Has anyone successfully claimed on a critical il... - MPN Voice

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Has anyone successfully claimed on a critical illness insurance policy for an MPD ?

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rubyrubyruby profile image
rubyrubyruby

Just in process of trying. Will let you know the outcome.

R8afg profile image
R8afg in reply to rubyrubyruby

I had previously looked into this but didn't think it would be covered. Interested to find out how you get on

rubyrubyruby profile image
rubyrubyruby

Apparently some insurance won't but one of ours has sent us paperwork to fill in

forwardocho profile image
forwardocho in reply to rubyrubyruby

Hello

I know your post was some 4 years ago but I am experiencing the same problems with Aviva regarding paying out on my critical illness cover via my through my employers. I took note of your information regarding the ABI and the WHO from these posts but would it be possible for you to send me the article/paper which ABI cited as ET and PV are covered by critical illness claims. My email address is angelalevitt@yahoo.co.uk. Aviva denied my claim based on the fact that my ET was "non-invasive and non-malignant". I now understand that this is incorrect and it is both (clone disorder and present in the body and blood). I am taking my claim all the way as Aviva have paid out successfully to other patients with ET but will not budge on my claim. Any information you could provide would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you

Angela

Cgrubz profile image
Cgrubz in reply to forwardocho

Hi I'm dealing with same thing. I have PV. CAN YOU send me the necessary articles or paperwork to back up he claim for critical illness. Thanks so much. Gruberc24@aol.com

telvis profile image
telvis

My insurance company says my critical illness policy doesn't cover me for MF (although I would be covered for straight forward leukaemia). They will however pay out when I reach the last 12 months of my life. Who say's you can't take it with you!

Telvis

AlRow profile image
AlRow

I was diagnosed with Polycythaemia Vera 3 years ago. About 2 years ago we were going through bank statements, etc, to see if it was possible to make savings anywhere! I identified one of our direct debits as being for a Critical Illness Insurance taken out some years back. I contacted the company to ask if I had a valid claim in the case of PV. Later on in the same day they got back to me and told me that MPD's may be covered under my policy. They sent me the claim form to fill in and the process from then to completion took about 4 months. The outcome was a successful claim. So in answer to the question, in my case it was yes!

Cgrubz profile image
Cgrubz in reply to AlRow

Hi. Glad you got approved. Can you send me the necessary articles or papers that backed up Pv to be under critical illness so I can submit through my wife's employer. Thanks so much. Gruberc24@aol.com

Loubielou profile image
Loubielou

abi.org.uk/Media/Releases/2...

Take a look at this link to the ABI website. After reading their guidelines to the industry I rang and spoke to their assistant director of health and protection. He said that ET and PV were in the ABI's opinion classified as cancer and should therefore be covered. I'm pursuing a claim with my insurer, will update you on any progress I make. I figure that whilst at the moment everything is reasonably settled and controlled the future (5-10 years out?) is rather less certain, so to have my insurance money safely tucked away for those times would be a huge comfort.

ilc72 profile image
ilc72 in reply to Loubielou

Hi

What was the outcome of your claim, secondly do you have a hard copy of the ABI website document as it is now broken and unavailable.

I am in the process of making claims to Standard Life (Critical Illness Policy taken out in 2001) and Friends Life (Policy via Group Critical Illness Cover provided by employer).

Thanks, Ian (ilc72)

Hughesf profile image
Hughesf in reply to ilc72

How did you get on.. I'm just started claim process with same company

Frank

Paul42 profile image
Paul42 in reply to Hughesf

Hi

I was with Legal and General, no issues at all, very quick pay out. 3 months ago

Paul

ilc72 profile image
ilc72 in reply to Hughesf

Both Claims were ultimately successful though Standard Life paid out much quicker than Friends Life.

Both were aware of the reclassification at a claims handler level which was useful.

Important thing is to get the Consultant's to write letters and fill the forms using the appropriate terminology. I had a few Bone Marrow Biopsies that could also be referenced and attached.

My only advice is be sensible with the payment, I decided to be sensible with 1/2 and enjoy 1/2 and now wished I'd been sensible with more than 1/2.

Still it was life changing and we are now financially secure.

Good luck and PM me if you need any assistance.

ourlife profile image
ourlife in reply to Hughesf

Hi, it took a while but my claim was successful . They wanted to pay out from when the world health organisation classified MPDs as cancer and re pay payments after that date, however as I had tried to claim when diagnosed with ET I argued they knew about my condition and should have paid out automatically and I had continued in good faith. I quoted the ABI website as mentioned in Loubielou's post. They eventually settled.

Hughesf profile image
Hughesf in reply to Hughesf

My claim approved after only 3 weeks

Cgrubz profile image
Cgrubz in reply to Loubielou

Hi. That page did not come up when I clicked on it. Trying to get papers or articles to support PV for approval under critical illness for wife's employer. Can you please send me what I would need. Email is gruberc24@aol.com. Thx so much

Murphy1 profile image
Murphy1

Yes. I was diagnosed with ET on successfully claimed with scottish provident

Loubielou profile image
Loubielou in reply to Murphy1

Hi there. I am with Scottish Provident also and they are currently getting the medical reports in from my haematologist and GP. Do you mind me asking what your experience was of the claim process? Many thanks!

Murphy1 profile image
Murphy1 in reply to Loubielou

They initially declined due to a mix up between haem consultant and GP report, wrote to them to dispute it quoting ABI definition along with their own policy wording and they didn't bother contacting haematologist again they just paid out! I have to admit I was surprised!

Loubielou profile image
Loubielou in reply to Murphy1

Thanks - it sounds relatively straightforward. :-) gives me a bit of hope for my claim.

Ginny11 profile image
Ginny11 in reply to Murphy1

Hi Murphy do you think how much the insurance is bears any relevance as to whether they pay out or not ? I am just about to start trying through friend provident but I'm trying to arm myself first with as many facts as possible thanks

tracey13 profile image
tracey13 in reply to Loubielou

HI,

Just joined this forum

My husband has got polycthamenia jak2 positive.

I've just rang Scottish provident to see if our critical illness policy will cover my husband.

An assessor is ringing me on Thursday to fill out the forms.

Were you successful with your claim.

They said not all blood cancers are covered

Many thanks

Tracey

Loubielou profile image
Loubielou in reply to tracey13

Hi Tracey,

Yes the claim was successful, it took a few months though..

Scottish Provident initially said that my ET was not covered.

What turned it around was some ABI (Association of British Insurers) advice. They had published guidelines to the insurance industry that ET and PV were classified as cancerous and should therefore be covered by CI claims. The link to the press release no longer seems to work, but I have a screen shot of the page and also the accompanying statement, both of which I can email to you if you would like? (The ABI change was to reflect the WHO re-classification from "myeloproliferative diseases" to "myeloproliferative neoplasms" to reflect the underlying clonal genetic changes that are a key feature of these diseases).

Although my consultant was reasonably supportive, at the start of the process he didn't think I had a particularly strong case. So I shared the ABI statement with him. He filled in all the paperwork and helped with the response to two key questions from the insurers claims team: Is ET classified as malignant (yes it is, because it's a clonal disorder) and secondly is it invasive (yes it is because it's present throughout the body in the blood).

Best of luck! Let me know if you need any more info.

Lou

:-)

tracey13 profile image
tracey13 in reply to Loubielou

Hiya,

I've screen shot the abi information and both pv and ET are now classified as malignant as it keeps growING.

we've got about 1.5yrs left on our mortgage it would be peace of mind for my husband if it was paid off.

I'm speaking to an assessor on Thursday who will fill out our forms.

We be nice to know what causes these blood cancers.

This seems more common in men but since I joined this site there's a few females that have critical blood disorders

It's worth a try!

Thanks

tracey13 profile image
tracey13 in reply to Loubielou

HI,

The assessor from scotish provident rang this morning she's filled out a claim form for my husbands pv jak2 positive

She told me the abi insurance have changed the grouping of this blood disorder.

So my husband needs to sign a consent form then they need to contact his consultant..

I hope and pray hrs successful as this will take a weight off his shoulders.

He needs to be going on hydroxy but can't get to hospitals for his blood tests with working away from home. He's worried about side effects and is anxious about being off work as he gets no sick pay.

Fingers crossed for a good outcome.

Tracey

EleanorPV profile image
EleanorPV in reply to Loubielou

Hi Lou,

I have a claim with Phoenix life, an old Scottish provident policy. Do you still have the screen shot of the page and also the accompanying statement? I have PV. My email address is e.hutcheon1967@gmail.com.

Many thanks

Eleanor

KatherineRose profile image
KatherineRose in reply to Loubielou

Hi Lou, I know this thread is 2 years old but I wondered whether you might still be able to provide me with the ABI screenshot you mentioned in your post? Would hugely appreciate your help if possible as we're just about to submit a critical illness claim for my husband's PV. Many thanks. katherine.marland@mac.com

friendofpiglet profile image
friendofpiglet in reply to KatherineRose

I did some historical research on this for another member here a couple of weeks ago - can send you the stuff on your private email if you like - it's MS Word documents if you can cope with that.

Andy

Mummyto4c profile image
Mummyto4c in reply to friendofpiglet

Andy could you send me the stuff please. I have a claim in but I've just got a feeling I will need to appeal x

KatherineRose profile image
KatherineRose in reply to friendofpiglet

Hi Andy, thanks so much for your reply. Yes please, any information you have would be v. gratefully received. My email address is katherine.marland@mac.com

GreyBeard77 profile image
GreyBeard77 in reply to friendofpiglet

Hi Andy

I would be grateful if you could send me the historical information. I have been recently diagnosed with ET and was rejected on making a CI claim. Any help would be much appreciated.

friendofpiglet profile image
friendofpiglet in reply to GreyBeard77

Here is a link to my google drive share

drive.google.com/folderview...

2 pdfs are 2006 guidelines and amended 2011 guidelines referred to in the Word document which is the release announcing the change.

Best of luck

Andy

R8afg profile image
R8afg in reply to Murphy1

Hi murphy1

I also have a policy with Scottish provident but when I called them today they said that this condition wasn't one of the conditions covered under their critical illness policy!!! They are however sending me details of all of the conditions covered in their policies

Murphy1 profile image
Murphy1 in reply to R8afg

Due to reclassification ET falls within the cancer diagnosis, you may have just got someone who didn't know what tey are talking about as its a relatively rare condition, put in a claim under the cancer diagnosis, and good luck

tracey13 profile image
tracey13 in reply to R8afg

HI

I've just joined this page as my husband had got pv with jak2 positive.

We are with Scottish widows we are trying to find out if the critical illness will pay out.

Were you successful with your claim?

Tracey

R8afg profile image
R8afg

I called legal & general on this yesterday and they immediately said no but now that ive seen that others have been successful i think i will contact them again and refer then to the link shown in an earlier post above!!!

Wish me luck...and i will let you know how i get on

Ginny11 profile image
Ginny11 in reply to R8afg

Hi yes good luck with this and please let me know if you don't mind as I too have a policy with legal and general thanks

Ginny11 profile image
Ginny11 in reply to R8afg

Hi there, I phoned LG today and they did seem a bit uncertain they are sending me a claim form out, and I did ask them if they were a member if the ABI, and they are, so I pointed out to him that the ABI have recommended the re classification of MPD good luck

ourlife profile image
ourlife

I tried to make a claim in both 2001 & 2003 but was refused both times - now that ET has been reclassified and thanks to your positive responses above - guess who is trying again !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Loubielou profile image
Loubielou

When I initially got through to the claims team, they asked two key questions. Is my ET classified as malignant (yes it is, because it's a clonal disorder) and secondly is it invasive (yes it is because it's present throughout my body). You may come across the same two questions - I wonder if they may be industry "standard" for screening claims???

Ginny11 profile image
Ginny11 in reply to Loubielou

Hi loubelou,

Did they ask you any questions about symptoms or is that irrelevant ?

Loubielou profile image
Loubielou in reply to Ginny11

Yes the claim form did ask about symptoms.

Ginny11 profile image
Ginny11 in reply to Loubielou

Hi sorry for the silly question but is the clonal disorder bit referring to the JAK 2 mutation ? I was only diagnosed few months ago still learning thanks

Loubielou profile image
Loubielou in reply to Ginny11

Hello there, I don't think it's a silly question at all. ?? I've been diagnosed for 3 years and have really struggled to get clear info on our condition, a degree in genetic biology would help! It was my haematologist who defined my ET using the term clonal.

The info in this link may help? lls.org/content/nationalcon...

I only mentioned the 2 insurer's questions above - is it malignant and is it invasive as they seemed to need this information prior to sending a claim form.

Ginny11 profile image
Ginny11 in reply to Loubielou

Hi thanks for that. I called freinds provident and legal general today, I have policies with both. Legal and general seemed uncertain as to whether the condition is covered, so I referred to the ABI info. Friend prov seemed to think it is covered under "recent changes " to classification of PV and ET. They are calling me back to fill in form over the phone......watch this space. Cheers

Loubielou profile image
Loubielou in reply to Ginny11

Best of luck!

ilc72 profile image
ilc72 in reply to Ginny11

Hi Ginny

I am in the process of making a claim to Friends Provident, can you help with any tips in the policy claims process?

rubyrubyruby profile image
rubyrubyruby

I have recently made successful claim for critical illness cover. Apart from the lengthy form filling process it was all pretty straightforward. Had to answer a query about why if my levels had been raised for years why had nothing been done by GP but just told them the truth that GP put them down to pregnancy and virus.

Hope this helps

Ginny11 profile image
Ginny11

Hi ruby, do you mind me asking which nsurance company you. Claimed with

Ginny11 profile image
Ginny11

I'm asking this question for someone else with tech problems. My MPD buddy has ET and only has terminal illness cover on her insurance. Does anyone know if there are any loop holes worth knowing about as she has been told they will not pay outs til she has 12 months left to live...... And hopefully she is way off this! Anyone with any experience or advice to offer please

littled profile image
littled

I am in process of making a claim I have PV, and until I found this site wasn't aware I could. The only problem is, it states in the policy you have to notify them within 3 months from diagnosis and I have it for about 2 years now. The policy covers critical illness and was originally taken out with Friend Provident, Will keep you updated of the outcome

ourlife profile image
ourlife

Thank you to everyone for all the information,after all the letters and phone calls,appealing against the first decision! I have now been successful with my claim.

Hughesf profile image
Hughesf

In the process with legal and general. Will update once I hear

Frank

Hughesf profile image
Hughesf

Had my claim accepted yesterday after a 3 week wait from application. Quick and painless.

Thanks to legal and general.

Philholloway profile image
Philholloway

Legal and general agreed claim within 7 days. Could not be better.

Maj_t profile image
Maj_t

diagnosed with polycythemia Vera two years. Have a life insurance policy out,paying 80euro a month for many year now. Can I claim?

forwardocho profile image
forwardocho

Hello

I have ET. My initial claim was denied in April 2016 with Aviva. I appealed in November 2016 after joining this forum and reading that claims had been successful with Aviva and other insurance companies. My claim was through work via my critical illness cover benefit. I also used the ABI Guidelines and WHO article as my evidence. Aviva were awaiting more details from my consultant. On 13th December 2016, I received the call to say they were settling my claim, which they did 5 days later. They had not received the paperwork back from my consultant either! I also asked them to backdate the interest to April, my initial claim date when they should have paid out then. They sent me a separate cheque for this.

Since receiving the money, I now work part time and I have a very secure future financially. Ironically, my platelets have continued to drop since, and I think this may be due to the fact I'm no longer stressed or worried about the future or what would happen if I can't get to work or need sick days etc. I live alone and work in the city so it was a huge relief for me.

I would urge anyone to proceed with this claim and fight for what is rightfully yours and it is RIGHTFULLY YOURS!. I understand some posts say its the wording on their consultants forms that swings it, but that's not necessarily so. It makes no difference whether your consultant describes it as a "cancer" or a "disease" "malignant" or "non-malignant", some insurance companies are members of the ABI and should follow their guidelines. My consultant would never describe ET as a cancer. The wording is clear on the ABI Guidelines that MPNs are now considered cancers and this wording should be reflected in their policies.

Good luck to everyone!

Angela

forwardocho profile image
forwardocho

Apologies, I omitted to add, I also receive PIP monthly payments which makes up for the money I lose going part time. I also have a Blue Badge and a Disabled Rail Person card which entitles you and one other to travel by train anywhere in the UK for a third of the price either standard of first class.

I was unaware of all the above benefits and was told of these by members in my other MPN forums. We are all entitled to these benefits having been diagnosed with an MPN.

Good luck!

piggie50 profile image
piggie50 in reply to forwardocho

Hi forwardocho,

Your post is very interesting. I assume as you receive pip that you have some mobility problems. I have spoken to my local council and they advise I do not qualify for blue badge, rail card or bus pass as I am quite able to walk. I am wondering if receipt of pip opens the door to these other benefits? ( are you in receipt of pip is one of the questions on the application form) none of the eligibility questions apply to me. Just as a matter of interest which part of the country are you in.

Kind regards

Judy

forwardocho profile image
forwardocho

Hello Judy

I'm in Essex. I was told about PIP on one of my other forums. I did not think I qualified for it. I completed the form. The DWP then informed me that an assessor would be attending my house for an assessment. That took place on the 16th December 2016. I answered all his questions. He had copies of my consultant/cardiologist and doctors reports with him. He told me there and then I qualified for PIP payments, mobility and daily living and he would submit his approval. The DWP also paid me a lump sum because they were supposed to complete the process before Christmas, but didn't, so the payments were backdated.

I have problems walking short distances. My palpitations have increased considerably over the past few months, albeit my platelets are almost within normal range. Simple tasks like hovering, housework and making a bed take so much time because I have to stop to catch my breath. The PIP money enables me to have a cleaner, so I only have to do light household chores.

When I received my Award Letter from the DWP, there was a leaflet attached that listed other benefits I may be eligible for. I applied for the Blue Badge and the Rail Card, both of which were successful.

When applying for both, you have to enclose a copy of your Award Letter from the DWP. When completing the application forms, there are also boxes you tick stating how many points you were awarded by the DWP for mobility and daily living and if you meet the criteria and/or points you can complete and submit the application forms.

In the space of a year, I have gone from dancing 4 times a week, 2 hours a night, 6 hours on Saturdays and Sundays competing for my medals - to not being able to climb the stairs without stopping for breath. The palpitations cause me more frustration, upset and anger than being diagnosed with ET!

Best wishes

Angela

piggie50 profile image
piggie50 in reply to forwardocho

Thanks Angela, that's really helpful. I do get breathless but don't have palpitations so fear I would not qualify anyway.

Good information though and I agree we should all claim what we are entitled to. I'm 62 and have to wait until 66 for my state pension because the Government moved the goalposts! Any help would be beneficial.

Best wishes

Judy

forwardocho profile image
forwardocho in reply to piggie50

You look amazing for 62!!

I'm afraid I don't know much about the pension side of things. The only pension I have is through my work who pay a percentage into the pot.

My CI claim was also processed through my work benefit. I'm a little miffed really as I had my own critical illness cover running along side my mortgage but cancelled it when I joined this company. Had I not, I could have had the mortgage paid off too! I could pay my mortgage off now with the CI money, but that's more for my retirement/future and security should anything happen along the way.

Best wishes

Angela

piggie50 profile image
piggie50 in reply to forwardocho

Thank you, you are very kind. That photo Is two years old though!

I know what you mean about the CI. I worked as a mortgage advisor for many years and never covered myself for critical illness 🙁 It would have been great to get my mortgage paid off.

Never mind, hindsight is a wonderful thing.

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