-expensive) is just another con?

[Asterix]

Read the small print

Don't expect anything offered now to be as competitive as anything offered 5 years ago. As I said, I had a genuine claim and I got paid from Day 1 for loss of earnings. I'd say 1-3 months is sensible for long term ilnesses, I wouldn't think 12 months is worth it as you'd be probably starved/evicted/dead after such a long period of illness and resulting poverty. Better off with a critical illness that pays a lump sum upon anything serious happening. Then again, horses for courses as they say.